Teaching Teens the Do’s and Don’ts of Intimate Hygiene

The two C’s of puberty are intimidating – changes and challenges. The body goes through a whirlwind of changes and it might be helpful to know beforehand how to handle these wild hormones and adapt to body changes.

Why is intimate grooming so important?

When puberty hits, the body starts to clean the womb resulting in periods and discharge on non-period days. If proper hygiene habits aren’t adopted, it can lead to embarrassing situations such as unpleasant scents, irritations, and infections. Just as the right outfit can make you look good, the right feminine or intimate hygiene can also make you feel the best about yourself. Here is a rundown of some basic intimate care tips for teenagers to help keep the intimate area clean and fresh at all times.

Wash daily – Add an intimate wash product in your daily bath rituals. You can start off with a mild, natural product such as the Imbue Intimate Care Wash or Foam. If you exercise and sweat or go for swimming, you can wash off later with an intimate wash product to avoid irritations.

Use the right product – Soaps, deodorants, talcum powders are a big no-no! Intimate washes are specially designed for the sensitive and delicate skin around the vulva. Imbue Intimate Wash is made from natural ingredients such as neem, fig, banana which keep bacteria away from the sensitive area.

Stay dry – Use cotton underwear even though those lacy ones seem very luxurious. Involve panty liners in your habits and ensure they are changed at regular intervals. Moisture build-up is bad for the vagina. Say goodbye to fungal infections by keeping the fort dry!

Use proper period care – DO NOT use cloth during periods. Tampons, vaginal cups and pads are excellent during periods, provided they are changed at required intervals.

Manage pubic hair – A full bush might be the reason for increased bacterial infection. While keeping the pubic hair or not is a personal choice, ensure you maintain a sound environment down there. Pubic hair is for protection, so trimming them to a sufficient amount is advisable.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to especially preparing your growing girl about the basics of regular intimate hygiene and how she can stay on top of period hygiene as well. Here are some intimate care tips that you can discuss with your daughter.

Keeping it clean

Vaginas aren’t complicated. They have an excellent inbuilt cleaning system so even your OB-GYN will suggest staying away from using soaps, deodorants, talcum powders and douching down there. A lot of marketed intimate wash products are scented which irritate the vaginal pH level of the vagina and furthermore are the root causes of fishy odour.

Period Hygiene

Your pre-teen daughter needs to be aware of those dreary wonder years to come. She can be equipped with knowledge of periods, how to maintain emotional as well as vaginal balance during that time of the month to help her get through this delicate time.

Vaginal Warning Signs

Introduce your daughter to the distress signals that the vagina typically sends off incase it is out of balance.

What’s normal – vaginal discharge

What’s not normal – peculiarly heavy discharge, foul, fishy odour, itching, burning or bleeding

When it comes to teen hygiene, getting them started early will surely take them a long way. Frank conversations about intimate hygiene is needed in every household. Incorporating these intimate hygiene tips into your life will not only keep the vagina clean and healthy but also leave your daughter smiling and confident. After all, getting intimate hygiene tips from a parent is almost like passing down your own wisdom.