Mistake #1: Too-tight underwear
Not only is too-tight underwear generally unflattering (hello, visible
bulges and puckering), but it can also promote chafing of the skin and
vaginal irritation, especially if you’re post-menopausal. “For women who
are menopausal, their vaginal walls tend to be thin,” says Raquel B.
Dardik, M.D., clinical associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center. From that perspective, any
underwear that’s tight enough to rub your skin can result in irritation,
she explains. “If your skin doesn’t get irritated, then great — tight
underwear won’t hurt you. But if you do get irritated because of
friction, then it’s not recommended.”
Mistake #2: Shapewear
If your tight undergarment happens to be shapewear, like the popular
hip- and tummy-slimming kinds or waist-cinching corsets, you run the
risk of health complications beyond your appearance. “If it’s really
tight, you could have nerve impingement and decreased circulation,” says
Donnica Moore, M.D., a women’s health expert, who speculates that tight
girdles and shapers can even produce numbness or tingling in your
extremities. Furthermore, shapewear is notoriously difficult to take
off. “Shapewear makes it very difficult to go to the bathroom, so when
women wear them, they tend to hold it more than they should,” she says.
Mistake #3: Synthetic Fabrics And Silk
When it comes to material, experts agree that your personal
preference can dictate the fabric—as long as you make sure the crotch is
lined with cotton. “Most of the underwear that’s available is fairly breathable,” says
Dr. Dardik. “As long as they have a cotton liner where the vaginal area
is, you’ll be fine.” But if you’re looking for optimal underwear
conditions, steer clear of synthetic materials, and only wear silk on
special occasions. “Silk and synthetic fabrics are not breathable, which
increases the risk of moisture being trapped and retained, which can
create a yeast or bacterial infection,” says Dr. Moore.
Mistake #4: Thongs
Even if thong underwear is more your granddaughter’s speed than
yours, keep this tip in mind: If you have a propensity to get yeast or
bacterial infections, thongs will only make things worse. “Thongs can be
a unique transport vehicle for bacteria from the back to the front,”
says Dr. Moore, referring to the spread of E. coli from the anus to the
vaginal area. “There’s a lot of movement with the thongs, sliding back
and forth—it doesn’t stay in place,” she says.
Dr. Dardik agrees: “Thong underwear can be more irritating, because
it has more contact with vaginal and vulval area, but that doesn’t mean
women can’t wear them — you just have to find right type for you,” she
says. Meaning, if you like wearing thongs and they don’t cause you
discomfort, then go for it. “Just because women become grandmothers, it
doesn’t mean they need to wear big ‘granny’ underwear,” she adds.
Mistake #5: Underwear at night
Most experts are proponents of sleeping in completely the nude — as
long as you’re comfortable in your birthday suit. “Though it’s a matter
of personal preference, from the perspective of breathing and airing
things out, you should sleep without underwear,” says Dr. Moore. For
women who are going through menopause, going underwear-less may make
even more sense. “The more you wear, the more you have to take off when
you get night sweats,” she says. No one wants to linger in cold, wet
panties once a hot flash passes.
Mistake #6: “Going commando” during the day
If breathable underwear is good, is wearing no underwear better?
In a word: no. “No underwear causes a whole host of other problems,
particularly because clothing doesn’t tend to have a liner,” says Dr.
Dardik. “For one, if you’re wearing pants, the seam sits right in the
vulval area and will constantly be rubbing the area,” which can irritate
sensitive tissue. Secondly, the natural moisture produced by the vagina
has nowhere to go when you’re not wearing underwear. “If you are
wearing dresses or skirts, there’s nothing there to absorb vaginal
moisture,” she adds. “Then you can become hot and sweaty down there,
which, in itself, can irritate the skin. In theory [no underwear] makes
sense, until you think of the details.”
Mistake #7: Sweaty undies
Women and men who tend to sweat should change their underwear
regularly — twice a day, as opposed to once a day for people who
typically stay dry. And anyone who works out should put on a clean pair
of undies as soon as they’re able. “A warm, moist environment is the
perfect place for yeast to grow,” says Dr. Moore, who recommends that
sweat-prone people invest in underwear made of moisture-wicking material
and avoid cotton underwear, which tends to stay wet once it gets wet.
“All of these problems are compounded if you have incontinence to any
degree — even a drop or two,” says Dr. Moore. “When you work out, you
can try wearing a panty liner. That way, if you’re not in a position to
change underwear, at least you can change the panty liner or take it
off.”
Mistake #8: Non-hypoallergenic detergent
Have unexplained itching in an uncomfortable place? Even if you
don’t consider yourself to have sensitive skin, your vaginal area may
disagree. “Another common irritation is a form of contact dermatitis,”
says Dr. Moore. “The No. 1 cause of that is your laundry detergent. The
tissues that your panties come in to contact with are a lot more
sensitive than your elbows.” She also identifies dryer sheets as
irritation culprits. “Many brands have a very high concentration of
perfumes in them,” she continues. “I don’t know why we need our vaginas
to smell like a garden, but I recommend that women use hypoallergenic
cleaning products as much as possible.” Dr. Dardik concurs, the milder
the better.
The good news
While you can make mistakes with the undergarments you choose to
wear, infection typically isn’t a big concern for women over 50. “The
good news about menopause is that your pH changes, making you less
likely to get yeast infections and bacterial infections,” says Dr.
Dardik.
Smart underwear habits mostly boil down to personal preference,
how easily your skin gets irritated, and your propensity for infection.
“With all of these questions, it’s not like we have a wealth of double
blind placebo trials to rely on,” says Dr. Moore. “It’s mostly
conventional wisdom with a little medical thoughtfulness. Vaginal health
depends on a lot of factors.”
