Why Shower Gels and Soaps are Harmful to Your Genitalia

Let’s just cut to the chase. Whether you are a man or a woman, keeping your genitals clean is important. The waste alone that comes out of these areas is reason enough to maintain proper hygiene. Not only that but consider how much you sweat daily. That sweat gets trapped because of constricting clothing. A combination of sweat and bodily waste can lead to bacteria forming, not to mention the smell that might arise.

A good way to prevent this is by using products specifically made for cleaning that area. Using regular shower gels/soaps and douching is never a good idea because it can cause harm to your genitalia.

In this article, you’ll find out exactly why that is.

The 411 on Regular Soap and What it Does to Your Privates

Cleaning your genitals with just water isn’t enough. However, using a regular type of body wash that you have used on the rest of your body isn’t appropriate as they are too harsh on that delicate area. That in turn will cause skin irritation and other infections such as candida and bacterial vaginosis in females or Desquamation in the case of males. 

The reason is that our private areas are overly sensitive to chemicals compared to the rest of the body. For example, when a chemical irritant enters the body through the urethra, it upsets the pH balance of your genital area. In females, the urethra is shorter, than in males which makes them more prone to develop UTIs. However, the vagina is a self-cleaning organ, and washing the inside isn’t recommended because it can do more harm than good due to the reasons mentioned above. 

On the other hand, keeping the penis clean depends entirely on you. Since the penis is an organ that doesn’t clean itself as the vagina does, it’s something you have to do yourself. If you still have a foreskin, you need to pull it back and wash it underneath with products specifically designed for genital cleaning and not regular soaps because they contain harmful chemicals that can irritate the skin as well as the urethra. Even though the urethra in men is shorter, developing mild to severe UTI infections if hygiene isn’t up to standard is something every male should carefully consider. After all, a man has two hearts, one of which is the penis. 

So, when it comes to choosing the right product for your intimate care routine, the rule of thumb is the stronger the scent and the more prominent color the substance has, the more it will irritate the skin down there. Both will cause redness, itchiness, and other common signs of irritation, and as we all know – your private area is one place you don’t want to get irritated. To prevent this from happening, always ensure you treat your genital area with products made from natural ingredients. 

Dangers of Douching

Douching is a different terminology involving specific solutions, including a mixture of baking soda vinegar to clean up the anal or vaginal canal. Given that the Vagina can clean itself through its natural secretions and alkaline pH maintenance, such a mechanism does not happen in the Anal Canal. If you're involved in MSM, you might be familiar with this process.

Using simple tap water might do the trick occasionally, but prolonged use is not recommended since it leads to electrolyte imbalance in the body. It would be best to keep the correct temperature in mind since your skin can tolerate the higher water temperatures. However, your colon's mucosal lining will be burned with the same amount of temperature, and water temperature slightly less than lukewarm is the one you should be looking for.

Remember, do not use soap because it can upset the linings and lead to an itch or a burning sensation that you might not be comfortable with.

On a further note, douching more than 2-3 times per week isn’t recommended as it will likely disrupt the lining of your insides. If that happens, you become prone to develop STIs such as viral hepatitis and bacterial infections, including gonorrhea and chlamydia.

As  mentioned, some common ingredients in douches are vinegar, baking soda, and iodine. A few of them even have antiseptic and fragrances! Think about it, would you really want to put a mixture of vinegar and baking soda inside you?

We think not, but if you do, please consider changing your mind. Your privates are begging you. Literally. Trust us.

There are a gazillion products for private area care on the global market. But the ones that stand out when it comes to private area care are few. As a rule of thumb, ensure you pick a product that’s made exclusively for intimate care, with less fragrance, and contains natural ingredients that are gentle and do not change the pH level of your nether regions. Checking off all of that criteria will guarantee your vaginal, penile, or anal area isn’t going to get irritated or infected. 

When someone brings up genitals, people automatically want to cover their ears. This is even doubly true for cleaning that area properly. Thing is, it has to be talked about because you can develop some serious irritation, rashes, and other problems down there. 

Using just about any regular soap or shower gel is a bad idea, regardless of your gender. The reason is they contain chemical irritants that are the leading cause of various skin and UTI infections in both men and women. Therefore, it’s necessary for the product to fit the criteria mentioned above because… do you really want to be scratching down there in public? 

Yes, we didn’t think so.