SHOULD YOU WASH BEFORE MAKING LOVE ?

Feel good, fresh... Although an appropriate daily personal hygiene routine is essential, there is no need to increase it because of sexual relations. Less is often more. If you try to do too much, you may disrupt the vaginal microbiota.

It is possible to reconcile personal hygiene and sexuality. Just follow the right routine.

Should you wash before making love?

Almost 3 in 10 women and 1 in 4 men wash before sexual intercourse*. However, this precaution is pointless from a medical perspective.

Some people may feel more at ease with their partner when they feel clean. In this case, a very mild personal hygiene routine is entirely feasible before intercourse, using water and a specific cleansing product or intimate wipe. Do not carry out more than 2 personal hygiene routines per day.

What about after making love?

40% of women and 30% of men wash their genital area after sexual intercourse. But there is no obligation to do so. One tip: urinate to prevent any risk of urinary infection. Excessive intimate hygiene could cause an imbalance in the vulvovaginal flora.

Which intimate hygiene product should you use?

Opt for gentle intimate cleansing products that respect the pH of the vulvar and anal mucosa.

What should be avoided in terms of intimate hygiene before/after sexual intercourse?

Avoid excessively aggressive cleansing products such as intimate deodorants or perfumes which can cause a risk of allergy and irritation.

Vaginal douches: do not carry out vaginal douches or vaginal lavage.

Daily personal hygiene: the right routine

Carry out your personal hygiene routine using your hands – do not use a flannel (a breeding ground for bacteria). In women, this should be restricted to the vulva and the anal region. Work from the front to the back. There is no point having vaginal douches as they could destroy the microbial flora and trigger infection and mycosis. As for male personal hygiene routines – men must focus on the head of the penis: the foreskin should be pushed back in order to prevent an accumulation of foul-smelling secretions under the foreskin.

* From personal hygiene to sexuality. The male/female perspective. Saforelle, Personal and body hygiene routines. http://www.laboratoiresiprad.com/saforelle/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/Guide-hygiene-intime-sexualite.pdf