Many women feel insecure when they are menstruating, but menstruation is a natural process. Read on for this article to find out how to handle body hygiene during menstruation to avoid feeling insecure.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Using the Right Equipment
Step 1. Know what options are available
Women have several options that they can use during their period, choose the option that best suits your lifestyle.
Step 2. Consider using a tampon
Many women in the United States choose to use tampons during their period because this option is convenient and simple to use. Tampons are made of cotton with good absorbency and are inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual fluid as it exits the cervix. Depending on the amount of fluid that comes out, you can choose from several absorption levels for your tampons from light, regular, heavy and super. Discard tampons after use and should be replaced after eight hours of use.
Never use a tampon for longer than eight hours or use a type of tampon with a higher absorption rate than you need because it can lead to a rare, serious condition known as Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)
Step 3. Try disposable pads. Disposable pads can be worn with underwear and come in different lengths and absorbencies
These sanitary napkins are made from an absorbent material known as cellulose and must be discarded after use. Some women combine tampons and pads just in case, while other women prefer to use pads because they don't feel comfortable inserting something into their vagina. These pads have a plastic bottom to prevent leakage, which can make this option very smelly compared to other options.
Step 4. Try using cloth pads
Some women choose to buy or make pads made of absorbent materials such as cotton, Zorb, or microfiber. Cloth pads don't contain chemicals like disposable pads and don't give off the same scent that many women who use them can smell when blood is absorbed by disposable pads. Cloth pads should be washed regularly and can feel thicker than disposable pads.
Step 5. Buy a menstrual cup
Menstrual cups are very popular in Europe and recently began to be loved by women in the United States. Some menstrual cups such as the Softcup are discarded after use and inserted like a diaphragm. Reusable menstrual cups such as the DivaCup or Lunette are made of silicone used in the healthcare world and are inserted into the vagina until the cervix opens. When a disposable or reusable menstrual cup is inserted, they are held in place by the walls of the vagina so they don't change position. This tool can be used for 12 hours, including while in the water or while sleeping. Because it is used internally, this tool can reduce the smell of menstrual blood that comes out when you are menstruating.
The user of this device removes the cup every four to twelve hours, pours the collected blood into the toilet or sink, and then washes the cup before reinserting it
Step 6. Change tampons or pads regularly
Wearing a tampon for a long time can cause leakage, and using a pad for too long can lead to a bad smell.
- When the blood is flowing profusely, you may need to replace it every hour or two. When the blood isn't coming out as much, when you're not sleeping, don't wait more than three to four hours without replacing it.
- Again, don't leave a tampon in your body for more than eight hours, even if you're sleeping. And don't use a tampon with a higher absorbency than you need. This is to minimize your exposure to TSS.
Step 7. Be alert
Usually you can guess when your period comes because this process comes regularly. However, sometimes between periods suddenly sudden bleeding occurs or your period comes earlier than usual. You should always be prepared for it with the right equipment.
- Keep tampons or pads in your bag, locker, and/or car in case of an emergency.
- Keep a stockpile of tampons or pads in the bathroom so you don't have to run to the store to buy them when your period arrives.
- Don't be shy about asking your girlfriends for tampons or pads if needed. A stranger you meet in a public bathroom may also be willing to help if you need it.
Part 2 of 4: Keeping the Body Clean
Step 1. Take a shower every day
Your entire body should be cleaned daily and during your period, you will need extra time to clean your vulva (the genital area outside your body) because blood and fluid can build up in this area.
- Use a mild body wash or liquid soap all over the body, including the vulva, and rinse well.
- You don't need a special soap for your genitals. This is just a marketing trick meant to take advantage of the insecurity that women experience during their period. Remember that it's natural to have a body that smells like your body, and that your genitals should smell like your genitals.
- Never clean the inside of the vagina, for example with a douche. The vagina is an organ that cleans itself and naturally produces a balanced amount of mucus to expel incoming contaminants. Douches or vaginal cleansers can upset the pH balance, leading to infection.
Step 2. Try baby wipes
If you feel the need to freshen up while you're still in the shower, unscented baby wipes can help get rid of the bad smell.
- After using the toilet, use these wet wipes the same way you would use toilet paper, which is to wipe only the outside of your body. Make sure you throw it in the trash because it can clog the drains if you throw it in the toilet.
- Wet wipes for babies are specially made for baby's sensitive skin so you shouldn't feel stung. However, if you feel a burning, itching, stinging sensation, stop using it so you don't get an infection.
Step 3. Keep your underwear clean
You can keep your body clean and avoid bad smells by changing it regularly and keeping an eye on it so it doesn't leak.
- Wear cotton underwear. Cotton is a natural fiber that ensures good air circulation, which can also prevent sweat and bad odors.
- Don't wear a thong while you're on your period because it can transfer bacteria from the anus to the vagina and cause infection.
- Change underwear if it starts to get damp with sweat or fluids, or at least once a day.
Step 4. Wash your clothes
Sometimes body odor becomes sharper during menstruation and makes clothes smell bad.
- Use the recommended amount of detergent and make sure you wash everything, including your underwear.
- If blood stains clothing or sheets, rinse in cold water as soon as possible and apply a stain remover such as Vanish. Allow the liquid to soak in for a few hours or overnight, then wash the clothes or sheets with warm water and detergent.
Part 3 of 4: Solving the Bad Smell Problem
Step 1. Remember that most smells during your period are normal and you don't have to worry
In fact, other people may not even be able to smell it. Every woman smells her own vagina when she's on her period (and a different smell when she's not on her period), so it's important to know if the smell is normal or abnormal for you.
- Blood had a normal metallic smell. This is normal, but if it bothers you, try wearing a tampon or menstrual cup, or changing pads more often.
- If the smell is very strong, fishy, foul, or something else that's not normal for you, and you've been cleaning yourself every day, there may be a reason for this smell.
- If you're using a tampon and smell a strong scent, it's a good idea to check if you have a tampon left on your body or not. This can happen when you forget to pull the tampon out so the old tampon is still in your body. It's impossible for a tampon to "disappear" inside your body, so if it's still in your body, you should be able to find it and remove it easily. Insert a clean finger into the vagina and try to find the string, then pull it out. If you can't pull it out, see a doctor right away.
Step 2. See a doctor to see if there is an infection problem
A fishy or foul smell that persists even though you clean yourself regularly can indicate an infection known as bacterial vaginosis (BV) that requires a doctor's prescription for treatment.
BV is sometimes accompanied by itching or a burning sensation, but often there are no symptoms other than a foul odor. You should see a doctor for a prescription that can treat BV
Step 3. Check for body odor
Sometimes a woman's hormones change during her period which can make her normal body smell stronger.
- Many women can overcome odor problems by using regular deodorant during their period, but other women find that this is not enough.
- Body and vaginal odor can be influenced by diet and some foods such as garlic, coffee, and fried foods affect this smell. If you eat any of these foods or drinks or other strong-smelling foods, try to stop consuming them to see if your scent improves or not.
Step 4. Consider the weather factor
On a very hot day, the combination of menstruation and sweating can lead to a stronger-than-usual scent.
This can be problematic if you're used to using pads that trap bacteria, blood, and sweat between the plastic layers. If this is your problem, try switching to an inserted tampon or menstrual cup, or try changing your pads more often
Part 4 of 4: Understanding Menstruation
Step 1. Understand the start of menstruation
Most girls experience it for the first time around the age of 12.
- Usually women get their first period two years after the first signs of puberty, which are usually breast buds (nipples that are slightly swollen and protruding, not real breasts), and a few months after the signs of growing armpit and pubic hair.
- Your first period can start at any time, but it can also be accompanied by sore breasts, erratic mood, or pain in the lower abdominal muscles.
Step 2. Recognize that all fertile women have to deal with menstrual problems
This shouldn't be embarrassing or weird.
- The first time you have your period, you can feel worried or insecure. But take a look around you. Everyone you see is born to a woman who has had their period and almost all the women you see have it every month. All your friends will get it, if they haven't already. Menstruation is a very normal human body process.
- Most women get their first period around age 12 and go through menopause around age 51, which means they'll have 39 years of monthly periods or a total of 468 periods!
Step 3. Learn to recognize signals from the body
Each woman's menstrual cycle is a little different, but over time, most women can identify their own cycle so that they can prepare for their period.
- The menstrual cycle usually refers to the fertility cycle, usually 28 days, which causes the monthly period to come. Every month, a woman's fertile body prepares to become pregnant. Within a month, the body creates a dense, nutrient-dense lining of the uterus to nourish the potential embryo and then releases an egg that slides into the uterine area. If not fertilized by sexual intercourse, the egg and this lining leave the female body, which looks like a bloody discharge when it comes out of the vagina.
- As your body prepares for your period, you can experience symptoms known as PMS (premenstrual syndrome), which can cause bloating, fatigue, mood swings, food cravings, dizziness, and upset stomach.
