Do you wear pants to bed? Many women would
likely answer in the affirmative. However, experts
say when a woman does so on a daily basis when
it’s not necessarily because she is having her
period, there may be untoward side effects to it!
Physicians aver that the female genital needs to
breathe in order to maintain its PH levels and
prevent fungi and odour. And that’s why doctors
advise going bare below when it’s bed time at the
close of day.
“With BV, there is an increase in harmful bacteria
and a decrease in good bacteria. BV is the most
common va’ginal infection in women of child-
bearing age.”
Part of the problem, says Family Physician, Dr.
Grace Obong, is that during the day, women wear a
variety of panties and tight outfits that hardly allow
their privates to breathe. She says though it’s
advisable and absolutely preferable to wear cotton
panties, many women still opt for polyester
panties, with the attendant heating up of the
genital area while the day lasts.
And as for those who may not like to go to sleep
without having pants on, Obong recommends
wearing of boxers or pyjamas.
Bacterial va’ginosis
Talking about the need to maintain the PH levels of
the va’gina, experts at womenshealth.gov say the
va’gina normally has a balance of mostly “good”
bacteria and fewer “harmful” bacteria. However, a
condition, called bacterial va’ginosis, develops
when the balance changes.
Obong says women with BV may have an abnormal
va’ginal discharge with an unpleasant odour, while
some women may complain of a strong fish-like
odour, especially after se’x.
“The discharge can be white (milky) or gray. It may
also be foamy or watery. Other symptoms may
include burning when ur’inating, itching around
the outside of the va’gina, and irritation; while
some women with BV have no symptoms at all,”
she adds.
Yeast infection
To further underscore the negative effects of
wearing panties to bed,online portal, Medline Plus,
also notes that too much moist in the female
genital area can lead to va’ginal yeast infection,
most commonly due to the fungus Candida
albicans.
“Wearing tight underwear or a pair made from
polyester or some other material that doesn’t
breathe can lock in moisture and lead to yeast
infections,” the warning goes.
Again, Certified Se’xuality Counselor, Evelyn Resh,
says, “I do not recommend that women wear
underwear to bed. Taking a break from underwear
for the eight or so hours that you’re asleep gives
you an opportunity to ‘air-out’ down there! Best to
have an underwear-free zone while sleeping.”
And while yeast infection is not a se’xually
transmitted illness, physicians say some men will
develop symptoms such as itching and a rash on
the pen*s after having se’xual contact with an
infected partner.
The symptoms of yeast infection are as obnoxious
as they are embarra$$ing, and they include
abnormal va’ginal discharge, which ranges from a
slightly watery, white discharge to a thick, white,
chunky discharge; painful intercourse, painful
ur’ination, redness and swelling of the vu’lva; and
itching in the va’gina and the lab’ia. You may also
feel burning sensation when you have yeast
infection.
Go natural
The online physician, Dr. Mehmet Oz, counsels,
“It’s time to go au naturel. You don’t want it to be
so moist down there. Let it dry out a little bit.” The
reason for this timely advice, Oz says, is because
the underpants can abrade on your skin a little bit,
and can cause pimples. And you don’t want that.
