What factors you shouldn’t ignore when it comes to personal hygiene?
Imagine you are traveling in a crammed subway on your way to work. Already feeling annoyed by the heat and crowd, your head suddenly spins as someone comes by your side, trying to hold onto the pole grip.
No guessing game here on why your head spin! The bad odor coming from that person makes it tough for you to even breathe. You wish you could push that person far or spray the whole bottle of antiperspirant on that person right away.
Sadly, your parents brought you up with manners, and the only thing you can do is turn your head away and try to hold on to your breath as long as you can.
Sounds relatable? Instances like these make one think: Why is such a simple task of maintaining personal hygiene difficult for some people to adopt?
Why can’t they just notice their poor hygiene themselves?
Impact of adopting personal hygiene practices
The importance of hygiene has gained increased prominence since the spread of Covid-19. This alarming situation is an eye-opener for those who don’t care about personal hygiene.
A lot of awareness has been spread worldwide regarding measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. Most of these steps are related to basic personal hygiene rules and cleanliness habits.
According to the international LYSOL® HABIT Study, those who habitually cover their mouths when sneezing were almost two-and-a-half times more likely to have good health.
Practicing proper standards of cleanliness ensures that the person would not only have maintained health but will also appear neat and smell nice. Both looks and smell contribute towards a pleasing personality.
Never overlook these factors about your hygiene regimen:
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Know when to wash your hands
According to research conducted in London, it is estimated that if everyone routinely washed their hands, a million deaths could be prevented every year.
I know we are being bombarded with handwashing instructions too much nowadays. Yet, stressing upon it, again and again, reminds us to do it once again.
As a general personal hygiene rule, you must wash hands:
- before and after eating
- after using the toilet
- as soon as you enter your home
- after managing household waste
- when you greet others (guests, co-workers, delivery persons)
- after using public transport
- after using shared equipment at the gym
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose to stop the entrance of disease-causing germs in your body. This route causes everything from mild flu to an eye infection, so make a habit of avoiding to touch these areas.
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Make exfoliation an integral step when you take a bath.
Exfoliation is not an extra thing to add to your hygiene. It should be considered a mandatory practice to get rid of the dirt and dead skin. It also improves blood circulation beneath the skin surface, leaving you with soft and supple skin.
We tend to forget our back, but it is an area prone to swear accumulation, which can cause back acne if not exfoliated often.
Regular exfoliation must be done by either dry brushing before you shower or using a loofah while bathing. You can also use natural exfoliants like sugar and coconut oil, or coffee grounds for the added benefit of skin nourishment.
Products like scrubs and peel-off masks are also an excellent option to serve the purpose. Do not forget to moisturize after scrubbing.
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Get rid of unwanted hair
For men, it is advisable to trim extra hair as apart of their hygiene. Your nose hair, mustache, and beard should be regularly clipped. Also, remove the hair on your armpits and crotch frequently.
If you are a woman, ensure regular hair removal from armpits, pubic area, legs, and arms. You will stay fresh and clean, plus feeling soft as a rose petal is priceless.
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Factors that contribute to body odor
Since the Middle Ages, advancement in hygiene has been indicated by the conquest of stink.
~ Martin H. Fischer
Not having a bath after doing gym, doing tough physical work, and coming in from hot weather can cause one to sweat profusely. This sweat mixes with odor-causing bacteria, and as a result, we smell bad.
Also, wearing tight shoes for prolonged periods is a leading cause of stinky feet. The smell is unbearable, and you need to avoid it at all costs by wearing comfortable shoes. You can also use a foot spray that aids in keeping your feet odor-free.
Smelly hair points towards questionable hair hygiene. Whenever you notice you have a little bit of sweat in hair, take a shower and shampoo your hair to have fresh-smelling hair.
Unshaved armpits also cause an eerie stink due to the sweat and bacteria trapped in underarm hair. Keep the area clean and smooth and always use a deodorant after a shower. If you want to use something natural, go for an alum bar.
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Pay special attention to sensitive body area cleanliness.
Each time you take a trip to the loo, make sure to wash your intimate areas thoroughly. Using only toilet paper is not enough to get the area clean.
Infections and skin conditions in those areas tend to be highly irritating and even painful. Therefore, it is better to prevent them instead of suffering from them and then curing them.
In addition to preventing infections, taking care of your intimate hygiene will save you from the embarrassment caused by itching in public.
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Your clothing should be clean and airy.
You must change clothes daily, especially undergarments, even if you don’t sweat.
Remember to use a few drops of antibacterial liquid while doing laundry. Dry your clothes in the sun as it helps to kill germs.
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Avoid tight undergarments
Tight undergarments contribute towards sweat, odor, and chafing. For both men and women, undergarments that are too tight are a source of constant irritation and discomfort.
However, modern-design undergarments solve these problems for both genders. For mens pouch underwear solves this issue as it provides support to intimate parts and resists discomfort and sweating.
For women, pure cotton briefs are advised as they allow adequate circulation around the intimate area.
While buying undergarments, always remember that its material should be moisture-wicking to reduce chaffing caused by sweat and rubbing
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Trimmed nails
Impurities accumulate on the corners and insides of nails, and even correctly washing your hands won’t be enough to get rid of them. Thus, trim your nails routinely and clean the dirt inside them regularly.
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Clean your ears properly
Make it a habit to clean the ears from inside while you take a shower. Also, don’t forget to clean the back folds of the ear as it accumulates sweat and stinks badly. Use q-tips dipped in coconut oil to gently clean insides of the ear, once in a while.
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Maintain tip-top oral hygiene
Do you know? Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 estimates that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people.
If you brush your teeth once a day, it is not what you call good oral hygiene. It is a part of a standard routine which should include flossing and adequate cleaning your tongue. Until you clean your tongue with a tongue cleaning brush, you will not be able to eliminate the stink.
Occasionally, you should use an antibacterial mouth wash to remove any budding cavities and plaque build-up. Keep in mind that Treatment for oral health conditions is quite expensive and usually not covered by universal health coverage (UHC).
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Your hygiene products should be germ-free
Make a habit of washing your hairbrushes, combs, makeup brushes, and towels once a week.
Do not use someone else’s products, at any cost! Couples who habitually share each other’s brushes and towels are only passing on diseases to each other. Also, avoid using cosmetics and makeup brushes used by someone else.
Know when it’s time to give up a product and get a new one. Toothbrushes and sponges shouldn’t be used for longer than three months. Towels and hairbrushes should also be replaced every two years.
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Carry a few essentials to help you stay clean outside your home
You should always carry a compact pouch containing dental floss, antibacterial wipes, sanitizer, and tissue to maintain your hygiene while going out.
Parting thoughts on hygiene
We all grew up listening to the famous proverb that hygiene is two-third of health. Sadly, a majority of us don’t pay much attention to the cleanliness aspect of our personality.
By taking care of the essential factors mentioned above, we can always stay neat and tidy. Not only will it assure good health, but also a pleasant appearance that would attract everyone.
