Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is the act of taking care of yourself,  maintaining cleanliness, grooming of the external body and leading a healthy lifestyle. It's important for many reasons. With some very basic measures you can prevent many sicknesses from being passed from person to person. Maintaining a high level of personal hygiene will also help to increase confidence and self-esteem. Failure to keep up a standard of hygiene can have many implications. Not only is there an increased risk of getting sick, but there are many social aspects that can be affected as well. 

For example, many people would rather distance themselves from someone who has bad personal hygiene than to tell them how they could improve. Bullies often use personal hygiene as a way of mistreating their victims, using social embarrassment as a weapon. Poor personal hygiene can have significant implications on the success of job applications or the chance of promotion. When you work for someone you represent them. If you do not maintain a hygiene standard similar to the rest of your colleagues, its a problem! 

What causes body odor? 

Body odor is caused by a number of factors working in combination, such as

• chemicals in sweat (like pheromones)

• wastes excreted through the skin, such as alcohol

• the actions of bacteria that live on the skin and feed on dead skin cells and sweat.

Shower regularly

It’s important to shower regularly. We get it, trust, we all have those days where we are either too exhausted to shower or perhaps you're chillin at home by yourself and don't see the point. Thats understandable! But if you are active during the day, it's important to actively wash yourself. It's also pretty relaxing and a great way to naturally wake yourself up in the morning! Now with this being said, some people shower too often, which can strip your skin of its natural oils. Maintain a healthy balance. Rinse regularly but don't wash your hair everyday. Washing the hair less often can help the scalp remain healthy, prevent itching and flaking, and keep the hair soft and shiny.

Cleaning down there 

Vagina’s: The vagina is a self cleaning organ so no special care is needed, other than washing the external genitals. Do not put anything like douches into the vagina. Or use anything other than water. To learn more shit you should know about your vagina visit our Sexual Health section or click here.

Penis:  A build-up of secretions called smegma can form under the foreskin of uncircumcised people. If you are uncircumcised, gently pull back the foreskin when you have a shower and clean with water. If you are circumcised, its still important to clean yourself. You can use soap if you like, but make sure you rinse it off well.

Bad breath

Good dental hygiene includes regular brushing and flossing. Now lets be real, we all slack off on the flossing...But brushing your teeth EVERYDAY is a must. Bad breath can be caused by diseases of the teeth, gums and mouth, such as infections. Most people have bad breath first thing in the morning because when you sleep your mouth dries out. When your mouth dries out, odor-producing bacteria increases. Some foods like garlic and onion can also cause bad breath. Mouth washes, mouth sprays and flavored chewing gum can make your breath smell better for a while, but it's essential that you actually brush your teeth everyday, preferably morning and night. If you feel you have more odor than usual or any pain in your mouth, consult with your dentist immediately. 

Wearing clean clothes

Unwashed clothes, such as underwear and socks are big factors of bad odor. Now I get it! We all throw on those pants we wore the other day. There's nothing wrong with wearing certain types of clothing more than once. But wearing clean underwear everyday is a must.  

YES YOU, you've got scents coming from your private parts. Your private parts needs to breath!! They needs plenty of oxygen; the longer you wear the same underwear, the less it gets, meaning the more likely it is for  scents to accumulate. Unwashed underwear can also irritate the skin and provide a place for bacteria to grow, sometimes causing UTI’s or yeast infections. Side note- When you are getting underwear try to get 100% cotton.  Also, when you do buy underwear, wash it before you wear it. Those panties have been through factories and who knows who touched them before you bought them. Better safe than sorry. 

Deodorant

Deodorant is a basic and cheap hygiene product to have. Your armpits have glands that produce an oder stronger than other odors of the body, due to the sweat being high in protein. This allows bacteria to break down easier. Basically after sweating all day your armpits tend to smell. Put some deodorant on after your morning shower and you shouldn't experience that as much :) There are all types of deodorant, personally i go for Dove. Its basic and sold everywhere. But if you are looking for something natural, you can try Tom’s of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant.

Getting regular Checkups 

Getting regular check ups is very important. An annual appointment can give your doctor the opportunity to notice some potential health problems or advise you in something you've been worried about. It can calm your fears. . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that regular checkups can lead to early treatment, should your doctor notice an issue. The value of a doctor visit goes beyond the medical checkup — your physician’s connections can be just as helpful. Your doctor can refer you to professionals who specialize in everything from mental health to nutrition — all of whom are professionals you have a right to see.

Help others, it’s important to teach each other! 

Many who suffer from mental illnesses like dementia or depression may need extra support and encouragement with their personal hygiene. If you know someone who may be having hygiene issues, the best thing you can do for them is speak to them privately about it. Don’t accuse them of not taking care of themselves or doing anything wrong. It's better to offer yourself as a support system and advisor. Many people grow up not having the luxury of parents, or anyone that teaches them about hygiene. This information doesn't just come to you, it needs to be taught. It's up to us as a community to lend a helping hand to those who may need it. If you are having trouble with personal hygiene, speak to a friend, mentor or your doctor about it. Feel free to even message us at ASA, we are always here to lend a helping hand or advice :) You may feel you are the only one that has these issues but you’re not! It's quite common. 

Summary of hygiene tips

1. Brush your teeth when you wake up in the morning and before you go to sleep.

2. Take showers every day to every other if you can, especially if you are very active! 

3. Avoid wearing underwear at night, let ya shit breath!

4. Wear clean clothes and avoid wearing the same pair of underwear or socks more than once before washing them.

5. Deodorant is a good thing to have! Slap some on after you shower to keep our pits fresh all day.

 6. Get regular checkups!!

7. Be kind and help others.