We are usually more inclined to spend more time shopping for clothes, shoes, and accessories than finding the right underwear, yet underwear is part of our daily outfit.
Whether we stay at home for a lazy Sunday, hit the town for a boogie, or rush to get to work on time, our underwear remains the most important piece of clothing for our health and comfort.
So why do we neglect this key to maintaining good health and hygiene? The wrong underwear material can result in recurrent yeast infections (thrush), bacterial infections like Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), ingrown hairs, or general discomfort throughout the day. We have created this guide to help you keep your nether region healthy and comfortable.
The best underwear for women’s health is made from organic cotton. Here at ThirdLove, we have a range of organic cotton underwear in every style, including hipster, high leg, thongs, briefs, and high waist shorts. These variations are made with 93% cotton and 7% spandex, so they are naturally soft and breathable with the right amount of stretch. Most importantly, the gussets are made from 100% cotton - but why does this matter?
To keep your vulva healthy, it needs to be able to breathe. This essentially means that you need to allow air to get to your genitals. Cotton keeps your downstairs department cool and dry by absorbing the moisture from your body and allowing it to evaporate. Ever wonder what the small pocket in the crotch of your underwear is for? This additional piece of cotton is the gusset.
Cotton underwear is the best underwear for women; cotton plays a pivotal role in keeping us healthy, as excessive sweating around our vulvas and vaginas can cause bacterial or yeast infections. These infections can involve itching, which lasts several days, thick white discharge, and a painful stinging/burning sensation. The best way to avoid an unpleasant infection is to wear the right underwear to keep you fresh and dry.
Now that we’ve established that cotton is the best material for the gusset of your underwear, you are probably looking at your underwear drawer and wondering which pairs you should keep and which pairs you should throw out. The best advice we can give for your health is to ditch all fabrics that are not breathable, such as synthetically made materials like nylon and satin. Polyester is a key fabric to avoid because it isn’t absorbent like cotton. The build-up of sweat from your busy day creates dampness and humidity, the perfect environment for bacteria to grow and cause infections. All of our underwear at ThirdLove has a cotton gusset, no matter what the main body of the underwear is made from. So rest assured, you can experience the sleek nylon of microfiber underwear without compromising your health.
As for the styles of underwear to avoid, it’s simple - a 100% cotton gusset is the most important in keeping your vagina happy and healthy, so any underwear without a gusset is not ideal for long hours of wear - such as g-strings or crotchless. Some women are naturally more prone to getting yeast infections and Bacterial Vaginosis, so if you fall into this category, it would be wise to disregard these styles altogether. If you are still unsure, simply browse our underwear collection; all of our styles are safe for your lady parts, so all you have to think about is choosing styles you like best and feel the most confident in.
In addition to considering the material and style of your underwear, it is also essential to ensure that your underwear fits you correctly. If your underwear is too tight, it may rub against your sensitive skin and cause itching, irritation, rashes, or ingrown hairs. Tight underwear also allows germs and bacteria to grow, creating moist conditions with little breathability.
Generally, we don’t stay the same weight/shape throughout our adult lives, so the underwear size we need also changes. We recommend that you keep a selection of pairs in the sizes you fluctuate between so that you can always have comfortable underwear that fits you properly.
Good hygiene plays a vital role in keeping your genitals healthy. It is common practice to change your underwear once a day; however, if you have been sweating excessively - perhaps due to exercise or hot weather, you may want to swap your panties for a fresh pair.
When cleaning yourself, remember that the vagina itself (inside the hole) is self-cleaning, and rituals such as douching disrupt the vagina’s natural PH balance and cause infection. All you need to do is clean the outer area of your genitals, including the vulva, with warm water and a gentle, fragrance-free soap.
To keep your underwear at its best, give it a cold hand wash and lay it flat to dry. If you prefer to machine wash, simply place your underwear into a lingerie bag to protect it before popping it into the washer. Avoid ringing or twisting your panties, as this can stretch them and damage their elasticity. You should only wear each pair once to stay clean and healthy before washing them.
For the majority of women, sleeping in a pair of comfortable cotton underwear suits them perfectly well. However, if you suffer from recurrent vaginal infections, you may want to try going commando while you are in bed to give your bits a break and a thorough airing out.
Your vagina is worth your time and investment in making sure it is happy and healthy. Our ThirdLove panties do the hard work for you with their 100% cotton gussets and soft-to-touch elastics, and all of our underwear is naturally irritation-free to keep your sensitive areas happy. So you can live your life to the fullest without bad underwear and infections dragging you down.
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Returns & exchanges free for 60 days for all orders. Please try on the bra to ensure a good fit, making sure to leave the original tags attached. We only accept underwear in unworn condition, with original tags, in its unopened original polybag. Items marked final sale are not eligible for return or exchange. If something’s not right, we can help. Our Fit Experts are available via live chat, or email to answer any questions you might have.
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