Hygiene is a principle of maintaining cleanliness as well as grooming of the external body. Personal hygiene is one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves and others from illness. Practising personal hygiene helps you to live healthily.
Practising personal hygiene not only helps in protecting against germs including virus, bacteria, fungi etc. it also allows you to feel good about yourself, which is important to your mental health.
Here are a few tips on how you can maintain a personal hygiene:
Wash your hands and trim your nails
Most infections especially colds are caught when we put our unwashed hands in our mouths. You should prioritize washing your hands with clean water and soap especially before cooking or eating a meal, after using the restroom, after handling dogs or any other animals etc.
It is also important to trim finger and toenails and keep them in good shape. This will help keep away germs and dirt carried by nails.
Cleanse your ears
Besides nail hygiene and all, taking care of the ears is equally important
When bathing, wash behind your ears properly, use cotton buds after bathing to cleanse your ears gently as it helps avoid irritation to the ear skin.
Don’t ‘dig’ too deeply inside the inner ear as it may affect ear functioning and cause ear related issues, remember to clean your ears regularly but not too frequently.
Take care of your hair
Wash your hair regularly to keep your hair healthy and dandruff free but great care must be taken so as not to completely strip the hair of its natural oils
For the men, trim your hair regularly
In addition, you should care about the hairs under your armpits and pubic area, cut or shave them with a shaving gel or cream and moisturize.
Genital Care
Rinse your genitals with warm, not hot water and use a mild soap to wash if necessary. Make use of baby wipes after urinating so as to avoid the nasty smell urine leaves on your underwear, using tissue doesn’t take away the smell.
For the men, wash every part that constitutes your genital area daily and after every sexual encounter using water and mild soap and wipe after urinating using baby wipes.
Also, wear a fresh loose-fitting cotton underwear or boxers as it won’t retain moisture.
For the women, wash the external genitals and avoid cleaning inside the vagina. Clean the vaginal area twice a day using warm and a mild soap. Avoid using scented vaginal washers, or harsh cleaners and soaps as they strip away the protective barrier that constitutes of natural oils which is a very important form of protection against infections.
Dental care
Having healthy teeth helps you maintain a strategic distance from cavities and gum diseases. Brush twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush to avoid harming your gum. Brush your tongue to evacuate bacteria and refresh your breath and floss your teeth regularly.
Body care
Keep your body clean and smelling fresh by washing it. Your skin covers your body and protects your organs.
Wash your whole body from forehead to toes with soap. Use an antibacterial soap to wash your body and a gentle facial scrub to wash your face and neck.
Shower every day, properly scrubbing under your armpits and feet.
Wear neat and clean clothes
Imagine wearing dirty clothes just after you’ve finished bathing.
Wearing neat and clean clothes will keep your body clean for a longer period of time.
Always dry your clothes immediately after washing, as wet clothes left for a while can develop mold, leading to odor.
