Role of female intimate hygiene in vulvovaginal health: Globalhygiene practices and product usage

摘要

Women use various feminine hygiene products, often as part of their dailycleansing routine; however, there is a paucity of published medical literaturerelated to the external vulva and how personal hygiene practices can affect it.This review article provides background information on the physiological changesthat occur during women’s lives and reviews the relevance of transient andresident microbiota as they relate to common vaginal and vulvar disorders. Italso discusses the need for female intimate hygiene, common practices offeminine hygiene from a global perspective, and the potential benefits of usingsuitable external, topical feminine vulvar washes to minimize the risk ofvulvovaginal disorders and to improve overall intimate health in women aroundthe world. Supported by international guidelines, daily gentle cleansing of thevulva is an important aspect of feminine hygiene and overall intimate health.Women should be encouraged to choose a carefully formulated and clinicallytested external wash that provides targeted antimicrobial and other healthbenefits without negatively impacting on the natural vulvovaginalmicrobiota.