Search results
Apr 20, 2018 · For most people, around a three-week supply of underwear — say about 20 to 25 pairs — is ideal, according to mathematician and logician Presh Talwalkar. A week's worth forces you to do...
Jul 17, 2014 · This chart helps you determine the perfect amount by comparing how many pairs, how many days you're away, and how many washes will be required.
- Patrick Allan
- Overview
- 1. Overall, choose natural fabrics — specifically cotton
- 2. Aim to change your underwear every day, even more than once if you want!
- 3. Go commando at night to air out the moisture
- 4. Well-fitting, moisture-wicking underwear is best for working out
- 5. Thongs really aren’t bad for your vaginal health
- 6. Wash your underwear in hypoallergenic soap
- 7. Consider replacing your underwear every year
- 8. The style of underwear can affect your mood
Your pantie guidebook to cleaning, wearing, and living.
Do you ever think to yourself, “Am I doing this underwear thing wrong?” It may be an integral part of our routine, but it’s not something the average person knows much about.
Like, did you know that there are certain fabrics that are healthier for you or certain times that going commando is better or that there’s sort of an expiration date for underwear?
These unspoken underwear rules can have an impact on your vaginal health — and, depending on the style, can even affect your mood!
You may have heard this before, but with all the cute styles in a variety of fabrics out there, it’s worth saying again: cotton is the best underwear fabric.
“The vulva is a very sensitive and delicate area, similar to the lips on your face. You want to treat [it] gently,” explains Dr. Alyse Kelly-Jones, board-certified OB-GYN.
And the most simple, gentle fabric to touch your skin? Yep, cotton. It’s also breathable and absorbent, which can help prevent yeast infections.
“Since it is healthy to have a vaginal discharge — similar to the moisture you always have in your mouth — you want your underwear to gently absorb any extra moisture,” explains Kelly-Jones.
It seems like we typically wear one pair of underwear a day and then put it in the laundry to be washed. That may not always be necessary. On the other end of the spectrum, you shouldn’t feel restricted to just one pair per day.
Some doctors say that you can get away with wearing a pair of underwear two days in a row if there’s not much discharge or sweat. But if you start to feel uncomfortable because of vaginal discharge buildup, you can change them more than once a day, as Kelly-Jones reminds her patients all the time.
“Many of my patients are bothered by this moisture and wear pantie liners all of the time,” she says. “I think this is not the healthiest of behavior as liners can cause chafing and irritation. Cotton-lined underwear will solve this problem, and it’s OK to change more than once a day.”
After they’ve been worn, toss them in the hamper to wash. Unlike jeans, underwear shouldn’t be reworn just to save on doing a load.
There’s a lot of debate about whether or not going underwear-free to bed is better for you.
For those who have a healthy vagina, either choice is fine. For those who deal with regular yeast infections, going pantie-free to bed can make all the difference.
Going without a cloth barrier allows the area to breathe overnight and keeps moisture from building up or creating an environment for bacteria to build.
“I believe the vulva area should be exposed to the air, just like any other area of your body,” says Kelly-Jones.
If you really don’t like the feeling of being naked, Kelly-Jones recommends wearing loose-fitting pajama bottoms. Just remember, if you’re going without underwear but are wearing another type of bottom, they need to be washed frequently as well.
Basically, it doesn’t hurt to go without underwear overnight.
Again, whether to go pantie-free or not when working out is a personal preference. If you’re wearing shorts that have moisture-wicking underwear built into it, you can forgo the underwear.
Wearing something between you and the fabric may be more comfortable and an even healthier way to catch the sweat. Typically, this would be a high-tech polyester that’s light and slick.
If you do choose to wear a pair, Kelly-Jones notes, “The most important thing is to make sure it fits well and doesn’t cause chafing.”
Once you find your ideal size, you can pick from the tons of great workout-specific underwear options like Lululemon’s Mula Bandhawear Bikini ($18) or Patagonia Women’s Active Briefs ($12).
It’s always been assumed that thongs can’t be good for the health of your nether regions.
However, studies haven’t found evidence that thongs cause yeast vaginitis (YV), bacterial vaginosis (BV), or urinary tract infections (UTIs) — three of the main issues women experience:
•A2005
study looked directly at string underwear and found that the
microenvironment of the vulvar skin didn’t
change at all due to the style of underwear. The underwear had no effect on the pH, skin
All types of underwear should be handled more gently then the rest of your wardrobe, not just your special lacy, stringy thongs. This isn’t because they’re your “delicates.”
It’s mostly because they sit up against your more sensitive skin area for long periods of time. Kelly-Jones recommends using gentle, hypoallergenic soap to wash them because “anything soapy or chemical next to the vulva can lead to irritation, itching, allergic reactions.”
Sounds a bit excessive, especially for something that gets washed so regularly. But according to the Good Housekeeping Institute, even clean underwear can contain up to 10,000 living bacteria.
This is because there’s bacteria in washing machine water — about one million bacteria in just 2 tablespoons of used water! Further, about 83 percent of “clean” underwear contains up to 10,000 bacteria.
Beyond bacteria, there’s a chance your underwear could contain feces. According to Dr. Gerba, who told ABC News in 2010, “There’s about a tenth of a gram of poop in the average pair of underwear.”
Throwing out your underwear every year isn’t the eco-friendliest option, and if you don’t have bacterial problems down there, you may not have to clean out your drawers annually.
Even though it goes unseen (for the most part), underwear can actually play a major part in how you feel.
In a U.S. nationwide poll from by ShopSmart, 25 percent of self-identified women revealed that their moods were affected by “unattractive” or ill-fitting underwear.
They also discovered that almost half the women polled (47 percent) felt sexier or more confident when wearing a special pair of underwear.
Don’t underestimate the power of your most intimate garment or think that just because nobody sees it, it doesn’t have to look awesome.
If you’re ever feeling a little down, turn to your sexiest pair of panties. Like a power pose, it could give a nice confidence boost.
Emily Rekstis is a New York City-based beauty and lifestyle writer who writes for many publications, including Greatist, Racked, and Self. If she’s not writing at her computer, you can probably find her watching a mob movie, eating a burger, or reading an NYC history book. See more of her work on her website or follow her on Twitter.
- 6
Aug 31, 2023 · It is recommended that women who work out regularly should have at least seven pairs of underwear, one for each day of the week.
Aug 27, 2023 · A woman should own an appropriate quantity of underwear for different occasions to ensure comfort and hygiene. Having around 15-20 pairs in various styles, including basics for everyday wear, comfortable options for workouts, and special sets for special occasions, can meet her needs.
Feb 3, 2023 · The number of pairs of underwear you should have depends on a number of things, such as how often you do laundry, how many sets you wear in a week, and how often you buy new things. Keeping a minimum of eight different pairs of underwear is a reasonable rule of thumb to follow.
People also ask
How many pairs of underwear should I wear a day?
How many pairs of underwear should a woman own?
How often do Americans wear clean underwear?
Is it gross to wear underwear for more than one day?
How many pairs of lingerie should you have?
How long should you keep your underwear?
Aug 19, 2019 · For the 45 percent not changing their underwear every day, that dirty little secret is probably safe. For more information about Stephanie Larratt you can follow her on Instagram. A new study...
