8 Times You Should Never Wear a Thong

Most girls wear thong underwear to prevent panty lines and avoid the awkward scrunching that occurs with full-fledged briefs. But that doesn’t make your much loved thongs 100% healthy to wear, says Dr. Jill Rabin, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine in New York.

That’s because the piece of fabric that constitutes a crotch tends to be very narrow. When you move around during the day, the fabric can easily shift between your rectum and vagina. That’s bad news if that fabric is carrying rectal bacteria or viruses, which could infect your vagina or your bladder. The risks only rise with ill-fitting underwear. The fabric will shift around more when it’s too big or too small or particularly skimpy.

You feel good when you wear a thong. It makes you feel free, sexy, and trendy. But there are certain situations when you should never wear a thong. Let’s find them here.

You Don’t Wear Cotton Underwear

bikini

Artificial fabrics like nylon trap moisture. Cotton lets air circulate around the vagina, which helps your skin breathe and maintains the healthy acidity that fends off vaginal infections. If you must wear silky-feeling fabrics, go for bikinis to avoid icky, uncomfortable outcomes.

You Wear Workout Clothes All Day

workout clothes

Tight clothing can prevent air circulation. Damp, tight clothing is worse. It can foster bacterial growth that disrupts your vagina’s healthy balance. Bring a fresh pair of underwear to keep things fresh after exercise.

You Are Wearing a Short Skirt

bikini brief

If your skirt hikes up when you sit down on, say, a subway seat, you are better off in a bikini brief. Go bare-butt in a public place, and you could sweep up bacteria and viruses.

You Wear Pads

bikini

Pads, including those designed for thong underwear can increase the bacteria count in your vagina, particularly if you aren’t changing frequently.

You Are Prone to Yeast or Bacterial Infections

thong

If you have a thong collection that makes you proud, and have never had a problem, then your immune system is definitely stellar. But if you do get yeast infections or UTIs, your thongs may be to blame, and you might want to swap them out for bikinis.

When You Are Sick

thong

When you are sick, your immune system is already compromised. It is busy too, trying to fight the condition, whether it is a running nose, fever, or something else. This could increase your risk of infection from other germs that could be creeping around the crotch region. This is going to make you feel worse.

If You Don’t Shower Daily

Daily washing with a gentle soap can reduce the risk of skin and vaginal infections greatly. If you don’t hose down at least once a day, you will raise your infection risks.

When You Are Going Swimsuit Shopping

bikini bottoms

You definitely want to go with full-fledged bikini briefs when you are about to shop, as you will protect yourself from germs left by the other women who have tried them on and discarded the bikini bottoms.