10 Actions to Take (and Not Take) Following Intercourse

You don’t ought to hop off the bed and into the shower proper away. But lightly cleansing your self after sex can shield ladies and men from infections, like of the urinary tract (UTIs). Wash the location around (no longer internal) your genitals with plain heat water. You can strive mild soaps, but when you have touchy skin or you have already got an contamination, they could dry out or aggravate the place. Men with foreskin must lightly pull it lower back and wash under.

1. Avoid Douching

Some girls think they need to smooth interior their vagina after intercourse with water or prepackaged fluids. But douching can cause more infections. That’s as it upsets the herbal stability of micro organism that guard your vagina. The high-quality way to attend to your vagina after intercourse is to depart it on my own — it cleans itself clearly. Also, remember the fact that a slight odor is ordinary and won’t be a sign of a hassle.

2. Keep cleanup easy

Along with douches, drug shops offer masses of wipes, lotions, and sprays that claim that will help you “clean up” your personal regions. Some of them are made with harsh soaps, detergents, shampoos, perfumes, or lotions that may make your skin escape. Just stick with a gentle rinse with warm water after intercourse. And keep away from scented tampons, pads, powders, and sprays, especially if you have a tendency to get infections.

4. Consume a glass of water

Since it’s an excellent concept to pee after a roll in the hay, don’t neglect to drink water. When you stay hydrated, you’ll pee greater, because of this that more bacteria will wash out of your frame before infections can flare up.

5. Put on loose-fitting apparel

Hot, sweaty places are the appropriate spots for bacteria and yeast to thrive. So put on undies and garments that let air in. Women need to keep away from pantyhose, girdles, and panties which might be too tight. Cotton undies paintings nicely for males and females — they’re breathable and take in moisture. Or skip undies altogether while you go to bed.

6. Clean Your Hands

It’s the first-rate manner to dispose of bacteria you would possibly choose up from touching your or your partner’s genitals. That’s key to prevent infections from spreading. Wash with soap and water, and make it part of your publish-intercourse easy-up routine.

7. Keep Your Sexual Toys Clean

After you’re finished with them, bacteria, viruses, and fungi can loaf around. That way your toys could spread STDs and other infections. Clean every toy after each use take a look at the packaging for cleaning commands. It’s better now not to percentage toys with others that can send germs to and forth. If you do plan to proportion, try and cover the toy with a brand new condom every time you use it.

8. Address Any Infections with Yeast

Partners can bypass those from side to side throughout sex. (Yes, men get yeast infections, too.) So if you note the signs — itching, burning, or a thick, white discharge from the vagina or penis — deal with it earlier than the following time you get busy. Talk to your medical doctor if you think you have one.

9. Consider Getting Tested

If you’re sexually lively, mainly in case you’ve been with a new companion, it’s an awesome concept to get examined for STDs. Most of the time, these infections haven’t any signs, so trying out is the best way to recognise for sure if you have one. You also can look ahead to signs and symptoms, like discharge, ache, blisters, sores, spots, or lumps around your genitals.

10. Are you expecting? Be Extra Cautionary

Sex is commonly safe during pregnancy, but you’re more likely to get infections like UTIs at some stage in this time. So it’s even greater critical to attend to the basics after sex — pee later on, wash around your vagina, and drink water. Encourage your partner to do the identical.