{"id":36561,"date":"2025-12-26T01:13:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T01:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36561"},"modified":"2025-12-26T01:13:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T01:13:48","slug":"experts-reveal-dirty-truth-about-underwear-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36561","title":{"rendered":"Experts reveal dirty truth about underwear habits"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>It may sound like the most basic hygiene rule, but changing underwear every day is one habit many people are quietly skipping. Now, experts warn that dirty drawers aren\u2019t just gross \u2013 what lingers behind can carry real health risks, making daily changes a non-negotiable practice.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As unsettling as it sounds, a 2021\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8231443\/#s2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">study<\/a>\u00a0found that a typical pair of underwear contains roughly 0.1 grams of fecal residue. With that in mind, going more than a day without swapping for a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.newsner.com\/tag\/cleaning\/\">clean<\/a>\u00a0pair isn\u2019t just unpleasant \u2013 it could carry real\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.newsner.com\/tag\/health\/\">health<\/a>\u00a0consequences, according to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.newsner.com\/tag\/doctor\/\">medical<\/a>\u00a0experts.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-dirty-drawers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dirty drawers<\/h2>\n<p>Yet despite clear hygiene guidelines, a large portion of young adults aren\u2019t sticking to daily underwear changes. A 2023\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/generation-z-change-underwear-every-day-1807319\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Newsweek<\/a>\u00a0poll revealed that 36% of Gen Z respondents \u2013 those aged 18 to 24 \u2013 admit to wearing the same pair of underwear for over 24 hours, and an additional 14% say they do this regularly. That means half of Gen Z reported going at least one full day or more in the same undergarments.<\/p>\n<p>But the behavior isn\u2019t limited to the youngest age group. The survey also found that 24% of millennials \u2013 those aged 25 to 34 \u2013 regularly wear the same pair of underwear more than once.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, older adults reported significantly cleaner habits. Among people aged 55 to 64, 67% said they never wear underwear for more than one day, and only 3% admitted to repeating pairs.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-skin-irritation-or-infection\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Skin irritation or infection<\/h2>\n<p>Doctors say this growing trend of stretching wear-time poses more than a cosmetic concern. Bacteria, yeast, and moisture build up in tight-fitting clothing, creating an ideal environment for skin irritation and potential infections \u2013 especially in areas with limited airflow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMen and women risk skin irritation, rashes, or the worsening of pre-existing conditions such as eczema or psoriasis when they re-wear underwear too often without washing it; this is due to friction and trapped moisture,\u201d Sarah Roberts, a licensed skincare specialist, told the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/wellness-us\/article-12931991\/experts-wait-day-changing-underwear-men.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Daily Mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-harbor-moisture-and-bacteria\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Harbor moisture and bacteria\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Roberts warned that wearing underwear too long can lead to infections like yeast overgrowth and bacterial vaginosis.<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-695373449\" class=\"newsner-article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"newsner-194a6feb82b08cbba85688d63170d93d\" class=\"newsner-194a6feb82b08cbba85688d63170d93d newsner-amp_article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<p>Yeast infections cause itching, burning, and thick white discharge when candida fungus multiplies. Bacterial vaginosis, often mistaken for yeast, usually includes a fishy odor and gray or yellow discharge caused by bacterial imbalance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe vulva contains folds and crevices that harbor moisture and bacteria more readily than male genitalia,\u201d Dr. Archit Aggarwal, a dermatologist with ClinicSpots, told the publication.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-jock-itch\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jock itch<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s not just women who face hygiene-related health risks \u2013 men are just as vulnerable, especially when it comes to jock itch, a fungal skin infection marked by an itchy, red rash in the groin, buttocks, and upper thighs.<\/p>\n<p>While some assume looser garments like boxers offer more protection, experts warn that skipping daily changes still poses serious risks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMen\u2019s boxers, although touching the skin less frequently than women\u2019s underwear, do not escape these hazards \u2013 particularly when worn repeatedly without change,\u201d Robert said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-change-at-least-once-a-day\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change at least once a day<\/h2>\n<p>Though some may stretch a pair of briefs for a second day in a pinch, doctors strongly recommend changing underwear at least once every 24 hours to reduce the risk of skin irritation and infection. That advice becomes even more important in high-sweat situations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor those engaged in intense physical activities or who sweat heavily, it\u2019s advisable to change underwear more frequently,\u201d said Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic in New Jersey. \u201cIn hot and humid climates, changing underwear even more than once a day might be necessary to maintain good hygiene.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Aggarwal echoed that advice and emphasized the importance of paying attention to early warning signs. \u201cIf you experience any discomfort, itching, or unusual discharge, change your underwear immediately and consult a healthcare professional, if necessary,\u201d he told the Daily Mail.<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-510022736\" class=\"newsner-article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"newsner-98b1bf7678dbda632e8736d0d6927e2f\" class=\"newsner-98b1bf7678dbda632e8736d0d6927e2f newsner-amp_article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>How often do you change your underwear? Please let us know your hygiene habits and them share this story so we can hear from others!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It may sound like the most basic hygiene rule, but changing underwear every day is one habit many people are quietly skipping. Now, experts warn that dirty drawers aren\u2019t just gross \u2013 what lingers behind can carry real health risks, making daily changes a non-negotiable practice. As unsettling as it sounds, a 2021\u00a0study\u00a0found that a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,17,11,20,24,15,12,25,22,18,16,21,14,23,13],"class_list":["post-36561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-chronic-diseases","tag-fitness","tag-health-tips","tag-healthcare-technology","tag-healthy-lifestyle","tag-healthy-living","tag-medical-advice","tag-medical-awareness","tag-medical-research","tag-mental-health","tag-nutrition","tag-patient-care","tag-preventive-care","tag-public-health","tag-wellness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Experts reveal dirty truth about underwear habits - VM News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36561\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Experts reveal dirty truth about underwear habits - VM News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It may sound like the most basic hygiene rule, but changing underwear every day is one habit many people are quietly skipping. 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