Do panties have an expiration date? It’s not entirely a simple matter. The gynecologist explains

Everyone knows that we should change our underwear every day and wash them after each use. They also know that they should throw away underwear when it has holes or is too stretched. But sometimes we wonder whether underwear that shows normal signs of use has an “expiration date”. Questions arise in our minds whether after wearing underwear for some time we are more vulnerable to infections or other intimate problems. Gynecologists face these doubts from time to time and answer that it is not entirely obvious.

According to the influencer, underwear should be thrown away after 6-9 months

According to one popular TikTok influencer, Kitty Chemist, “we should throw away panties about six to nine months after first wearing them.” The girl argues that even regular washing of underwear will not eliminate all microorganisms. Her thesis was to be supported by a doctor’s opinion. The woman experienced frequent intimate infections and her doctor suggested that the underwear might be to blame – its “age” and the material it was made of. This would agree with research published in the “Journal of Infection”, the authors of which claim that “every panty washed at a standard frequency contains 0.1 g of feces, and some bacteria cannot be washed out of the material.” .

Gynecologists and microbiologists dispel doubts. The “age” of the underwear is not important, but the comfort and material it is made of

However, the medonet website quotes the words of Dr. Philip M. Tierno, a microbiologist and immunologist at NYU Langone Health, who rejects this thesis because In his opinion, what remains on underwear after washing is not enough to cause any harm to our health. Canadian gynecologist and author of the famous “Vagina Bible”, Dr. Jen Gunter, assures that it does not work this way – after a few months our underwear changes and poses a health risk. However, he advises to get rid of panties that cause pinching, are tight or do not fit well. If we wear underwear that irritates us, “it can make the skin more susceptible to bacteria and other microbes”. It reminds us that the best panties are those made of cotton, only they provide adequate ventilation – we should throw away the rest.