Which intimate cleanser should I use?

The answer is simple: use specific, delicate cleansers, clinically tested to ensure maximum tolerability and with a neutral or slightly acidic pH (5.5). So not those of our partners or wives.

But let's delve deeper into the matter.

When talking about male intimate hygiene, physiological differences related to age must be considered. Children's hygiene is essentially based on respect for physiology and delicate cleansing of the parts in contact with feces, without forcing the glans to separate from the foreskin. During the period in which there is a partial detachment, it is advisable to wash, always delicately, the detached part, possibly using a syringe with a rounded tip or with water under light pressure. In adult men, the primary objective of cleansing is to remove smegma and any substances present that may irritate the mucous membranes. The subject who does not cleanse the smegma because he is not inclined to wash himself runs the risk of developing local bacterial and viral pathologies to a greater extent than those who wash themselves or those who are circumcised. However, we must consider that it is equally frequent to find pathologies due to excessive cleansing; the use of soaps with excess surfactant washing bases or their too frequent use can promote the onset of balanitis or balanoposthitis, since the oily substances that the mucous membranes themselves produce are removed, creating direct contact with toxic substances present, among other things, in the dyes of fabrics used for underwear or in residues of detergent not rinsed out well during washing. It therefore seems appropriate that the industry proposes detergents dedicated to the three age groups (infant, adolescent, adult) formulated in such a way as to respect the needs of cleansing and avoid possible damage. Given the continuous increase in life expectancy, it is also likely that it will become appropriate to formulate a detergent for the elderly, useful especially in situations in which normal cleansing is prevented by pathologies of various kinds.

The real problem that arises when talking about male intimate cleansing is that, in common practice, the majority of men use the same cleanser used by their partner, and therefore probably with an acidic pH or, even more often, use the detergent you wash your hands with for your genital areas, this is probably alkaline in pH and may contain aggressive surfactants.

Men's intimate hygiene products generally have a neutral or slightly acidic pH, which respects the skin of the male genitals.

The man must therefore follow some simple rules:

• take constant care of your private parts, washing your genitals at least twice a day and after each sexual intercourse , lifting the glans to be sure to remove the secretions that collect in the balano-preputial sulcus;
• wash yourself completely: in addition to the penis, you should also wash the scrotum which, being an area rich in hair and sebaceous glands, is often subject to smelly sweating ;
• use specific, delicate, clinically tested detergents to ensure maximum tolerability and with a neutral or slightly acidic pH (5.5);
• use a condom to avoid sexually transmitted diseases: it must be worn from the beginning to the end of intercourse and must never be forgotten in the case of anal intercourse, even if you are monogamous, because in the rectum there is an extremely abundant microbial flora;
• check the genitals : men can take advantage of daily cleansing of the genitals to check the shape and volume of the testicles, any changes in which could be a sign of important diseases (such as testicular cancer);

CONCLUSIONS

Correct intimate hygiene recognizes cleansing as a fundamental moment; this cannot ignore the knowledge of the physiology of the external genital system in both sexes. Respecting the pH of the genital mucosa is essential not only in women, but also in men.

The choice of intimate cleanser must be careful and must take into account not only the cosmetic characteristics, but also the age and specific needs of the consumer.

Therefore, those products indicated 'for men-women', or ' for women at all ages ', or even ' for the whole family ' should be viewed with suspicion , while specific cleansing products based on sex and age are to be preferred.

Source: https://www.aideco.org/energia-intima/i-parte-introduction-4