Wiping thoroughly and washing your hands after a bowel movement are the two most important ways to prevent odor and the spread of pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria. For people who have solid bowel movements, this will mean wiping with toilet tissue.
A Consultant Public Health Physician at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Prof. Tanimola Akande, says washing with water, rather than wiping with tissue paper, is more hygienic after defecating.
First off: Do you always need to wipe? Yes. Wiping is about more than just helping you clean up after you use the toilet – it's also to protect your health. Wiping improperly can increase the risk of a urinary tract infection (UTI) and vaginitis in women, and UTIs, itching and general discomfort in men.
Ideally, after a bowel movement should only use two to three times to wipe the toilet paper. If you're experiencing something that's bothering you, see your doctor if your symptoms persist.
Endless wiping after a bowel movement is normal, and it's usually not a cause for concern. It's most likely because you have poop “turtling” inside your anus, so just be patient and let it all come out. And most importantly, level up your wiping materials so you can clean—not smear—the aftermath from your dump.
Common causes of fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation, and muscle or nerve damage. The muscle or nerve damage may be associated with aging or with giving birth.
A Ghost Wipe is a phenomenon that when you wipe your butt after pooping, there is nothing on the toilet paper.
If you do not clean the vagina after urination, there is a risk of getting an infection. Actually, even after urinating, some drops stay in the pubes, which later fall into the underwear. Due to this the underwear smells and bacteria start to grow. Due to this, there is a risk of urinary tract infection ie UTI.
Conventional wisdom says that women wipe for comfort, improved hygiene and to help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. Men on the other hand, can empty their bladder, shake off the remaining pee droplets, put their penis back in their pants and get on with their day.
Even better news for penis-havers is that they don't usually have to wipe after peeing. Stool has a lot of bacteria, but urine has little or no bacteria. “It's a waste material, but it's not particularly dirty,” Rodgers said, “so people with penises can shake it off.”
She goes on to explain,"when you are wiping more than two or three times, that is called faecal smearing.. "So it is essentially when too much faecal matter stays at the entrance of the anus even after you have finished your poo."
Nearly all women (90%) say they always wipe with toilet paper after peeing, while just 22% of men say they do. Women (91%) are also somewhat more likely than men (81%) to say they always wipe with toilet paper after pooping.
What is tenesmus? Tenesmus is a constant feeling that you have to go to the bathroom, but you can't. Even if you've just emptied your bowels or your bladder, it feels like you didn't get everything out. Your body continues to urge you to go with symptoms such as pressure, pain, cramping and involuntary straining.
From a hygiene perspective, wet wipes win. For a more effective clean, wet wipes win hands down. For a more soothing and gentle cleansing experience, we'll have to go with wet wipes again. From a cost perspective, toilet paper comes out ahead.
“Wiping until you're clean is important – meaning you don't see streaks on your toilet paper,” says Dr. Islam. “If you are still wiping and have residual stool, try washing the toilet paper with water and dabbing your bottom until it's clean.”
Causes of anal discharge
Mucus-based discharge may be caused by: Infection due to food-poisoning, bacteria or parasites. An abscess due to infection or an anal fistula – a channel that can develop between the end of your bowel and anus after an abscess.
Failure to wipe correctly could leave you vulnerable to a urinary tract infection or aggravate any existing rectal issues, like hemorrhoids or anal fissures. That's why Health turned to a gynecologist, a medical doctor specializing in the female reproductive tract.
An anal fissure is a tear in the skin of the anus that results after the passage of hard stool or from the trauma of excessive wiping.
Just one or two wipes are enough to clean. If you tend to over wipe the vagina, it irritates the skin. Sometimes, it may even result in either inflammation or infection. And you should only use unscented wipes to clean the vagina after urinating.
Over-wiping with rough and dry toilet paper can lead to itching, pain, and bleeding. In fact, improper wiping is the leading cause of America's most common bum-related injury – anal fissures (aka anal tears). Other common problems include UTI's and hemorrhoids.