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Urinary incontinence is a very common and, unfortunately, often highly influencing the quality of life ailment. Are you wondering how to properly care for the hygiene of your intimate areas when dealing with urinary incontinence? We invite you to read our tips.
Urinary incontinence, commonly known as urinary incontinence (NTM), affects more and more people every year – however, it is difficult to estimate the number of patients struggling with this ailment, because many of them cannot be diagnosed and treated. However, it is estimated that over two million people in Poland are faced with urinary incontinence, a large part of which are seniors. [1] In addition to specialist treatment – conservative or surgical, proper personal hygiene plays a huge role in urinary incontinence, regardless of the cause.
Why is maintaining proper intimate hygiene during urinary incontinence so important?
The main problem with urinary incontinence is moisture, which, apart from discomfort, can cause additional, unpleasant ailments such as skin maceration, fungal and bacterial superinfections. Urinary incontinence also promotes urinary tract infections, especially in women due to the anatomy of the female genital organs. Long-term contact with urine also affects the pH of the skin – it changes it to more alkaline, which favors the development of chafes and even bedsores, especially in elderly patients, lying down, whose skin becomes thinner, less elastic and more prone to irritation over the years.
How to take care of hygiene during urinary incontinence?
Maintaining the freshness and cleanliness of intimate areas in the event of urinary incontinence can sometimes be quite a challenge. The basis of care is to keep the skin dry to prevent skin maceration, irritation, chafing and the multiplication of bacterial flora. So this means changing wet underwear as often as possible and cleaning the genital area after each episode of urinary incontinence.
Special hygiene measures and urine inserts should be properly adjusted – what does this mean? A well-chosen insole not only gives a sense of security, but also does not restrict movement, does not cause chafing and effectively absorbs unpleasant odors. Remember that ordinary sanitary pads are adapted to absorb a different type of fluid, they do not protect against unpleasant odors so well and, moreover, if the urination disorder is significant, they may not be sufficient. There are many types of absorbent products on the market that match gender, body build and the severity of urinary incontinence – each person should find a product that meets their individual needs.
For washing intimate areas, instead of soap, it is worth choosing an intimate hygiene product that will take care of the appropriate pH of the skin, will not dry the epidermis like traditional soap, and thanks to the content of probiotics, it will help maintain the proper bacterial flora of the intimate areas. When washing intimate places, remember to follow the correct direction – from the pubic mound to the buttocks, in order to reduce the risk of intimate infections, which may occur more frequently in incontinence patients.
In people who are lying, the skin should be additionally strengthened with the use of specialized creams that protect against chafes, which have an acidic pH and contain as many natural components as possible, such as amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids. It is also worth choosing ointments that contain, for example, zinc oxide, which soothes inflammation of the skin and accelerates its regeneration. In order to maximize comfort, a person lying down should also be provided with disposable hygienic liners, waterproof sheets or mattresses. [2]
Wipes cleaner than a cotton swab soaked in water – WaterWipes support you in every situation
What to do if washing under running water is not possible? Wet wipes such as WaterWipes ™ BIO Adult Care come in handy, and you can always have them with you and take care of your hygiene quickly and discreetly. The new, textured wet wipes WaterWipes ™ BIO Adult Care in XL size with the minimum number of ingredients will provide the skin of our loved ones with gentle and effective care for the entire body, not only the intimate areas.
The product consists of only two ingredients – 99,9 percent. water and drops of grapefruit extract, and thanks to a specially developed textured surface, they are able to safely and thoroughly clean the skin of adults, even of tougher dirt. WaterWipes ™ BIO Adult Care is therefore ideal for the care of elderly people whose skin requires not only effective but also gentle care.
WaterWipes ™ BIO Adult Care make the daily hygiene of intimate parts shorter and more comfortable. The convenient, large size of the wipes allows you to shorten the washing time, and thus limits the exposure of the exposed body to the necessary minimum and provides the patient with greater comfort. In addition, the wipes do not require rinsing, and their convenient form means that there is no risk of wetting the bed with water or the need to change sheets.
The wipes are dermatologically approved and accredited by the Skin Health Alliance. What’s more, thanks to the minimum number of ingredients and the use of a unique 7-step water purification technology in the production, they will be suitable even for very sensitive and eczema-prone skin – as confirmed by the Seal of Acceptance ™ quality seal awarded by the National Eczema Association of America. WaterWipes ™ BIO Adult Care wipes are also 100% safe. biodegradable, vegan, free from artificial fragrances and plastic-free.