Doctor reveals how often you should change your underwear

It's a conversation many people may have had with themselves at some point - how often should you change your underwear?

While at least every day is received wisdom, some medics have made recommendations which might surprise you.

However, it is also worth mentioning that how long you can wear your pants for depends on a number of factors.

These include what kind of pants you wear, what you have inside your pants, and whether you are sweating in them.

So, how do each of these affect how long you can wear your pants for?

Well, let's start with the kind of pants. Those who favour a looser style of underwear such as boxer shorts may find that they can actually get away with wearing them for a bit longer.

Dermatologist Dr. Anju Methil told the Daily Mail: “In situations with minimal activity and no sweating, changing [underwear] every other day may be acceptable.

“Men’s looser-fitting styles, like boxers, may also allow for slightly longer wear.”

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In June 2023, a poll conducted by Newsweek found that 47 percent of people would never wear the same pair for more than one day at a time.

But wearing underwear for more than one day can heighten the risk of developing some problems.

Licensed skincare specialist Sarah Roberts said: “Men 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.”

And while underwear directed at men such as boxers can be worn for longer than more tight-fitting pants, that doesn't mean that wearing loose pants gives you a free pass.

Roberts added: “Men’s boxers, although touching the skin less frequently than women’s underwear, do not escape these hazards — particularly when worn repeatedly without change.”

If you have a vagina, then wearing underwear repeatedly can also lead to problems such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.

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And anyone experiencing heavy menstruation or significant vaginal discharge should also consider changing underwear more than once a day, according to dermatologist Dr. Archit Aggarwal.

Exercise and climate can also have an impact on this as well.

If you are getting your exercise in at the gym then things are going to get a bit sweaty, not to mention the friction.

Dermatologist Dr. Hannah Kopelman said: “For those engaged in intense physical activities or who sweat heavily, it’s advisable to change underwear more frequently."

Finally, if you live in a hot or humid climate then this can have the same effect.

Dr Kopelman added: “In hot and humid climates, changing underwear even more than once a day might be necessary to maintain good hygiene."

No word on whether wearing them inside out, back to front, then inside out and back to front makes any difference.

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