About you – personal hygiene

Rubbing your hands together with soap and warm water dislodges and breaks down the grease and dirt that carry most germs.

Rub your hands together for 15-20 seconds. Not just the palms – don’t forget the backs of the hands, fingers, nails, tips and webbing between fingers. After lathering, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly, because wet hands help spread bacteria from surfaces that you touch to your hands.

A package of handwashing materials including a video and posters is available from The Food Safety Information Council.

Soaps are available as bars, gels, liquids and foams, and with different fragrances or fragrance-free. Soaps can also be anti-bacterial or have added moisturisers. Other types of hand cleansers are handwipes and alcohol-based hand rubs, which can be a convenient option ‘on the go’ as they do not need water.

It is also important to keep your skin healthy as dry, cracked hands are more vulnerable to infection. This kind of skin damage occurs more frequently in cold, dry winter weather, and when you wash your hands frequently. Read more at About you > Skin.

Looking after your nails is also important. Whether you prefer to have long or short nails, dirt and bacteria can lodge underneath and be passed on to others through direct contact or via other surfaces. Regular cleaning and nail trimming will help keep your nails hygienic and looking good.

Shampoos are available to wash all hair types. Hair changes depending on age, activity level, and (for women) throughout the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, so the best guide is simply to shampoo often enough to keep your hair feeling clean. There are also specific shampoos for coloured hair, treated & damaged hair, delicate baby hair, and to treat dandruff.

Conditioners are used after shampooing to help counteract drying caused by the elements and by styling, keeping hair shiny and smooth. As they perform a similar function to sebum, conditioners are most important if you have dry or styled hair. Conditioners are also available for all hair types.

Brushing and combing can also help you to manage oiliness by distributing sebum through the hair, helping keep hair shiny, smooth and tangle-free.

Many people choose to remove body hair from various parts of the body. There are many products available to assist with at-home hair removal: disposable razors, shaving creams, wax strips, warm wax and depilatory creams.

Bathing and showering with quality personal care products removes build-up of dirt, oil, bacteria and dead skin cells on the skin surface.

There are many varieties of cleansers. Soaps come as bars, gels, liquids and foams and can also be anti-bacterial, have added moisturiser, a range of fragrances or be fragrance-free. There are also soap-free body cleansers and specialised facial cleansers. When cleaning the skin “on the go”, body and face wipes can be a convenient option.

After washing, moisturising lotions and creams can help maintain the integrity of the skin surface by keeping it supple and smooth. Many different options are available: different fragrances or fragrance-free, for sensitive skin, medicated and antibacterial. These products help maintain your skin’s heath and leave it feeling soft and smooth.

Regular exfoliation can also help remove dirt and dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, helping to keep pores open.

A small percentage of people can experience sensitivity to some ingredients in personal care products. If you want to check your skin’s response to a new product, do a ‘patch test’: place a small amount of product on the inside of your wrist or arm and watch for any redness or irritation over the next 24 hours. This applies not only to products designed specifically to care for the skin, but also to other personal care and cosmetic products that contact the skin.

Some skincare products have sun protection properties. If you will be spending time outside, consider the regular use of sunscreen products regardless of your skin type. Sunscreens work by filtering or blocking ultraviolet radiation (UV) and are available in many varieties which include:

• A range of sun protection factors (SPFs)
• Broad spectrum, which acts against the effects of both long and short UV wavelengths: UVA that penetrates deep into the skin causing unseen damage, and UVB that affects the skin surface and is visible as burning
• Water resistant, good for use at the beach or pool
• Different consistencies such as creams, lotions, milks, gels and sprays. These can be a matter of personal preference; however, it may be easier to apply gels or sprays to hairier areas of the body, and sprays can be good for hard-to-reach areas such as the back. Make sure you use the right amount and apply correctly!

For more on sunscreens, see www.sunsible.org.au.

For some people, daily bathing will satisfactorily reduce body odour. Another easy way of reducing odour is to keep clothes clean and fresh.

Shaving underarm hair can also help reduce body odour. Having hair in this region traps sweat, meaning that the armpit stays moist for longer and can encourage bacterial growth that leads to odour.

Many people choose to use anti-perspirants or deodorants. Anti-perspirants block underarm pores to reduce sweat. Deodorant doesn’t prevent sweating but uses antiseptic to kill odour-causing bacteria. Both product types are available in ranges for women and for men, in roll-on, spray, stick and cream formats, and in a broad range of fragrances and varieties to make you smell good and help your confidence.

Choose a gentle cleanser that is specifically designed for the face. There are many specialised facial care products catering for dry, normal, oily, combination and sensitive skin types, including cleansers, exfoliants, toners, moisturisers and sunscreens. Many choices mean that you can find a routine that is right for your skin and adapt this routine as your needs change over time.

Cleansers are available as soap-free, liquids, creams and gels. There are also specific cleansers for removing make up from the delicate eye area. Regular exfoliation can also help remove dirt and dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, helping to keep pores open. But, remember that exfoliating or cleansing too often can strip natural oils from skin, causing dryness and damage.

After cleansing, toners can help remove all traces of dirt, make-up or cleanser that remain after cleansing, and restore the natural pH of the skin.

Moisturisers help keep your skin smooth, supple and able to optimally perform all of its important functions. It is important to choose a moisturiser that suits your skin type and also to consider sun protection. As the face is usually exposed to the sun, even for a short period each day, you may want to choose a daytime moisturiser that contains sun protection. In the evening, apply a moisturiser without sunscreen.

There are also many varieties of sunscreen that can be applied after moisturising. More detail on sunscreens can be found at About you > Skin.

Shaving after a hot shower or after washing your face with hot water can help to soften facial hair and relax facial muscles. There are also pre-shave oils and creams to pre-condition the skin. If you choose the manual razor option, there is a range of moisturising shaving creams or gels to lather your face; using a shaving brush can help coat every hair with lather as well as producing a thicker lather than may be possible with fingers alone. Electric shavers are also available. Following shaving, aftershave products can be used to soothe the skin and leave it feeling smooth and smelling good.

You should change and wash your clothing regularly.

Choose a quality laundry detergent to remove general soils and stains. There are many varieties of laundry detergent to choose from: powders and liquids, for top- or front-loader washing machines, for whites, colours or dark clothing, with added enzymes, with added fabric softener, with a variety of fragrances or fragrance-free, for sensitive skin and with low phosphorus or no added phosphorus.

If you see a stain, treat it fast! There are many types of stain removal products, including spot treatments, soakers and in-wash products. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and check your garment for colourfastness.

To help prevent the growth of mould, wet wash items should be hung or dried as soon as the wash cycle has finished, and damp clothing should not be left at the bottom of the washing basket. Mould can also build up in your washing machine, so leave the lid or door open between cycles.

Wearing leather shoes and cotton socks allows your feet to breathe more than materials such as vinyl. If you have been wearing a pair of shoes all day at work or school, take them off when you get home to try and give them a chance to air overnight. Some of your shoes may also be washable.

For more advice on effective and sustainable clothes washing check out www.washwise.org.au.

Regular brushing and flossing dislodges food caught in your teeth and helps remove plaque. Choose a quality toothpaste, toothbrush and dental floss and use the technique recommended by your dentist. Remember to rinse after brushing or flossing.

Toothpaste contains mild abrasive particles that gently remove plaque and food residue from teeth. Most toothpastes contain fluorides that protect tooth enamel. Fluoride has had a large impact on reducing tooth decay since the 1960s and 70s. Some toothpastes also contain anti-bacterial agents to reduce plaque formation or bacteriostatic ingredients to stop the growth of plaque.

Many varieties of toothpaste are available: different flavours, to prevent plaque, anti-cavity; for sensitive teeth, for kids, for smokers, with mouthwash and with whitening, antibacterial and breath-freshening agents.

Toothbrushes also come in many different forms, such as manual, electric, kids’, hard, medium and soft, with different sized heads, with built-in gum massaging-bristles, and with built-in tongue-cleaner. It is important to choose the right sized toothbrush with a suitable texture and hardness: ‘soft’ will be the best choice for most people as tougher bristles can damage gums and tooth enamel.

Dental floss helps remove food and plaque from between the teeth and under the gumline. Floss comes in nylon or plastic, unflavoured or flavoured, waxed or unwaxed varieties.

Regular oral care and visits to the dentist will help fight cavities, gum disease and bad breath.

Use of mouthwash can also help you maintain good oral hygiene. Mouthwashes come in different flavours and can be breath-freshening only, or also include fluoride and active ingredients to reduce dental plaque, tooth sensitivity and gum disease. Antibiotic and anaesthetic mouthwashes are also available by prescription.

If you have children, model and encourage good oral hygiene practices. Even though children lose their first set of teeth, good oral hygiene habits can be formed early in life. Also, discourage children from swallowing toothpaste: excess fluoride intake can lead to fluorosis – white mottling and flecking on teeth. For infants, gently wipe their gums after each meal using a damp washcloth and try not to let your child fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth!

Masculine hygiene – Why?

Sweat, urine and excretions can lead to unpleasant odours and infection in the genital area if adequate hygiene is not practiced.

Uncircumcised men also need to be careful to prevent the build-up of smegma under the penis foreskin. Formed from dead skin and oily sebum, smegma is a natural lubricant and has a protective function. However, if allowed to accumulate it can harden, become bad-smelling due to off-gassing of microorganisms, and lead to infection.

Masculine hygiene – How?

Daily cleaning of the penis, scrotum and anus with water and a mild body cleanser, followed by rinsing and towel drying, will help avoid unpleasant odours and infection. Gently pulling back the foreskin and rinsing the area with warm water while showering should prevent build-up of smegma.

After urinating, the last few drops of urine can be shaken or wiped gently from the penis, and the anus should be wiped after each bowel movement.

Wearing breathable underwear is also important to help prevent growth of bacteria and fungi in the genital area. Wet or soiled underwear should be changed as soon as possible.