What may be described as another revolution in hygienic care of a woman’s secret place is sweeping quietly through Nigeria. Gone for good are those days when the 20th Century grandmother caught her monthly period with rags or some other awful stuff. For good are also gone that time when tissue (toilet) paper replaced grandma’s menstrual para phenalia. Hardly is today’s smart women caught unaware by the onslaught of the Chinese or the Red Army, as we called a women’s monthly visitor in my high school days. In those days, boys did not realise women were to be honoured and protected for all they do to bring us humans to this earth, and to nurture us until, mature, we can hop about on our own. They bear a pregnancy for nine good months, have their babies under excruciating pain, breastfeed them for as long as is necessary, see them through school or early life and, in the case of men, pass them on, with both eyes wide open like eagles, to another woman, a wife this time, who is to continue the breastfeeding and nurture of this gentleman along with her other chores as a woman.
Boys of my boyhood days cared less or thought less about all these, perhaps from inexperience. They were so eager to hunt down a careless girl in the class or school. A careless girl was one who did not adequately prepare for her period and got her clothes blood stained. It was too bad for her if the school uniform was satin white gown. A careless girl may be another who contracted a vaginal infection which smelled so badly during her period that only a person with nasal blockage would take no notice. These infections were easy to contract. Often, the toilets were pit toilets where germs could ride in the methane gas oozing from the dung into the vagina. They could perch on the buttocks and find their way later into the secret place. Even where water closets were available in those days, these were not food proof protection against germ assault. For scores of people would use it every day, each person depositing in them and on the seat plate something for the next careless user to pick up. If a girl escaped these germs and infection snares, would she not wash her panty and spread it on the clothes line outdoor? On the clothes line outdoor, germs blown up and down by the wind, like pollen travelling in the wind, may perch in the pantie. The ideal thing for a woman to do to safeguard the health of her vagina in this case was to iron the brief to kill the germs and pollen before wearing it. But there were hardly electric irons in the boarding houses of those days. In any case, most of the panties were rayon or nylon stuff. To add salt on injury, as we say in Nigeria, these panties hardly allowed the vagina to breathe, creating moisture and a favourable environment for germs to anchor and grow and create foulness.
To cut a long story short, the school boy of those days knew a girl had been hit if she didn’t get up from her seat after the class rose, or if she tied her Cardigan or some other material around her waist and over her buttocks, surrounded by her friends as they walked towards the sick bay or the girls hostels. Today, woman is not as easily hit by her period as the school of old. She has read the book EVERY WOMAN, which I read at 18, is smart on the calendar, knows about the early warning system of her ovulation and kits up two or three days before the Reds appear, just to make assurance doubly sure. But she still hasn’t got it all right with infections, perhaps because of today’s culture of wearing trousers. I become friends when I show them the way out of this trouble. Often, they had been searching for an answer but had been running into brick walls. I met one at a corporate dinner. She sat almost opposite me. I noticed one of her hands was hardly on the table. Like the proverbial reporters “long nose news”, I have the gift of smelling a rat where many men do not when it comes to these matters. Maybe it’s because I take a lot of Zinc as food supplement and Zinc enhances the sense of smell. I invited her out of the hall and told her what I thought was going on. She melted. Who would not, who has been suffering for long and, on a platter of gold, finds the possibility of help? Indeed, she was itching. If I remember the prescription right, she was to mix Golden seal root powder with propolis Cream or egg white and spread it deep inside at bedtime for seven days. Thereafter, she was to insert a capsule of porobiotics (friendly bacteria) for another seven days. If she liked, she may insert a Vitamin E soft gel for seven days likewise before the course of probiotics. This formula helped a bank executive sometime last year. The suitor had been away abroad for some years, and was returning home in about four months for their engagement. She was itching and bleeding from Bacterial Vaginosis. The vault was sore and inflamed. She was frightened this could ruin a relationship she had laboriously built up and for which she had kept herself away from other men. Today, she is the proud mother of a bouncing baby
A teenage girl who hears me talk to her parents on their health questions called me aside one day. She learned from her auntie that Mango seed Extract worked for her. Had learned from H.K.Books Fruits that HEAL, that Indian women use this extract as a spermicide. Before sexual intercourse, they massage it generously into the Vagina and, sure enough, it serves them as a contraceptive. What kills sperm would kill germs. This extract may be peppery if is not moderated by a gender cream. It worked for this teenage girl who soon forgot about the itch and the discharge and the smell.
When I say, what may pass as a revolution is creeping in, in the way Nigeria women are now taking care of the secret places, what I have in mind is the widespread use of the Panty Liner to complement previous and other current efforts to keep this place clean, germ-free, odourless and fresh. It isn’t anything new in Europe, Asia and in the United States. In these places, the panty liner has been worn by women for decades with accolades as well as criticisms. While some women say they have worn it almost all their adult life with good results, others say it caused them some troubles. But the balance of opinion appears to be in favour of the panty Liner. There are many reasons the Panty Liner is in vogue world–wide. Some of these are:
Urinary continence
This is a condition in which the bladder leaks. This may be caused by pressure on the sphincter muscle which tightened the neck of the bladder, thereby preventing involuntary Urine exit from the bladder. Sometimes, the problem comes from infection in the bladder which predisposes its stretch muscles to give way before they should. In some other cases, sitting for too long or holding urine when it should have been voided are behind this trouble. Another predisposing cause may be nutritional deficiency of such important nutrients, such as Vitamin E, which strengthen muscles throughout the body.
There are about four types of urinary incontinences.
- Urge incontinences: caused by over – active bladder.
- Stretch incontinence: caused by a poor closure of the bladder as explained
- Overflow incontinence arising from either “poor bladder contraction” or blockage of the urethra, the tube which brings urine from the bladder for voiding
- Functional incontinence due to “medications or health problems.
Whatever the type urinary incontinence may make the sufferer void urine on the pant before she reaches the rest room. This would be embarrassing, as no doubt, as the dress would be wet and urea smell strongly on the body. Panty Liner would absorb the incontinence flow and prevent those hazards. The Panty Liner will thereafter be removed in the bathroom and replaced with another. They are so cheap that they hardly inflict unbearable holes in the budget. The predisposing factors of incontinences have to be treated. Among the major causes are yeast or infections. Infections may be caused by lower immunity. Immunity may drop from over exposure to sex. It does not matter if the over exposure is between a woman and her husband. The vaginal is likely acidic to kill germs. The semen is alkaline and carries antibodies to suppress antibody in the vaginal which would have destroyed sperm in the semen as it destroys other foreign bodies. The semen antibodies enable the sperm to live for about four days and travel to the egg to fertilise it. Frequent injection of semen in the vagina, even if from the same man, will alkalise the vagina, lower its immunity and make it a playground or refuse dump of germs.
Vaginal discharge
Many women experience vaginal discharge which may be corrosive and damage their panties, apart from making their other inner wear wet and font-smelling. The discharge may occur when a woman responds with heart laughter to a funny joke, or when she coughs in. M.idiva.com/…..health…panty-liner Divya Dwaraknath says:
“I am always reminded of how I need to increase my kegel exercise while I have a good laughing session and realise I wet my pant. The panty liner does a great job when you continue to laugh harder and do not mind a little flow it makes for a great running buddy. It is great to hydrate often when you are on a run, for there are those moments when you are running and notice you’ve lost a bit of bladder control. Panty Liner to the rescue.
Unexpected flow
As stated earlier, the monthly period may catch a woman by surprise at work in the office or in the street or on a bus. It can be quite an embarrassing experience in this day and age. Panty liner in your bag is a great idea, on days when your period appears unannounced you can’t get hold of a pad in time,” says Divya Dwaraknath.
Menstrual spotting
Some women bleed slightly in-between two periods or at the tail end of one period. Menstrual spotting may not request a full pad. Panty Liners are smaller and more flexible and comfortable to carry about and to wear over a panty.
Flaming Juliet
When a woman and her Romeo get really randy outdoor, say at a picnic or a party, there is a tendency that the Juliet may overflow in her emotions and become wet. A Panty Liner worn in expectation may save the day.
Postpartum flow
After a baby is born, it is possible for the mother to bleed slightly for a few days. This is called postpartum hemorrhage. Wearing a menstrual pad may be inconvenient at this time, unless the flow is heavy. A Panty Liner comes to the rescue. Denise Baptiste say in www.boldsky.com:
“Moms of new babies might use daily Liners for the management of postpartum flow a few weeks after giving birth. This is saviour to a lot of new moms.”
Baptist goes on to advocate the wearing of Panty Liners on the last day of a period, saying: “it is one of the best pads a woman can use at the end of her period. Since it is thin in nature, it gives you a comfortable feeling. It is also less expensive to a sanitary napkin, so make panty Liner a part of your life.”
Ovulation and infections
The Panty Liner can be used to absorb ovulation discharge and sperm reflux or other discharge which may follow sexual intercourse. Many Alternative Medicine marketing networks in Nigeria sell medicated menstrual pads and medicated Panty Liners today. Some of their networks say their products not only prevent re-infection by germs in the discharges, which the old-fashioned menstrual pads may not do, by killing off these germs once they are deposited on the pads or Liners. This is possible through these mechanisms. Mechanisms are discussed by www.lovemooncares.blogspot.com:
“Panty Liner is an absorbent piece of material used for feminine hygiene. Also known as Panty Shield, the uses of Panty Liner absorbance for daily vaginal, discharge light menstrual flow, post-intercourse discharge and slight urine leaks.” Panty Liner is related to sanitary napkin in their basic construction usually tinier and narrower than pads. Panty Liner absorbs much less liquid than normal sanitary napkin. Panty Liners are ideal for light discharge, every day cleanliness and personal hygiene. Panty liner is unsuitable for menstrual flow or medium to heavy incontinence.
“Each piece of anion panty liner consist of Anion chip that is able to release up to 5,800-6070 Negative Ion <Anion> per cubic cm. Helps women to prevent bacterial multiplication. Vaginal infection/discharge, eliminates odour and promotes comfort. We strongly encourage women who have vaginal infection/discharge to use Anion Panty Liner every day to overcome their problem. Anion (negative Ion) released is able to help them to fight with the bacterial infection at their Vaginal.
Vaginal infections or vaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina that creates discharges, odour, irritation or itching. Three vaginal infections are the most common. Their causes are quite different, their symptoms similar, and treatment varies.
- Bacterial Vaginosis
- Vaginal yeast infection
- Trichomoniasis
Vaginal discharge, itching and burning are common symptoms of the various forms of vaginitis. Although the symptoms of these infections to look for is the colour and smell of the discharge. Vaginal discharge is normal and varies during menstruation cycle. Before ovulation (the release of the egg) there is a lot of mucous produced, up to 30 times more than after ovulation. It is also more watery and elastic during that phase of your cycle. You may need to wear panty liners during that time. The things to be worried about include if the discharge has a yellow or green colour, is dumpy like cottage cheese, or has a bad odour.”
For the different types of discharge and what they mean, the website has more information. Through their Anion strips, Panty Liners fight infections and odour. The infra-red mechanism oxygenates the vagina and the bio magnetism mechanism stimulates the healing process. Choosing a panty liner, the one in which the strip is made of plastic is to be avoided, as this is said to limit or prevent the breathing of the vagina, and this may cause trouble. So, ladies, welcome to the panty liner vogue.
