You've learned to wipe your butt since you were a kid, but you may not have learned it yet...

Author: Yu Qi, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Hao Yanfang, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Deputy Secretary-General and Researcher of the Science Popularization Expert Committee of the Chinese Medical Association

Everyone is familiar with the skill of wiping their buttocks, but in terms of specific operations, everyone's habits are different. In daily life, how do people wipe their buttocks after going to the toilet? Many doctors and scholars have given a lot of analysis and suggestions on this issue. How can such a simple thing as wiping the buttocks, which everyone has learned since childhood, still attract so much attention? Is it an exaggeration? Of course not.

The three main functions of the anus

The anus is the end of the intestine, located between the buttocks. It is the "gateway" for excretion of the digestive tract and has three main functions.

Expel gas from the intestines and relieve pressure in the intestines.

Excreting waste products after digestion and absorption in the human body is called feces.

Prevent intestinal contents from involuntarily overflowing from the body, and at the same time prevent external gas, liquid and other foreign matter from entering the intestinal cavity.

Incorrect wiping method is harmful

Since the main function of the anus is defecation, if the buttocks are not wiped correctly, the residual feces will damage the mucous membrane and skin of the anus. In addition, the anus has many wrinkles. If the cleaning work is not done well, it is easy to become a breeding ground for bacteria. The long-term stimulation of hidden bacteria will cause local skin itching, dermatitis, anal burning pain, and may also cause infection of adjacent organs. In addition, incorrect wiping methods may also lead to poor microcirculation, induce hemorrhoids or other perianal diseases.

Wiping your butt properly is especially important for women

Wiping the buttocks correctly is particularly important for women, which is caused by the physiological structure of women. The female vagina and urethra are located in the vestibule of the external genitalia, with the urethral opening above and the vaginal opening below. Below the vaginal opening is the anus, forming the order of urethral opening-vaginal opening-anus.

The urethral opening is directly connected to the urethra, which then leads to the bladder of the lower urinary system, indirectly affecting the ureters and bilateral kidneys of the upper urinary system.

The vaginal opening, together with the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, etc., constitute the female external genitalia. It is also the entrance to the internal genitalia, including the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, etc.

Behind the urethra is the vagina, behind the vagina is the anus, and the anus is at the very end of the rectum. The order of defense of the female urethra, vagina, and rectum against pathogenic bacteria from weak to strong is: urethra < vagina < rectum, that is, the urethra has the weakest defense, the vagina is second, and the rectum is the strongest.

The urethral opening is close to the anus, and the entire female urethra is almost straight and short. If the method of wiping the buttocks is incorrect, bacteria can easily invade the urethra from the urethral opening, and then ascend to cause urinary tract infection, leading to urethritis, cystitis, etc.

Similarly, the vaginal opening is also near the anus. If the method of wiping the buttocks is not correct, bacteria will invade the vaginal opening from the anus, which may cause vulvar itching. If they continue to move upward into the vagina, they may also cause gynecological inflammation, such as trichomoniasis, candidal vaginitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.

Have you learned how to wipe your butt correctly?

Wiping your butt may seem like a trivial matter, but it is actually a serious matter. Improper operation can lead to serious consequences. To wipe your butt correctly, you must first pay attention to the direction of wiping.

The male urethra is located at the entrance of the penis, which is relatively far from the anus. The male's defense ability is stronger than that of the female. It doesn't really matter whether you wipe from front to back or from back to front. But don't wipe too hard to avoid scratching the skin around the anus. Wipe with moderate force and repeat several times until there is no obvious residue left.

It is best for women to wipe gently from front to back, using the strongest defense to deal with the weakest pathogens, which can effectively reduce the risk of urinary tract infection. Even if there is no bowel movement, there are still some bacteria in the anus. If you wipe from back to front, these bacteria will be brought to the urethra, and even normal intestinal bacteria are not very friendly to the urethra.

It is worth noting that if the stool is dry, the wiping action must be gentle, otherwise it will easily cause anal bleeding.

How to choose toilet paper

In addition to wiping direction and technique, the selection of sanitary products should also be taken into consideration. What type of paper is best for wiping the butt? Some people think that just finding some paper and wiping it is enough, and there is no need for so many requirements. After reading the above about the harm of improper wiping, I believe everyone has understood that when choosing paper towels, you should not be too casual. So, what kind of paper towels are qualified?

Choose sanitary napkins that meet national quality standards. Look at the implementation standard number of the outer packaging: GB represents mandatory national standards, which must be followed; GB/T represents recommended national standards, also known as voluntary standards, which are a plus point. In terms of product standards, GB/T is better than GB.

The product must be labeled with manufacturer, specifications, net weight, production date or batch number, and the packaging must not be damaged or contaminated.

The raw material composition should preferably be 100% virgin wood pulp. It is recommended not to use scented toilet paper to avoid causing allergies.

The state stipulates that the whiteness of Class A products must exceed 85%, but the whiter the better is not necessarily the case. Excessive addition of fluorescent whitening agents may also cause health problems.

Compared with sanitary paper towels, wet wipes have not been found to have any advantages, and may have higher risks in some aspects. Wet wipes need to add various additives during the production process, such as preservatives, surfactants, etc., which may cause health hazards to the human body. In addition, the storage of wet wipes requires appropriate pH and humidity, which also makes wet wipes more prone to bacterial growth.

Wet wipes are soft and easy to deform, and they make people feel more comfortable when wiping with wet wipes, so many people still choose to use wet wipes. The female vagina has a natural self-cleaning ability. Disinfectant wipes not only irritate the mucous membrane, but also cause vaginal and urethral flora imbalance, leading to urinary tract infections and gynecological inflammation. It is recommended to choose sterile pure water wet wipes and avoid wet wipes containing alcohol or disinfectants.

If conditions permit, washing with water or sitting in a bath are good ways for women to clean themselves. In recent years, people's demand for smart toilets has been increasing. Using automatic water spray after defecation reduces the contact between hands and feces, reducing the probability of the spread of pathogens such as E. coli. At the same time, washing with water or sitting in a bath is also very friendly to people with diarrhea or other perianal problems. It can not only clean the anus, but also prevent infection.

As the saying goes, if you wipe your butt well, you will have fewer anal diseases. Wiping your butt may seem like a small matter, but it actually matters a lot. In daily life, you should pay attention to using the correct wiping method to keep your anus clean. Wipe your butt correctly and you will be healthy and happy every day.