Even though it is rarely acknowledged, underwears are just as important as every other clothing item we wear. Aside from absorbing sweat well, preventing skin irritation, and making one comfortable, underwears also prevent Tinea cruris – a fungal infection in the skin of the genitals, inner thighs, and buttocks that occurs when people wear tight-fitting clothing that traps in moisture.
If you have ever found yourself wondering about how often to buy underwear, the first thing you must know is that you are not alone in that thought. The question of
how often to buy underwear is quite common and different experts have provided different answers.
How Often Should You Buy Underwear?
The straightforward answer to the question of how often to buy underwear is: It depends on your taste. According to different health experts, there is no specific timeframe that applies to everyone on the duration which one should use, throw out and buy new underwear.
To put it simply, underwear does not have a specific expiration date. What is important, however, is keeping them clean. So, as long as you wash your underwear after every use, there are no germ or infection-related reasons for you to throw away your "old" underwear after a specific period.
While there is no medical evidence that shows wearing old underwear is unhealthy, it is still advisable to buy new underwear now and then. If not for anything else, but comfort. You should buy new underwear if your old ones have holes, are frayed or the elastic is damaged.
How to Care for Your Underwear
Underwear is delicate and must be handled with more care than the rest of your wardrobe. Since how often to buy underwear is largely connected to whether it is damaged or not, maintenance becomes very important. Your underwear will last much longer if you take good care of it and handle it in the right way. Otherwise, you will find yourself buying more underwear than necessary.
Unlike the toothbrush that should be replaced every three to four months to minimize bacteria accumulation, underwear does not accumulate bacteria as long as they are washed properly after use. More often than not, the best way to wash underwear is with your hands as the washing machine could tear them if not set correctly.
After washing, hang them out to dry properly. Do not make use of dryers as it could have a negative impact on the underwear material. Also, ironing your underwear could damage the material. To put it simply, underwears are often made with materials that cannot withstand high temperatures. So as much as possible, keep your underwear away from dryers and ironing.
In a nutshell
How often to buy underwear is merely based on or influenced by one's tastes. Underwear does not come with an expiration date and there is no medical evidence to prove that old underwears are unhealthy. Since there are no set rules or specific timeframe on how often to buy underwear, what is important is washing and keeping them clean.