Health
PT Health Watch: Tissue paper is safe for intimate hygiene, but these common habits may trigger infections- Expert
Conflicting advice circulating on social media has left many women questioning whether using toilet tissue after urinating could increase their risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), irritation or other intimate health problems.
Some online posts even claim that wiping with tissue paper is unsafe.
However, medical experts say there is no scientific evidence that using clean, plain, unscented tissue paper after urinating causes infections when used correctly.
Instead, they warn that practices such as douching, using scented feminine wipes, cleaning inside the vagina and wiping from back to front are far more likely to upset the natural balance of the genital area and increase the risk of infections.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, Yahya Mohammed, a medical doctor at the National Hospital, Abuja, said maintaining intimate hygiene does not require expensive products or excessive cleaning.
According to him, the real concern is not tissue paper itself but hygiene habits that introduce bacteria into the urinary tract or interfere with the body’s natural protective mechanisms.
Plain tissue paper is safe
Mr Mohammed said gently drying the genital area with clean, unscented toilet tissue after urinating is safe for most women and may even help reduce prolonged moisture that can contribute to skin irritation.
He explained that while wet wipes are generally safe if they are mild and fragrance-free, products containing perfumes, alcohol or harsh chemicals can irritate the delicate skin around the vulva.
Such irritation, he noted, is sometimes mistaken for an infection.
He stressed that routine use of feminine wipes is unnecessary.
According to him, washing the external genital area, the vulva, with clean water is sufficient for everyday hygiene. Women who prefer soap should use only mild, fragrance-free cleansers.
“Clean tissue paper is generally safe, while wet wipes are usually safe if they are non irritating,” he said.
What really causes UTIs?
Mr Mohammed explained that UTIs are most commonly caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally live in the bowel.
He said clean toilet tissue does not cause UTIs.
Although wet wipes may offer additional comfort during menstruation or for women experiencing diarrhoea or haemorrhoids, he said they should not replace routine washing with clean water.
Rather than worrying about tissue paper, he said women should focus on hygiene practices that prevent harmful bacteria from reaching the urinary tract.
Hygiene habits to avoid
Mr Mohammed identified several common practices that increase the risk of irritation and infection.
According to him, wiping from back to front after using the toilet can transfer bacteria from the anus to the urinary tract.
He also cautioned against using coloured, scented or antibacterial wipes for intimate hygiene, saying these products can irritate sensitive skin and may contribute to recurrent vaginal infections or allergic reactions.
Other habits women should avoid include wiping too aggressively, cleaning inside the vagina, douching after urinating, remaining in wet underwear for long periods, wearing very tight non breathable underwear and washing the vulva with harsh soaps.
He explained that douching can wash away the protective bacteria that help maintain the vagina’s normal pH, increasing the risk of infections.
The best way to clean after using the toilet
According to Mr Mohammed, the best hygiene method often depends on personal preference, skin sensitivity and what is readily available.
He recommended using plain, unscented toilet tissue to gently blot or wipe dry after urinating.
READ ALSO: PT Health Watch: From symptoms to risks, how UTIs differ from vaginal infections
After a bowel movement, women should wipe until the tissue is clean.
He added that rinsing the vulva with clean water is also an excellent option, while combining water with gentle drying using plain tissue provides additional comfort for many women.
Less is more
Mr Mohammed emphasised that women do not need elaborate intimate hygiene routines.
He explained that the vagina is naturally self-cleaning through normal secretions, while the vulva only requires gentle external cleaning.
He said excessive washing or using multiple intimate hygiene products can do more harm than good.
He advised women experiencing persistent itching, unusual vaginal discharge, pain during urination, foul odour or recurrent infections to seek medical attention rather than rely on social media advice or self-medication.
“The vulva cleans itself through its natural secretions,” he said.
He added that maintaining simple hygiene practices and seeking prompt medical attention for symptoms remain the best ways to protect intimate health.
The proportion of children who received the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine (Penta 3) in Kwara has increased from 34.9 per cent in 2024 to 50.4 per cent in 2025–2026.
Nusirat Elelu, the executive secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
Ms Elelu explained that the development is contained in a recent survey report released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
She described the latest survey findings as encouraging indicators of progress in child health across the state.
She added that the proportion of children aged 12 to 23 months who had received no vaccines declined from 48.1 per cent to 27.3 per cent within the period under review.
According to her, this reflects substantial progress in reaching more children with life-saving immunisation services.
The executive secretary explained that the pentavalent vaccine administered to children aged six, 10 and 14 weeks will protect them against five serious diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
“This improvement in our pentavalent vaccine coverage underscores the Kwara government’s effort at improving child health.
“It further reaffirms the importance of routine immunisation in protecting children and promoting healthy development,” she said.
Ms Elelu quoted the survey as saying stunting declined from 40.8 per cent to 35.5 per cent; wasting reduced from 6.1 per cent to 3.5 per cent, while underweight prevalence dropped from 24.5 per cent to 14.8 per cent.
She noted that these improvements represented encouraging development in efforts to promote child survival, healthy growth and overall wellbeing in Kwara.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Health Watch to host conference on scaling health innovations
“This is one of the greatest improvements in our nutrition indices recorded in Kwara in recent years,” she said.
She attributed the success to the state government’s investment in primary healthcare, particularly through support for nutrition-sensitive interventions and the biannual Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week.
She reiterated the agency’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare delivery through routine and outreach immunisation, community mobilisation, nutrition services and growth monitoring.
She enjoined parents and caregivers to sustain the gains by taking their children to the nearest primary healthcare centre for free routine immunisation.
Ms Elelu advised them to keep their immunisation cards up to date, participate in community outreach programmes, and ensure regular monitoring of their children’s growth.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has explained that Ebola survivors may transmit the virus through sexual intercourse if it persists in their semen after recovery. In contrast, survivors who have met the criteria for discharge from treatment are not expected to transmit the virus through sweat or saliva.
Patrick Otim, programme area manager for emergency response at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, explained this in a video answering questions about the virus.
Mr Otim said male survivors should receive counselling on safer sex practices and access to condoms after discharge from treatment centres. He said they should undergo regular semen testing until they obtain two consecutive negative results.
“Ebola virus after recovery and for patients with what we call a viral persistence can be transmitted through sexual intercourse,” he said.
He explained that the virus could remain in certain parts of the body after clinical recovery, posing a risk of transmission through infected semen.
The WHO recommends that male survivors practise safer sex for 12 months in the absence of a semen-testing programme. Where testing is available, they should undergo regular testing until two consecutive negative results are obtained.
Sweat and saliva
Mr Otim said survivors who had recovered and been discharged from treatment centres could not transmit the virus through sweat or saliva because the virus would have been cleared from their blood.
He said patients were required to have two negative blood tests before discharge, adding that survivors who had met the discharge criteria could not transmit the virus through these fluids.
READ ALSO: Ebola: WHO expresses hope as cases surpass 10,000, deaths near 5,000 in DRC
However, he warned that people who were still actively ill could transmit Ebola through sweat and other bodily fluids.
Outbreak raises concerns
The explanation comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak involving the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya.
Nigeria confirmed an imported case on 20 October. The patient, a 42-year-old Ugandan-born woman living in Abuja, was evacuated to Switzerland with her husband on 26 October.
Although the WHO said Nigeria had no active confirmed cases after the evacuation, health authorities continued monitoring contacts and implementing containment measures.
In the DRC, the outbreak has recorded 10,060 confirmed cases and 4,887 deaths, according to figures released on Tuesday by the country’s Ministry of Public Health.
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