Dirty drawers

Despite well-established hygiene recommendations, a significant number of young adults aren’t changing their underwear daily. A 2023 Newsweek poll found that 36% of Gen Z respondents aged 18 to 24 said they wear the same pair for longer than 24 hours, while another 14% admitted this is a regular habit. In total, half of Gen Z reported going a full day or more without switching to clean underwear.

This practice isn’t confined to the youngest generation. The survey also showed that 24% of millennials, ages 25 to 34, said they routinely wear the same pair of underwear more than once.

In contrast, older adults reported significantly cleaner habits. Among people aged 55 to 64, 67% said they never wear underwear for more than one day, and only 3% admitted to repeating pairs.

Skin irritation or infection

According to doctors, this growing trend of stretching wear-time poses more than a cosmetic concern. Bacteria, yeast, and moisture build up in tight-fitting clothing, creating an ideal environment for skin irritation and potential infections – especially in areas with limited airflow.

“Men and women risk skin irritation, rashes, or the worsening of pre-existing conditions such as eczema or psoriasis when they re-wear underwear too often without washing it; this is due to friction and trapped moisture,” Sarah Roberts, a licensed skincare specialist, told the Daily Mail.

‘Harbor moisture and bacteria’

Roberts wa:rned that wearing underwear too long can cause infections like yeast overgrowth and bacterial vaginosis.

Yeast infections lead to itching, burning, and thick white discharge when candida fungus multiplies. Bacterial vaginosis, often mistaken for yeast, usually includes a fishy odor and gray or yellow discharge caused by bacterial imbalance.

“The vulva contains folds and crevices that harbor moisture and bacteria more readily than male genitalia,” Dr. Archit Aggarwal, a dermatologist with ClinicSpots, told the publication.

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