Do you often alternate between quality underwear or do you tend to reach for the same worn-in, holey-yet-comfortable pair of boxers or knickers that you’ve had since you were a teen?
Most people have their tried-and-true favourites, but a number of internet users were shocked to find how long you should keep them around.
A TikTok user posted a video outlining the recommended time for replacing underwear in an effort to inform others about their underwear’s “expiration date.”
To be clear, I do not mean replaced on your body; rather, I mean tossed out and replaced by brand-new ones.
I can only hope that nobody took that to indicate the opposite.
There is “no law that says after six months, cut them and get new underwear,” according to Dr. Chavone Momon-Nelson, an OB-GYN at UPMC in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, even though 16 years may be pushing it.
As long as it is being washed, Momon-Nelson believes that wearing underwear is generally acceptable. She said: “If you’re washing your underwear in warmer or hot water you are cleaning the bacteria off them.”
Anyhow, the video’s advice to replace underwear every “six to 12 months” proved to be utterly mind-blowing for some.
“We should change the narrative about what they should feel comfortable about and what they should not feel comfortable about,” she continued.
“There’s nothing wrong with a nice new pair of underwear that fit nice that are cotton and that are clean. And I wouldn’t discourage anyone from wanting to buy new underwear. But I would not say that you have to throw away your old underwear.”
Though Momon-Nelson obviously isn’t wrong about there being no ‘rule’ on when to change your underwear, other experts have shared differing opinions.
Cosmetic doctor and intimate health specialist Dr Shirin Lakhani pointed out that underwear can take in ‘a lot of dead skin… as well as bacteria’.
“Even washing your underwear in the washer won’t always totally get rid of microorganisms like E. coli.”
As a result, the doctor advises replacing your underwear at least once a year; however, for underwear you “consistently wear for activities like the gym,” more frequent replacements are advised.
If you’re a frequent shopper, you might go through several weeks’ worth before you run out and won’t need to replenish as frequently.
You should go shopping, though, if you frequently find yourself rinsing pairs of clothes under the faucet and turning them inside out just to make it to the day you want to do your laundry.
Though it might be hard to separate yourself from the cash, I’m sure your crotch will thank you.
