stuck in the middle: do thong underwear make infections more likely?

once among the most risqué of lingerie, thongs are now firmly part of the mainstream . in recent years, however, the thong has received some pushback from women who don’t find the wedgy g-strings comfortable. along with these criticisms are concerns that a piece of fabric running between the cheeks — decidedly close to that area of the body — can wreak havoc on female anatomy.

the origins of the g-string

the earliest instance of a thong was primarily worn by men thousands of years ago — and may even be one of the earliest forms of clothing ever worn. a loincloth was generally a long piece of fabric wrapped around the hips and groin. worn on its own or as underclothes for a more elaborate costume, loincloths would often simply be wrapped over the groin between the legs and then around the hips — leaving the butt bare. forms of this article of clothing are still worn by cultures around the world today.

the underwear now coveted by lingerie designers made its way into the public eye in the 1920s and 30s as part of the showgirl’s arsenal. the g-string was thought to have first appeared in broadway musicals by earl carroll, “ the troubadour of the nude ”, although there had also been reports of female sunbathers clad in only “a gee string and a light sprinkling of tan“ as early as 1921.

the thong, a version of the g-string that contains just the slightest bit more fabric, gained worldwide fame in 1939 at the world’s fair in new york. as the legend goes, then-mayor fiorello la guardia demanded that the city’s nude dancers cover up while new york was inundated with visitors from around the world, inadvertently leading to the first mass showing of an article of clothing that would fascinate lingerie and bikini designs for decades to come.

“ grand displays of legs and arms and spinal columns ” aside, the question still remains: are thongs good for you?

can thongs cause infection?

research is a little less clear on the thong versus briefs debate. one survey conducted by the university of tennessee medical centre found that wearing thongs was associated with an increased risk of urinary tract infections (uti), but not with other infections such as bacterial vaginosis (bv) or vaginal yeast infections (yi).

other researchers, however, have found that it might not be the shape of the underwear, but the material. a 2019 survey by the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the university of colorado school of medicine surveyed 986 women, 186 of whom were classified as “thong wearers,” wearing a thong more than 50 per cent of the time. while the researchers didn’t find a correlation between thong underwear and any type of infection, they did find that non-cotton underwear of any type was associated with yis, and that oral sex brought increased risk of utis and bv.

when it comes to undies, breathable is best

the most important consideration when picking out those cute boyshorts or lacy underthings isn’t actually shape at all — it’s the material, according to women’s health . breathable, absorbent fabrics like cotton are important for making sure that bad bacteria don’t have a chance to thrive between the legs. in fact, the cdc recommends wearing cotton underwear as a method to help avoid yeast infections. synthetic materials, such as nylon and polyester, may actually prevent the area from airing out and can be a factor in developing skin irritations and rashes.

whether you prefer a full coverage or something cheeky, underwear needs to be changed at least once per day, and always after working out. some evidence also suggests that it may be beneficial to forego underwear while sleeping — romantic partners rejoice.

emjones@postmedia.com |  @jonesyjourn

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