This Common Bathroom Product You’re Using Every Day Could Be Severely Damaging Your…Most Delicate Skin
Yes we made the title clickbait. It’s that important.
by The Candidly Team
We’re not going to tease this out. We’re just gonna get right to it:
It’s wet wipes.
For so long (basically until 3 days ago when we decided to write this article) we felt like we were doing a GOOD thing by dutifully buying the most biodegradable, flushable wipes, and getting that “squeaky clean” feeling after we poop. Wet means cleaner! Fresher! Right? Using only dry toilet paper feels…unsanitary.
….right?
Welp.
There are three pretty blazing, RED-FLAG reasons we will not be using them anymore, and you probably shouldn’t either.
Here’s what they are:
1. They’re absolute crap for the environment.
A 2023 study found that “most flushed biodegradable wet wipes do not really degrade” and concluded that “cellulose wet wipes are an underestimated potential source of environmental pollution.”
Wet wipes are devastating marine life, increasing the presence of microplastics, and clogging our sewer systems in truly disturbing ways.
But you probably already knew that. But did you know this:
2. They’re responsible for sooooo many plumbing problems.
Take a quick glance at pretty much any plumbing website, and you’re likely to find a bullet-pointed list of horrors that can occur by flushing wet wipes. Clogged toilets. Backed up sewer systems. Ravaged pipes.
Back in 2019, it was reported that wet wipes were a major culprit behind 90% of sewer blockages in the UK. Avoiding them could help you avoid the financial hit and personal hell that is plumbing-related repairs.
Ok, maybe you knew that, too. But we GUARANTEE you didn’t know this:
3. They’re VERY, VERY, VERY bad for your bottom.
So, here’s the one that caught us by surprise. In a fairly recent interview for Well + Good, anal surgeon Evan Goldstein, DO sounded the alarm on wet wipes by saying the following:
“When you start to augment that [microbiome] with wet wipes, what happens is that you're wiping away the good bacteria and the balance becomes a problem.”
In yet another interview with HuffPost, Goldstein doubled down saying, “ I see 90 people a week [in my surgical office], and I would say one-third of all the people coming through are coming in from wet wipe-induced issues.”
And he is not the only medical professional out there calling out how using too many wet wipes can disrupt your microbiome. Gastroenterologist Victoria Glass, MD told Livestrong that such wipes can be responsible for "stripping away the good bacteria in your tush, leaving the bad bacteria, which may cause rashes, irritation and fungal infections.”
The chemicals and fragrances and other ingredients in a wipe can also lead to flare ups of wildly unpleasant skin irritations.
So what do you use instead?
If toilet paper isn’t enough to satisfy your hygienic standards, you might want to go the way of countless non-Americans and invest in a bidet. And no. You don’t have to be Scrooge McDuck-level wealthy to own a bidet now.
Why?
Bidets can now attach to your existing toilet, and they come in a wide range of price ranges.
Here are two we’ve been hearing good things about, and which we will be purchasing tout suite:
Strong All-Around Option: Toto C5 Washlet
Toto is a brand that comes up a lot about in the bidet world. And this one has all the fancy features you imagine existing in luxe, celebrity homes such as a heated seat, a drying feature, and even a “mist” that helps keep your toilet looking cleaner - all controlled by remote, naturally.
Budget & Convenience Option: TUSHY Spa 3.0
This model easily attaches to most toilets and apparently takes about 10 minutes to set up so long as your toilet is near a sink. It’s already a phenom price but there’s an even cheaper option, though we definitely prefer this version as it provides warm water, and we run way too cold to cope without it. You can also complete your experience by purchasing their Tushy “Bum” towels (we don’t name this stuff) and/ or bamboo toilet paper to pat dry.
A couple things to note is that, according to The Cleveland Clinic, you should make sure the pressure and angle of the water is set so that the stream flows front to back (same as with wiping) to help you steer clear of infection.
Then, just make sure you dry off after use, and poof, your desire to be squeaky clean will no longer require fungus-breeding, rash-inducing, microbiome-disrupting wipes.
What a time to be alive!
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care in any way. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your physician or healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind. Read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
