To wear or not to wear underwear: an age old question that has undoubtedly crossed the mind of most women at least once. After all, how could one not wonder if those jeans or that dress would look better without those panty lines, or if that A-line skirt would fit better without your underwear bunching up under the fabric?   

In my own experience, I find that skipping underwear on days I decide to wear a tight-fitting dress, jeans, or yoga pants has always left me feeling more confident and even a little bit sexier. There’s something fun, exciting, and risqué about not having any underwear on underneath your clothes, and it’s especially good for your confidence if you look as good as you feel.

On the other side of the equation, there are an awful lot of bad perceptions around going commando, starting with the perceived negative impact of one’s sexual health and the fear of being exposed at the wrong moment. Starting with busting the first rumor, there’s actually no correlation between contracting an infection and not wearing underwear. 

Yup. Your risk of contracting a bacterial or yeast infection does not increase when you opt out of wearing underwear. In fact, going commando may actually decrease your risk of getting an infection. The vagina is naturally moist and has a fairly low pH value. Putting an additional layer over the area, such as underwear,  tends to trap in moisture, creating the ideal environment for bacteria to flourish, leading to an increased risk of infection.  These infections can cause odor, itching, redness, and irritation, none of which is worth squeezing into that too-tight pair of black panties you’ve been dying to wear.

Working out and sweating in your underwear are two other things you should be wary of. Sweat only increases the amount of moisture your vagina is exposed to, so make sure that after you work out, you change out of those clothes into something clean ASAP. 

As far as having an… ahem… wardrobe malfunction goes, there isn’t much you can do to prevent it besides being cautious when you sit, stand, or encounter an untimely wind. You may find that it isn’t as hard as you think it is to keep yourself covered up.  Wearing jeans or yoga pants would be especially helpful the first time you decide to go commando, as there really isn’t much risk of accidental exposure.

So what can you do to protect yourself from accidental indecency, while also preventing infections and keeping your outfits looking A-1 whenever you need them to? The best first step is to take it slow. If you’re uncomfortable with not wearing underwear, try skipping it once a week at first. If you feel like your confidence is increasing, along with your vaginal health, see if you can get comfortable going pantyless more often. 

If you don’t feel as comfortable, know that wearing underwear doesn’t hurt you. There’s no problem with keeping your underwear on when you want to, just know that when you do decide to take that daring step for yourself, your vagina thanks you.