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Front-To-Back Wiping Your Vagina Is A Huge Conversation On TikTok Right Now, Here's Why And What An Expert Says
Hello, people with vaginas. Now, some of you may or may not have been taught as little kids that — after using the restroom — you should always wipe from the front to the back.
And, if you weren't taught it as a kid, then I am sure at some point in your adolescent or adult life, you have learned it.
But, enter the place full of laughs and TMI — TikTok — and you'll quickly see it is a hot topic of discussion:
In the above TikTok, user @squiddey says, "I know we're supposed to wipe front to back, but how the fuck do you do it? That's just what I wanna know, because I've always done it like that (gestures wiping back to front). Do you stand the fuck up and just reach? Like, I am not that flexible...HOW?! I need an explanation!"
Not only has the video been viewed over a million times, but the comments are filled with people who feel the same way.
And user @thatspicylemon caught the attention of even more people — 3.5 million to be exact — when she explained how the female anatomy is not constructed to wipe front to back:
"Honestly I have no fucking idea how we're supposed to wipe front to back when our anatomy is literally not constructed to do so. Like, how the fuck am I supposed to get up from the toilet and then reach around like this — I look like a crazy person. NO — obviously I wipe from the back to the front. Like, you have to know where your taint is. You have to know where your fucking taint is. If you've been going to the bathroom as long as I have, you know where your fucking taint is and you know where the 'no-no' place is. Like, you're not going to wipe from your asshole all the way to your coochie," she says in her TikTok.
So, after seeing so many comments like this, we decided it was time to bring in an expert.
BuzzFeed spoke to Dr. Heather Jeffcoat who has been practicing pelvic health physical therapy for 19 years.
To start things off, we asked her if wiping from front to back is actually important and she quickly reassured us that YES IT IS. "Wiping front to back is important because it minimizes bacteria being introduced from your anus into your urethra. Even if you clean really well after a bowel movement, there is still a chance of bacterial contamination, which can lead to a urinary tract infection," Dr. Jeffcoat said.
This speaks to the statement the TikToker had above about "knowing where your taint is" and simply not wiping near it after you pee. However, even if you clean really well, there is still a chance bacteria from the rectum can enter the vagina if you wipe from back to front — near the taint or not!
Dr. Jeffcoat said her first reaction when watching the TikToks was wondering why people are making wiping so difficult. She said it's actually really simple: "No reach-around technique is required. Just wipe from the front of your body and push the toilet paper from the urethra towards the back."
To break it down with a visual, she made this TikTok:
"After you pee, take your toilet paper, from the front of your body, put it near your urethra, and press gently upward as your stroke from the front to the back. Only do this once per piece of toilet paper," Dr. Jeffcoat explained.
"There are definitely many ways you can get complicated with wiping from front to back after you pee, but there is no fancy choreography needed. Just reach from the front and push back," she added.
Let's emphasize the fact that you should also not use the same piece of toilet paper to wipe the area again — either fold it to a clean side or get a new piece.
And...if you go number two only...I hope you already know that wiping back is a MUST!!!!! Now go forth wiping front to back with confidence.
Front-To-Back Wiping Your Vagina Is A Huge Conversation On TikTok Right Now, Here's Why And What An Expert Says
Hello, people with vaginas. Now, some of you may or may not have been taught as little kids that — after using the restroom — you should always wipe from the front to the back.
And, if you weren't taught it as a kid, then I am sure at some point in your adolescent or adult life, you have learned it.
But, enter the place full of laughs and TMI — TikTok — and you'll quickly see it is a hot topic of discussion:
In the above TikTok, user @squiddey says, "I know we're supposed to wipe front to back, but how the fuck do you do it? That's just what I wanna know, because I've always done it like that (gestures wiping back to front). Do you stand the fuck up and just reach? Like, I am not that flexible...HOW?! I need an explanation!"
Not only has the video been viewed over a million times, but the comments are filled with people who feel the same way.
And user @thatspicylemon caught the attention of even more people — 3.5 million to be exact — when she explained how the female anatomy is not constructed to wipe front to back:
"Honestly I have no fucking idea how we're supposed to wipe front to back when our anatomy is literally not constructed to do so. Like, how the fuck am I supposed to get up from the toilet and then reach around like this — I look like a crazy person. NO — obviously I wipe from the back to the front. Like, you have to know where your taint is. You have to know where your fucking taint is. If you've been going to the bathroom as long as I have, you know where your fucking taint is and you know where the 'no-no' place is. Like, you're not going to wipe from your asshole all the way to your coochie," she says in her TikTok.
So, after seeing so many comments like this, we decided it was time to bring in an expert.
BuzzFeed spoke to Dr. Heather Jeffcoat who has been practicing pelvic health physical therapy for 19 years.
To start things off, we asked her if wiping from front to back is actually important and she quickly reassured us that YES IT IS. "Wiping front to back is important because it minimizes bacteria being introduced from your anus into your urethra. Even if you clean really well after a bowel movement, there is still a chance of bacterial contamination, which can lead to a urinary tract infection," Dr. Jeffcoat said.
This speaks to the statement the TikToker had above about "knowing where your taint is" and simply not wiping near it after you pee. However, even if you clean really well, there is still a chance bacteria from the rectum can enter the vagina if you wipe from back to front — near the taint or not!
Dr. Jeffcoat said her first reaction when watching the TikToks was wondering why people are making wiping so difficult. She said it's actually really simple: "No reach-around technique is required. Just wipe from the front of your body and push the toilet paper from the urethra towards the back."
To break it down with a visual, she made this TikTok:
"After you pee, take your toilet paper, from the front of your body, put it near your urethra, and press gently upward as your stroke from the front to the back. Only do this once per piece of toilet paper," Dr. Jeffcoat explained.
"There are definitely many ways you can get complicated with wiping from front to back after you pee, but there is no fancy choreography needed. Just reach from the front and push back," she added.
Let's emphasize the fact that you should also not use the same piece of toilet paper to wipe the area again — either fold it to a clean side or get a new piece.
And...if you go number two only...I hope you already know that wiping back is a MUST!!!!! Now go forth wiping front to back with confidence.
