How Best to Clean your Vulva when you have Incontinence

Ask Dr. Jen

Hi! I have a super embarrassing question to ask. If you shouldn’t use soap, how do you clean up if you have light bladder leaking issues?

-Instagram

Short Take…

A cleanser is the best way to clean your vulva when you have incontinence. Limit wipes for when you are out of the house and using a cleanser isn’t feasible. Use the right incontinence products to minimize the contact of urine with the vulva. 

Go One…

Incontinence is a common problem and rarely discussed, so I am so glad you asked because we need to talk about it more. About 25% of younger women, 50% of middle aged women, and 75% of older women have some degree of urinary incontinence and many go without care and that needs to change. Many also don’t know how to care for their skin when they have incontinence, and that matters because urine is an irritant and so incontinence can lead to irritation and even skin breakdown. In addition, the combination of menopause and aging affects vulvar skin making it drier and less resilient, meaning irritants—like urine—can have more of a negative impact. 

There are 3 basic steps for skin maintenance and incontinence.