A pelvic floor expert has revealed you shouldn't need to wipe your bottom more than three times after having a poo - and there could be issues if you need more.
In an eye-opening video that's making waves on social media, an Australian pelvic floor physiotherapist, known as Georgia, has shared a vital tip on personal hygiene after using the bathroom.
Georgia's advice, shared via BIEN Australia's TikTok and Instagram pages - a wellness brand focused on pelvic floor health - quickly gained traction, racking up a staggering 4.5 million views and over 107,000 likes.
In the clip, Georgia asks: "Do you wipe more than three times when you go for a poo? If so, listen up."
"When you are wiping more than two or three times, that is called fecal smearing. So it is essentially when too much fecal matter stays at the entrance of the anus even after you have finished your poo," she explained.
That's basically when an excessive amount of fecal matter remains around the anus after a bowel movement, needing numerous wipes.
Georgia went on to explain a helpful technique to curb how often you need to wipe, by squeezing the pelvic floor in a "waterfall formation" after pooping, first squeezing the muscles at 20% intensity, before gradually increasing it.
To achieve this, Georgia suggests: "A technique that you can use to reduce the number of times you wipe is by squeezing your pelvic floor in a waterfall formation. So start by squeezing the anus 20 percent, then 50 percent, 80 percent, and 100 percent so that you have squeezed it four times at the end of your poo."
She explains that this method aids in closing off the anal sphincter, effectively reducing residual fecal matter - which could potentially lead to a significant reduction in toilet paper usage, a win for both personal hygiene and the environment.
Georgia clarifies: "This can help close off the anus sphincter, which is the reason you are having little bits of stool hanging on the entrance - it is usually from weakness from that external sphincter."
Apart from weak sphincters, Georgia mentions that other factors, such as scar tissue and hemorrhoids, could also contribute to leftover fecal matter around the anus.
If her innovative method doesn't provide relief, she advises consulting a medical professional for further tests to see why it's happening in the first place.
Viewers took to the comments to discuss their own opinions on how much you should be wiping after using the toilet, with one commenting: "I will wipe however many times needed until paper is totally clean. then once more for good measure."
One joked: "Ma’am we have IBS lol" while another added: "So this is what happened to all the toilet paper."
Credit: TikTok
Credit: TikTok
Credit: TikTok
Others revealed: "I wipe twice then wipe with wipes about 5 to ten times", and "i wipe until it’s clean."
Many suggested the use of a bidet to get fully clean, with one adding: "I'm just shocked at the amount of people not using water to clean."
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