Personal Hygiene

What is Personal hygiene

• Personal hygiene can be defined as an act of
maintaining cleanliness and grooming of
external body.
• It is the things that we do to care for our
bodily health and well being, through
cleanliness.
• It is the most effective ways to protect
ourselves, and others, from illness.
 Bad effects of Personal Hygiene

 Poor personal hygiene habits, however, can

lead to some minor side effects, like body
odor and greasy skin. They can also lead to
more troublesome or even serious issues.
 Positive effects of Personal Hygiene

• Good personal hygiene habits are directly

related to less illness and better health.
 1.Washing and Bathing

• Are the most important ways of maintaining

good health and protecting ourselves from
infection, illnesses and ailments.
 2. Dental Hygiene
• The dental hygiene involves brushing our
teeth and flossing everyday, and personal
hygiene involves cleaning ourselves and
taking care of physical injuries when we
sustain them, emotional hygiene refers to
being mindful of our psychological health and
adopting brief daily habits to monitor and
address psychological wounds when we
sustain them.
 3. Hand care/washing
• Washing hands with soap and water is the
best way to reduce the number of germs on
them in most situations.
• If soap and water are not available, use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at
least 60%a alcohol.
 Steps to wash your hands
• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or
cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the
soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your
fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a
timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from
beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
 4. Shaving
• For men, shaving the face enables it to stay
cleaner and is more acceptable hygienic
practice.
• For women, shaving the legs and under the
arms also keeps the body cleaner, with less
places for bacteria to grow.
 Steps in shaving
STEP 1: Preparation
• Wash your face thoroughly before shaving.
This will prevent infections in case of nicks.
You may want to exfoliate using a rough
exfoliating cream. This will better prepare
your skin and beard for shaving.
STEP 2: Soften the beard
• Soak a facecloth in warm water, and hold it
to your beard for 30 seconds. This will help
soften and loosen the hair and skin.
STEP 3: Shaving cream application
• Release a ball of shaving cream onto your palm,
and apply it evenly over your beard and neck in
upward circular motions, making sure to uniformly
cover all sections that you wish to shave uniformly.
Make sure to use an unused or a relatively new
razor from a good brand for the closest and most
comfortable shave possible.
STEP 4: Shaving the top section of your beard
• For the top section of your beard, shave from the top of
the beard to the edge of your jaw-line in long, even
strokes.
STEP 5: Shaving your neck and chin
• To shave under your chin and your nick, shave from the
bottom of your neck upwards (with the grain) to prevent
razor burn and ingrown hairs.
STEP 6: Getting a closer shave
• You may wish to pull your skin taut with your free hand
for a closer shave
STEP 7: Shaving your upper lip
• To shave your upper lip, stretch it over your front teeth to tighten
the skin, and shave downwards.
STEP 8: Rinse your razor
• Rinse your razor after each stroke to keep it from becoming
clogged up with hair.
STEP 9: Touch ups
• Wash off excess shaving cream with warm water, and look for
sections of beard you may have missed. Wet your razor to shave
these remaining sections.
STEP 10: Moisturise
• After shaving, use a toner (preferably containing vitamins, aloe
extract etc). rather than an alcohol-based aftershave. Alcohol will
dry out your skin, and possibly cause damage. Apply moisturiser
after toning to complete your shave. (MensXP.com)
 5. Foot care
• Foot care that includes lower extremity
assessment, toenail, and skin care is essential
nursing care. Proper care of
the feet increases body defenses against
immobility, pain, and infection.
Steps on how care our feet
1. check Your Feet Every Day
• Check your feet every day. neuropathy can make it
difficult to feel injuries and sores to your feet, it's
imperative to check your feet every day. Give them a
close inspection in the morning before you put your
socks and shoes on. Look closely at any possible wear
spots like the backs of heels and sides of feet. Carefully
check between your toes and the entire bottom
surface of your feet. If it's difficult for you to see the
bottom of your feet, use a mirror or have a family
member check them for you.
 2. Clean Feet Are Happy Feet
• Clean feet are happy feet. Make sure to wash your feet
daily with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. A
daily cleaning can help you detect trouble spots before
they turn serious. Keeping your feet clean will wash
away any small irritants or debris that might have been
picked up on the soles of your feet. It's not
recommended to soak your feet, however. Soaking can
cause skin to become fragile and prone to injury. It's
okay to use lotions on your feet if the skin is dry, but
don't use them between your toes. Lotion sitting on
skin for prolonged periods can cause the integrity of
the skin to be compromised.
3. Wear Soft Socks and Shoes That Fit
• Wear soft socks and shoes that fit. Make
sure that you use cushiony socks and well-
fitting shoes with good support. Shoes that
are too big or too tight can cause problems.
Feet can rub against ill-fitting shoes, causing
sores. When exercising, make sure that your
sneakers fit properly and wear white,
absorbent socks. Never go barefoot.
4. See Your Doctor for any Foot Problems
• See your doctor for any foot problem. You
can't be too careful when it comes to your feet.
See your doctor right away for any open sores
or infected areas on your feet. The sooner
these are treated, the less the risk of serious
complications will be. It's also a good idea to
have your doctor check your feet when you go
for your diabetes checkups. Have him assess
your feet and lower legs for sensitivity and
circulation, and for any potential problems.
5. Good Diabetes Management Can Keep Feet Healthy
• Good diabetes management can keep feet healthy.
The best way to take care of your feet is to keep your
blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
Prolonged high blood glucose levels increase your
risk of complications because nerves and blood
vessels in lower legs and feet are damaged when
blood sugar is high. Test your blood glucose often,
take your prescribed medications and follow your
eating plan to help keep your feet healthy.
 6. Deodorant
• A deodorant is a substance applied to the
body to prevent or mask (hide) body odor
due to bacterial breakdown of perspiration in
the armpits, groin, and feet, and in some
cases vaginal secretions.
 Steps to prevent bad odor
1. Shower with Antibacterial Soap
•
Wash away sweat and odor-causing bacteria by taking
regular baths or showers. Be sure to use anti-bacterial soap
as these are designed and proven to remove odor-causing
bacteria.

Take time to thoroughly wash areas of the body that are

more prone to sweating such as underarms and feet. Cap it
off by drying yourself thoroughly to prevent bacteria from
breeding on skin.
2. Use Antiperspirants or Deodorants
•
Antiperspirants perspiration and sweat, while
deodorants mask the smell of odor-causing
bacteria. To help avoid body odor, apply
some antiperspirant or deodorant in the
morning and before bedtime. If you can't find
a product that best suits you, consult with
your doctor
3. Watch Your Diet
•

You are what you eat. And some foods can contribute to
causing body odor.

For instance, onions and garlic contain an aroma that can come
out through your pores when you sweat. Caffeinated beverages
and alcohol can also cause you to sweat more.

As much as possible, try to maintain a healthy diet that ass.

Remember that it may not necessarily be about completely
cutting out these foods, but rather consuming them in
moderation.
4. Wear Breathable Fabrics
•
The kind of fabric you wear can also affect how much you sweat as
you go about your daily activities. Choose fabrics with better
breathability such as cotton, silk, and wool to allow air to enter your
clothes, and keep sweat from building up. For workout clothes,
moisture-wicking, synthetic materials are best as they may be able to
keep the sweat off your skin.

When you sweat less, bacteria on your skin cannot grow and multiply
as easily to cause body odor. Don't forget to change your socks and
wear breathable training shoes to prevent foot odor as well!
5. Do Your Laundry
•
Bacteria can easily accumulate and breed on used clothes, and
unpleasant odor can stick when they not washed properly. Be sure
to regularly wash your clothes, so the awful smell from odor-causing
bacteria doesn’t stick.

• In the end, the best way to prevent body odor is to maintain proper
hygiene. Prevent bacteria build-up through frequent showering and
hand washing with antibacterial soap like Safeguard Pure White Bar
, Body Wash, and Liquid Hand Soap to gain great-smelling, long-
lasting protection against odor-causing bacteria for up to 24 hours.
If all else fails, consult with your doctor if the problem persists to
ask for prescriptions that can help you stop body odor.
 7. Skin care
• Detox your body, by consuming water which
is important to keep your skin dehydrated
 8. Hair care
• The hair follicles from which the hair grows produce oil from
the sebaceous glands that keeps the hair smooth. The scalp
(the skin covering the head) also has numerous sweat glands
and is a surface for the accumulation of dead skin cells. The
oil, sweat and dead cells all add together and can make the
hair greasy and look dirty unless you wash it regularly.
• Poor hair hygiene could cause dandruff and skin infections
such as Tinea capitis (see Figure 3.1). Dandruff is dead skin on
the scalp that comes off in tiny flakes when sebaceous glands
produce too much oil and accumulates on the scalp.
The recommended procedures for cleaning the
hair are:

• Use clean water to wash your hair regularly (at least twice weekly,
preferably once every other day) with body soap or shampoo, whichever is
available.
• Massage your scalp well. This will remove dead skin cells, excess oil and dirt.
• Rinse well with clear water.
• Conditioner is helpful if you have longer hair as it makes the hair smoother
and easier to comb, but hair doesn’t need to have conditioner.
• Use a wide toothed comb for wet hair as it is easier to pull through.
• Dry the hair and the head with a clean towel. Never share a towel with
someone else.
• Comb the hair to look beautiful for the day.
 Proper care on our Eyes
• It's important to see your eye healthcare professional regularly
to help avoid or reduce vision problems.

• Common eye problems include blurred vision, halos, blind spots,

and floaters. Blurred vision refers to the loss of sharpness of
vision and not being able to see small details. Blind spots, called
scotomas, are dark "holes" in the visual field in which nothing
can be seen. Floaters are small bits of protein or other material
that drift in the clear gel-like part of the eye. These problems can
be from damage to the eye itself, a condition of the body like
aging or diabetes, or a medicine.
 To maintain your eye health and to keep your vision sharp, here are twelve things that should be part of your daily routine.

1. Avoid rubbing your eyes.

• The hands are exposed to a lot of dirt, dust and
bacteria, and all of these can be easily transferred to
your peepers each time you touch or rub them. So
avoid putting your hands to your eyes to prevent
infection and irritation. If the habit is so ingrained on
you, make an effort to get rid of it as soon as possible.
2. Practice frequent hand washing.
• Wash your hands regularly to keep bacteria at bay and
prevent them from getting in contact with your eyes,
eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
3. Protect your eyes from the sun.
• Exposure to sunlight and UV rays increases your risk for age-related
macular degeneration and may cause cornea sunburn or
photokeratitis. So aside from making a fashion statement and adding
oomph to your overall look, put on those sunglasses to protect your
eyes. If wearing them is not up your alley, UV-protected eyeglasses or
contact lenses will do. Putting on caps, visors and hats are also
advisable.
4. Stay hydrated.
• Sufficient fluid intake is essential to your body’s overall wellbeing,
including the eyes. If you’re hydrated enough, you prevent your eyes
from getting dry and irritated.
5. Don’t smoke.
• Smoking makes you more susceptible to age-related macular
degeneration and other eye conditions such as cataract. Smoking can
also damage the optic nerves, which can have adverse effects on your
vision overtime.
6. Keep a balanced diet.
• Beta-carotene, Lutein, Omega-3, Lycopene, and Vitamins C, A, and E are essential for
maintaining your eye health. Make sure that your diet is infused with different foods
that are rich in those nutrients.
7. Keep proper monitor distance and room lighting.
• Computer monitors should be positioned about an arm’s length away from the eyes
and 20 degrees below eye level. This keeps your eyes from getting strained. Likewise,
make sure that you have sufficient but diffused lighting in your room. Focused and too
bright lights may result to glare, and this can put too much stress on the eyes.
8. Observe the 20-20-20 rule.
• If you want to keep your eyes in great shape, you should adhere to the 20-20-20 rule,
which states that:
• Every 20 minutes, look away from your computer monitor and fix your gaze on an
object that’s 20 feet away from you.
• Blink 20 successive times to prevent eye dryness.
• Every 20 minutes, get out of your seat and take 20 steps. This is not just good for your
vision, but also promotes proper posture and blood circulation throughout the body.
Yes, it keeps you from being sedentary too.
9. Use the right kind of eye make-up.
• If you wear make-up, choose the brands that work well for
you. Steer clear of eye shadows, mascara, and eyeliners
that cause an allergic reaction to your eyes. Don’t forget
to use a make-up remover before going to bed to avoid
bacterial build-up from residual make-up left in the eye
area. Likewise, clean your make-up brushes regularly,
especially those that you use for eye make-up application.
10. Get enough sleep.
• Just like the rest of your body, your eyes need to recharge
too, and this happens while you sleep. So make sure that
you get sufficient shut-eye each day to keep your eyes
revitalized and healthy.
11. Wear the appropriate eye safety gear for different
activities.
• No matter what you do, make sure that your eyes are
protected. If you’re going swimming, wear goggles to
avoid exposing your eyes to chlorine. Meanwhile, if you’re
gardening or attending to a DIY project at home, put on
safety glasses to protect your eyes from dust particles,
bacteria, and injuries.
12. Keep your surroundings clean.
• Exposure to dirt and dust can irritate the eyes; so make
sure that the places you frequent are well maintained and
clean. Change you linens and towels regularly and keep
your workstation clutter-free.
 Proper care on our Ears
• Ear cleaning (by a doctor): When ear wax
accumulates enough, it may block the ear
canal (and hearing). A health care professional
may have to wash it out, vacuum it, or remove
it with special instruments. Alternatively, your
physician may prescribe eardrops that are
designed to soften the wax.
 Steps to care your Ears
1. Use earplugs around loud noises
• Approximately 15% of Americans have noise-induced hearing
loss because of loud work or leisure environments.
• Clubs, concerts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and any other noises
that force you to shout so the person next to you can hear your
voice all create dangerous levels of sound. Earplugs are
convenient and easy to obtain. You can even have a pair custom
fitted for your ears by your local hearinghealthcare provider.
• Musicians' earplugs are custom earplugs with filters that allow a
person to hear conversations and music but still reduce harmful
sound levels while maintaining the quality of the original sound
as closely as possible.
2. Turn the volume down
• According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion
teenagers and young adults worldwide are at risk for noise-
induced hearing loss from unsafe use of audio devices.
• If you like to enjoy music through headphones or earbuds, you
can protect your ears by following the 60/60 rule. The
suggestion is to listen with headphones at no more than 60%
volume for no more than 60 minutes a day.
• Earbuds are especially dangerous, as they fit directly next to the
eardrum. If possible, opt for over-the-ear headphones.
• Don't forget that any loud music, not just music played through
headphones, presents a risk for noise-induced hearing loss. If
you're hosting a social event, keep the music at a volume which
won't force people to shout in order to hold a conversation
3. Give your ears time to recover
• If you are exposed to loud noises for a
prolonged period of time, like at a concert or a
bar, your ears need time to recover. If you can,
step outside for five minutes every so often in
order to let them rest.
• What’s more, researchers have found that
your ears need an average of 16 hours of quiet
to recover from one loud night out.
4. Stop using cotton swabs in your ears
• It’s common for people to use cotton swabs to clean wax
out of their ear canal, but this is definitely not advisable. A
little bit of wax in your ears is not only normal, but it’s also
important. The ears are self-cleaning organs, and wax
stops dust and other harmful particles from entering the
canal. Plus, inserting anything inside your ear canals risks
damaging sensitive organs like your ear drum.
• If you have excess wax, you can clean around the canal
with a damp towel—gently. You could also use ear wax
removal solution over the course of a few nights. This
softens the wax so that it will eventually flow out on its
own. The best solution is always to seek a professional
opinion and care when possible.
5. Take medications only as directed
• Certain medications, such as non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin,
ibuprofen and naproxen, can sometimes
contribute to hearing loss. Discuss
medications with your doctor if you're
concerned that they'll impact your hearing
ability and take them only as directed.
6. Keep your ears dry
• Excess moisture can allow bacteria to enter and attack the
ear canal. This can cause swimmer's ear or other types of
ear infections, which can be dangerous for your hearing
ability. Be sure you gently towel-dry your ears after bathing
or swimming. If you can feel water in the ear, tilt your head
to the side and tug lightly on the ear lobe to coax the water
out.
• You can also ensure that your ears stay dry and healthy by
using custom-fit swimmers' earplugs, which block water
from entering the ear canal. They're great for adults and
kids alike, and they work wonders in preventing swimmer's
ear. Make an appointment with your local hearing health
professional to get fitted.
7. Get up and move
• Did you know that exercise is good for your
ears? It’s true. Cardio exercises like walking,
running, or cycling gets the blood pumping to
all parts of your body, including the ears. This
helps the ears’ internal parts stay healthy and
working to their maximum potential.
• Make sure to stay safe! When cycling, always
wear a helmet. If you fall and hit your head, a
concussion can harm your hearing.
8. . Manage stress levels
• Stress and anxiety have been linked to both
temporary and permanent tinnitus (a phantom
ringing in the ears). High levels of stress cause
your body to go into fight or flight mode, which is
an instinctual reaction that fills your body with
adrenaline to help you either fight or flee from
danger. This process puts a lot of pressure on your
nerves, blood flow, body heat, and more. It's
commonly thought that this pressure and stress
can travel up into your inner ear and contribute to
tinnitus symptoms.
9. Get regular checkups
• Ask your primary care physician to incorporate
hearing screenings into your regular checkups.
Because hearing loss develops gradually, it’s also
recommended that you have annual hearing
consultations with a hearing healthcare professional.
That way, you’ll be more likely to recognize signs of
hearing loss and take action as soon as you do.
• Taking action is important because untreated hearing
loss, besides detracting from quality of life and the
strength of relationships, has been linked to other
health concerns like depression, dementia, and heart
disease.
 Proper Nail Care
• Nail care, the maintenance of
the fingernails and toenails, is important for
health as well as cosmetic reasons. Good nail
care can prevent fungus infections of the nail,
painful ingrown fingernails and toenails, and
infections of the skin in the hands and feet. ...
Don't bite nails or pick at them or the cuticles.
 Steps to maintain Nail clean
1. Clean your hands (and wrists) with soap and
warm water.This will prevent the build up of
bacteria on your hands and may prevent dirt
under your nails getting worse.
2. Use a clean nail brush to clean under your
nails.Make sure it is clean, because otherwise
you may be transferring dirt and skin cells
back under your nails (yuck!).
3. Wash off all the soap and dry your hands on a clean, soft towel.
4. While your nails are soft, trim them. [4] The more often you trim them
(before they get too long), the stronger they will grow out to be.
5. Use a nail file (only use in one direction). [5]
6. Use a hand lotion/cream. Don't worry if you can't though, because your
body will usually provide natural moisture for your hands.[6]
7. Use cuticle oil.[7] It strengthens your nails and helps you push back those
cuticles!
8. Use any type of nail moisturizer that works best for you! This is really
healthy for your nails and will result in healthier and stronger nails!
9. Do this routine every day. (But only cut your nails when necessary,
otherwise your nails will be too short). Also remember to be careful with
your hands.
 Proper Care on Teeth
• Tooth decay and gum disease can lead to pain
and tooth loss. You can prevent most
problems with teeth and gums by taking these
steps: Brush your teeth 2 times a day with
fluoride (“FLOOR-ide”) toothpaste. Floss
between your teeth every day. Visit a dentist
regularly for a checkup and cleaning.
 You can prevent most problems with teeth
and gums by taking these steps:
• Brush your teeth 2 times a day with fluoride
(“FLOOR-ide”) toothpaste.
• Floss between your teeth every day.
• Visit a dentist regularly for a check up and
cleaning.
• Cut down on sugary foods and drinks.
• Don’t smoke or chew tobacco.