How compatible are bathhouses and menstruation? How to visit a steam room without health risks

Bath procedures have a positive effect on the entire female body. But what to do if a bathhouse is planned, but menstruation suddenly begins? Cancel the event? Is it possible to take a steam bath during menstruation? Many articles are devoted to these questions, but it is impossible to give a definite answer. It all depends on the characteristics of the woman’s body. Before deciding whether or not to go to the steam room, you need to listen carefully to yourself and weigh the pros and cons.

Doctors' opinion on visiting the sauna during menstruation

We all know what happens in the body during menstruation. Menstruation is a special period during which a woman may feel unwell and unwell. It's all due to increased hormonal levels. Often women complain of pain in the lower abdomen, lower back and other unpleasant manifestations of menstruation.

Almost all gynecologists say that a bath and menstruation are incompatible concepts, so during this period it is better to refrain from exposure to steam and high temperatures. The same gynecologists claim that after visiting a steam room, the duration of menstruation can be prolonged, and sometimes bleeding begins altogether. Along with this, there are also arguments in favor, the most significant of which is that under the influence of high temperatures, a woman can get rid of gynecological ailments, especially of an inflammatory nature. According to experts, this is not at all the case.

When is it permissible to take a steam bath?

Is it possible to go to the bathhouse during menstruation? You should not refuse to go to the steam room if your periods are painless. Only in this case can you find benefits from such a pastime. In the bathhouse, toxins will “go away” and the body will get rid of excess fluid. Hot steam can somewhat reduce painful spasms.

After visiting the bathhouse, your mood will certainly rise and improve, fatigue and negative emotions will go away. And this is exactly what is needed during critical days. And also during bath procedures, the functioning of the pituitary gland and ovaries improves, new strength and vigor appear.

If there are cramps in the lower abdomen or internal genital organs, a poultice of sand, salt, oats or flaxseed will help. But here it is important not to overdo it - you need to know when to stop in everything.

What to watch out for after a sauna visit

We've sorted out the positive aspects. But there is also the other side of the coin, when a bath on critical days can only do harm. There are several reasons why doctors do not advise visiting the steam room during menstruation :

Risk of infection

There are usually a lot of people in these places of stay, which causes the accumulation of infection. During menstruation, the uterus opens and looks like a bleeding wound, which can easily become infected or fungus. Many people mistakenly believe that if they use a tampon, it will protect against the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms, but this is absolutely not the case. Soap is the same - it is not capable of sufficiently disinfecting.

Danger of bleeding

Heat dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow several times. Even if your periods are scanty, bleeding may occur at any time.

These are the main reasons why gynecologists do not recommend visiting bathhouses during menstruation. But if you still really want to do this, be sure to consult your doctor and ask all your questions to avoid negative consequences.

Washing gels "Ginocomfort" - an ideal means of genital hygiene during menstruation

Thanks to a balanced composition, which includes tea tree oil, chamomile extract, bisabolol, panthenol, lactic acid and sodium lactate, as well as other components (for more detailed information on the composition of each product, see the product pages), Ginocomfort gels are completely hypoallergenic and harmless. Their use during menstruation provides gentle cleansing and moisturizing of the genital organs, and has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect. These products were created by specialists from the pharmaceutical company VERTEX and have a full list of necessary documents and certificates.

Rules for visiting saunas and steam baths on menstruation days

If your period is not a barrier for you to visit the steam room, then at least try to adhere to a few simple rules:

1. Listen to how you feel. It is better to spend the first days of menstruation at home and not expose the body to unnecessary stress. Next, you need to pay attention to your condition, and if nothing bothers you, you can safely go to the steam room.
2. Take care of personal hygiene. Be sure to stock up on tampons and pads. The ideal option in this case would be soft tampons without a rope, Freedom, from the German manufacturer JoyDivision. These tampons, taking the shape of the body, remain completely invisible, and, due to the absence of a traction thread, do not allow moisture to penetrate into the body. For baths and saunas this is the most reliable and comfortable protection during menstruation.
3. Do not drink alcohol during the procedure. Otherwise, it is fraught with headaches, heart pain, and dehydration. Drinking alcohol in the sauna is strictly prohibited, especially during menstruation. Give preference to healthy herbal tea or tincture.
4. Monitor the temperature. During menstruation, it is better not to expose your body to increased temperature stress. The optimal value in the steam room and sauna is 80 degrees.
5. Always avoid sharp contrasts. After the steam room, it is better to wait a little, and not immediately rush into a pool of ice water.

If you feel unwell, leave the bathhouse immediately!

Find out from the article at the link whether you can swim in the sea during your period.

How long can you steam?

We have already decided that it is possible to go to the sauna during menstruation (it all depends on individual characteristics), but only for a short time. How many minutes can you spend in the bathhouse? You can steam for a maximum of up to 25 minutes. But, if the temperature regime is observed (up to 80 degrees). If we are talking about a steam room or sauna, then this time should be halved and not exceed 10 minutes.

Don't stay in the steam room for too long. It is better to go there more often, but for short periods.

Rules of intimate hygiene, video

is not responsible for the accuracy of the information presented in this video clip.
Source - JIt Zdorovo Sources:

1. PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF MENSTRUATION AND TAMPON USAGE IN RUSSIA. Burina D. A., Burina E. A. // Interactive science. – 2016. – No. 6. – pp. 16-17.
2. USE OF A MENSTRUAL CUP AS A PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCT FOR A MODERN WOMAN. Gorpenko A. A. // Problems of modern science and education. – 2022. – P. 80-83.
3. Internal menstrual protection. Use of a safe and sanitary menstrual cup. Liswood R. // Obstet Gynecol. - 1959. - 13: P. 539–543.
4. Menstrual hygiene: A neglected condition for the achievement of several millennium development goals. Ten VTA. // Europe External Policy Advisors. Oct. — 2007.
5. Duet or menstrual protection. Averbach S. Sahin-Hodoglugil N. Musara P. Chipato T. van der Straten A. // A feasibility study in Zimbabwe. Contraception. - 2009. - 79: P. 463–468.

Safe days to visit the steam room

Do not go to the bathhouse in the first three days of the menstrual cycle. It is during this period that a woman loses the most blood, and the body is most vulnerable. The best time to go to the sauna is the fourth day of your period - the discharge is no longer so intense, which means the risks are practically reduced to zero.

This period can no longer be called critical. Most of the prohibitions are lifted, but you should not abuse the sauna or bath even on the last day of the cycle. Again, there is no need to steam at high temperatures and stay in the steam room for too long. Gentle tactics will have a beneficial effect on the body and will not cause harm.

Absolute bans for baths

We figured out whether it’s possible to go to the bathhouse while on your period. But “these” days are not the only ban on visiting the bathhouse. Regardless of whether a woman is menstruating or not, under no circumstances should she visit the bathhouse if she has the following pathologies:

• elevated temperature;
• chronic diseases in the acute stage;
• oncology;
• heart and respiratory diseases;
• skin lesions;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and genitourinary systems, especially kidneys;
• rheumatism;
• varicose veins

High temperature can negatively affect the functioning of any organ. Therefore, when going to the bathhouse, you need to know about all your diseases and possible contraindications.

So is it possible to go to the bathhouse during and before menstruation? There is no strict prohibition and it all depends on how you feel. If your body is adapted to such stress and easily tolerates temperature changes, then, in principle, there cannot be a strict contraindication; the sauna is not dangerous. If you feel unwell, the bleeding is severe, and the pain is unbearable, it is definitely better to stay at home and not take risks.

In the steam room, be sure to monitor how the body reacts to changes in temperature; at the first suspicious sensations, it is better to abandon this idea and spend the rest of the time in the relaxation room. I wish you good health and a pleasant time!

Benefit or harm?

In order to prevent diseases, a woman needs to visit a gynecologist annually, but even this measure is not guaranteed protection against pathologies of the reproductive system. Many diseases, for example, follicular ovarian cyst, are asymptomatic, and during menstruation the course of the disease worsens.

If a weakened body is further exposed to high temperatures when heated in a steam room, this leads to the development of an emergency condition followed by death.

When visiting a bathhouse, the blood vessels expand due to exposure to hot air. This includes the vessels of the uterus, from which blood bleeds during menstruation, and this threatens uncontrolled bleeding, requiring urgent hospitalization and emergency care. On the other hand, the already high load on the vessels, which try to compensate for changes in blood volume and hormonal changes, increases with a sharp change in ambient temperature.

You shouldn't rely on tampons and pads. Especially if the bath occurs in the first two or three days. It turns out that there is very dubious benefit from such a visit to the steam room. That's why you can't go to the bathhouse during your period. The only exceptions can be special cases when a woman has scanty discharge or an irregular cycle. But here, too, recommendations from a gynecologist are needed. Moreover, a sharp change in temperature can cause disruption of the normal cycle.

• relieves nervous and muscle tension;
• tissues and ligaments become more elastic under the influence of temperature;
• the immune system is strengthened - the body builds a natural “defense” against viruses and pathogenic bacteria that provoke pathologies of the genital organs;
• active blood circulation helps improve the functioning of the adrenal glands, ovaries, and pituitary gland, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the genital organs and the hormonal system as a whole. In the future, a woman will experience a “critical period” much more comfortably;
• as practice shows, women who regularly go to the sauna give birth faster and easier, they have virtually no complications after childbirth;
• When visiting a bathhouse, the production of endorphins is stimulated, mood and overall well-being improve.

Women's health requires a careful and attentive attitude towards oneself. If you are unsure whether to go to the sauna before the start of a critical period, during menstruation, or after it has ended, consult your doctor.