Maintaining personal hygiene is necessary for many reasons; personal, social, health, psychological or simply as a way of life. Keeping a good standard of hygiene helps to prevent the development and spread of infections, illnesses and bad odours.
Most people are very conscious of personal hygiene because:
We're taught of the importance of hygiene from an early age
We may have been "picked-on" at school for a one-off or a peristent hygiene problem. This may even have been an issue mistakenly related to hygiene by others - such as head lice
It is considered a way of making ourselves more attractive to the opposite sex
It is off-putting to our friends and colleagues if we smell unpleasant etc.
We're aware of health problems that can develop as a result of poor personal hygiene
Body Image
Body image influences self-esteem, confidence and motivation. Those who already have low self esteem and especially those with depression often neglect personal hygiene which perpetuates the problem of poor body image.
Many forms of modern media including magazines, fashion, TV, film and the internet present a certain body image as being "acceptable" or "expected". Young children and teenagers are especially influenced by this; physical appearance being the ultimate factor by which to judge and be judged.
To youngsters, teenagers and those who care for them, there are 3 things to remember:
The first thing to accept is that you will probably never look like those perfect specimens in the media - but you can, and WILL look good to most people if you follow basic personal hygiene principles
Secondly, your actions and the way you behave are more important to most people than the way you look
Thirdly, good hygiene practices will help to keep you healthy, give you confidence and be pleasant for those around you
Social Reasons
Most people hate to be talked about, especially in a negative manner. By ensuring that our body is clean and well presented, we are more assured of projecting a positive body image that reflects our personalities.
Children should be taught the importance of hygiene and how to achieve good hygiene very early to keep themselves and others healthy and to reduce the risk of being bullied at school.
Health Reasons
Poor hygiene can lead to poor health. If you have cut yourself, the wound should be cleaned and dressed suitably, this can help reduced the risk of infection and pain.
Conditions such as head lice, athlete’s foot etc. should be treated immediately to prevent further infections and spread to others.
Hand washing cannot be emphasised enough as this simple action can prevent a plethora of illnesses and disorders developing. Many people ‘forget’ to wash their hands after using the toilet or before handling foods; this can cause a great deal of illness and even death.
Psychological Issues
By being well presented, clean and tidy, people can feel more confident, especially in social situations. Our chances of succeeding either in work or social settings, or even with the opposite sex can be altered by maintenance of good hygiene.
Maintaining hygiene practices helps to reduce the risks of ill health, but equally important affects how we and others perceive ourselves and can influence our levels of confidence and self-esteem which can affect many aspects of our lives.
