Causes of Toilet Paper Rash

Understanding what causes toilet paper rash

Even after cleaning themselves as thoroughly as they possibly can after visiting the toilet for bowel movements, many people are experiencing severe itching and rashes.

They assume that this is due to not cleaning up properly and try harder next time, or start using toilet wipes. The more they clean themselves, the more they seem to itch and the worse the rashes get. Why is this?

The answer to this is a very simple one. Their itching and rashes are actually caused by the toilet paper they are using. There are several factors that can cause the rashes and itching.

Many of these factors are contained within the paper itself. Some of the cheaper papers are not only rough and stress the sensitive skin anyway, they are also often manufactured from waste paper, such as old newspapers, magazines, etc.

As welcome as recycling is and has to be, when it comes down to toilet paper, this can cause problems. While manufacturers do their best to clean the paper before it is turned into toilet tissue, some chemicals will remain.

One of these chemicals is BPA, a so-called endocrine disrupting chemical found in many sources of recycled paper in general. Some of these sources include cardboard pizza boxes, the paper used inside them, credit card receipts and many other thermo-printed papers.

Regular exposure to this chemical can and will have consequences. Let’s face it, there was a reason for the outcry  over this chemical potentially leaking out of children’s toys. As it stands, it is one of the culprits causing irritating rashes in people’s nether regions.

Not only does it cause problems there, it will also enter water systems as a result of being flushed away. This may even cause, though admittedly very low, quantities of BPA to enter tap water supplies.

To return to the subject of toilet paper, even high quality papers can be causes toilet paper rash. They often have certain chemicals added to provide scents, soothing actions and so on. While these are meant to provide comfort and well being, they can cause skin allergies, especially in individuals with particularly sensitive skins.

In addition, there is the actual cleaning factor. We all do our best to get as clean as possible, rubbing and scrubbing, stressing out the skin, hoping we have caught every little bit of what does not need to be mentioned here.

What we can’t do – unless we have rubber bodies, several well placed mirrors or someone very close to take a look – is check to make sure. In other words, bits may be missed. Or wiped into already sore areas. What remains is a risk of infection.

Are toilet wipes the solution? Not really. Again, chemicals may cause allergic reactions, and the fact that they do tend to leave skin damp is not terribly useful, either.

The only real, hygienic solution to prevent rashes etc is to forget toilet papers and wipes altogether. Using an electronic bidet allows perfect cleaning without the risk of irritation.