While it seems pretty straight forward to wear underwear with activewear, it turns out that not all women wear it.
There are a multitude of reasons: feeling like your butt is being flossed during squat sessions, having the waistband fall down while you run or even noticing that your normal underwear cause a panty line. (It’s totally fine, by the way, to have a panty line – there’s nothing ‘unsightly’ about it, but if you’re not a fan, that’s ok too).
Of course, there’s also your vaginal health to consider. You see, opting to go sans undies to avoid the aforementioned roadblocks could actually be impacting your wellbeing.
“I often see recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (otherwise known as thrush) in women who wear activewear often,” Specialist GP Dr Sam Saling tells marie claire Australia.
“This is because with activewear, the non-breathable moist environment creates the perfect conditions for some microorganisms to thrive. This same environment also causes the pooling of sweat directly between skin and clothing, which can result in an eczema-like rash.”
It’s not just skin rashes and eczema you need to worry about.
“I also see bacterial Staphylococcus spp. related conditions like boils, abscesses, and carbuncles in the groin area, and anecdotally see these increasing in our activewear wearing population,” she adds.
Yikes!
The good news is that it’s an easy thing to get around, by investing in the right underwear choices.
“I always recommend wearing cotton underwear, or if you must wear synthetic underwear, ensure it has cotton lining. Ideally, I suggest changing out of one’s activewear within 30 minutes of finishing an exercise session,” she says.
“For those who wear activewear all day long and are prone to the above conditions, it may be in your best interest to change to denim, linen, or cotton fabrics for your all day wardrobe. In fact, for my patients with a history of recurrent thrush, I try wean them off their activewear habit entirely!”
What To Look For In Underwear For Your Workout
The factors that make for the best type of active underwear are: a relatively seamless aesthetic, mostly cotton or cotton lining, and a little bit more ‘hug’ and ‘hold’ so that you’re not having to hike them up every three minutes on the step machine.
We’ve done the research for you so we don’t have to, so here are our favourite underwear choices that go perfectly under your leggings.
The Best Underwear For Under Leggings And Activewear
Match Its Seamless Hi Gee, $13.99, Bonds
Full Briefs, $16.95, Boody
Original Rose Seamless Cotton Thong, $25, Peach Underwear
The Invisible Boyleg Brief, $12.99, Cotton On Body
Simone Perele Delice Culotte Brief in Blush, $79.95, Myer
‘Fits Everybody’ High-Waisted Thong, $34, Skims
Body Cotton Hikini Brief $19.95, Bendon Lingerie
UnderState Seamless Full Brief, $19.95, Berlei
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