Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa acknowledged Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin's advice that women avoid wearing underwear at home as temperatures rise.
“Hindi naman mali ang ina-advise ng ating Congresswoman (Our Congresswoman’s advice is not wrong),” he said during an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Wednesday, April 3.
However, Herbosa advised that women may opt for cotton underwear to be more comfortable.
Accordingly, he clarified any potential health effects of wearing non-cotton underwear, especially for women.
"Usually kasi ang cause nyan ay ang fungal infection o ang candidiasis (Usually, the cause of that is a fungal infection or candidiasis)," Herbosa said.
He explained that candidiasis, a fungal infection caused by yeast, thrives in warm and moist environments, such as during the summer months when sweating is prevalent.
Despite typically residing harmlessly on the skin and inside the body, the overgrowth of candida in certain areas, including the vagina, can lead to discomfort and itching.
"Karaniwang itong nangyayari tuwing summer dahil maraming pawis, may moisture dahil mainit so nagpo-propagate ang candida na fungal infection (This usually happens during summer because there's a lot of sweating, moisture due to the heat, so the candida fungal infection propagates)," he explained.
"I asked OB-gynecologists if that's indeed recommended, it's true that some OBs recommend it, and others suggest wearing underwear made of cotton to absorb moisture," Herbosa said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, he said that men are not exempted from the risks, cautioning against fungal infections in the groin area during the summer season.
"Ang importante rin na isuot ng mga lalaki na underwear ay cotton at huwag hayaang matuyuan ito ng pawis upang 'di magkaroon ng fungal infection ang mga singit (It's also important for men to wear cotton underwear and not let it dry out from sweat to avoid fungal infections in the groin area)," he noted.
Herbosa highlighted the crucial importance of hygiene, advising individuals to carry spare clothing to change into when sweating.