Social media has been a gold mine of cultural exploration and excavation for all of us in the diaspora. From Africa to the Caribbean Islands, to the contiguous United States, we are more alike than we are similar. The internet allows us to compare notes about culture that was limited to regional connections in generations prior. A throwback to Part 1, where I said “It’s been responsible for trading insight on how we wash chicken all over the world…to some less common crossovers, like taking a bath with Dettol soap or washing your panties in the shower. Let’s tackle those Dettol baths this time. It is important for me to state again, that often science does not back up cultural norms because it is often not concerned with the norms relevant to us as Black folk. This issue is a little more straightforward.
It is important to honor that science often doesn’t back up the cultural norms, because it is often not concerned with research that highlights the importance of Black contribution and ancestral wisdom. It’s not good enough to say ‘there’s no research on that’. Sometimes it may simply mean that research didn’t care enough. I am standing right on the line of culture and science and noticing that some of the customary language is the harmful part, not the actual practice. Let’s explore some of these trends and separate the harm from the habits.
The conversations online reference adding a capful of the regular Dettol antiseptic disinfectant dish soap to a bath or your shower rag/loofah. The two most frequent explanations were “to kill bacteria on your body” and “the scent repels mosquitos during the summer.” The challenging part about that is that antiseptics kill both good and bad bacteria and microbes. Your skin is an organ that is protected by both. While we can technically get away with rubbing all kinds of things on ourselves, it’s prudent to avoid our vaginas because of the delicate PH. Our family in the diaspora enjoys the tingle and smell of the antiseptic, which is what gives the tingle in Lysterine. Antiseptic indiscriminately sanitizes and can do so very harshly on a molecular level. Soap works to break open the molecules of viruses and bacteria as a standard function, which is what allows us to become clean and stay healthy. It is most likely that people have not experienced adverse effects because the Dettol mixes with the minerals of the bath water and lessens its potency. Many swear by a capful of bleach in their water for the same reason, which is likely intercepted by the minerals as well. If you do not have hard water, or have a very soapy bath, it could allow the bleach or Dettol to cause some serious irritation to your skin and really throw your PH off. Who wants a thrown-off PH right before a hot girl summer? Having an imbalance of vaginal PH can not only lead to infections, like yeast overgrowth or bacterial vaginosis, it makes sexually active people more susceptible to contracting STIs. Balanced PH is your first line of defense against unwanted infections. Dettol actually makes body wash with refreshing scents that could repel bugs, like their cool mint (which I bought this summer by coincidence). People online said it smells like Pinesol, so maybe this could be a nice alternative that won’t tingle your sensitive regions!
Crystal Saiyge is a Black woman, sex-positive interfaith minister, wife, and mom of four. Her
virtual chapel, #Churchofthebando is a liberated space for global spirituality, thoughtful inspiration,
grief counseling, sex-positive education and trap karaoke. Visit crystalsaiyge.com for more info.
