I am a colorectal surgeon and therefore you should not use wet wipes instead of toilet roll
A bowel surgeon has revealed you should never use wet wipes instead of toilet paper.
Dr. Beverly Hills-based Karen Zaghiyan said she would “never” use the disposable wipe because it could cause perianal dermatitis – an infection that leaves a bright red rash around the anus and rectum.
Go to her TikTok page, she advised her followers to use a bidet instead, as it was a much more 'hygienic' option compared to wet wipes and tissue paper.
She then shared other helpful health tips, including the exact amount of time you should spend on the toilet to avoid “aggravating” your hemorrhoids.
The doctor – who specializes in disorders of the colon, rectum and anus, and works at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles – listed 10 things she would not do as a colorectal surgeon in 2024.
Beverly Hills colorectal surgeon Karen Zaghiyan (photo on TikTok) has sent a major warning to people who use wet wipes to clean their genitals after going to the toilet
She began, “I would never use wet wipes.
'Wet wipes are notorious for causing perianal dermatitis. Buy a bidet instead. It is a much more hygienic way to clean your bottom with wet wipes or toilet paper.'
She also addressed the colonic irrigation craze favored by celebrities such as Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, saying: 'I would never have a colonic.
'People are always looking for a cleanser to cleanse their colon.
'The best way to cleanse your colon is to simply eat a high fiber diet – get a variety of fiber in your diet.
'This will strengthen your gut microbiome and make it healthy to optimize gut health.
'You don't have to flush your colon with colonics.
'There is no advantage whatsoever. If you suffer from constipation, there are all kinds of over-the-counter remedies. If you have severe constipation, see a gastroenterologist.”
She summed up her advice by revealing that colon cleanses only provided “temporary” relief, while warning that she had witnessed “bad things” happening to people after a colon cleanse.
She then explained why it was mandatory to never sit on the toilet for more than five minutes, and focused her advice on phone scrollers.
She added: 'Sitting, especially when you're done having a bowel movement or you're waiting for a bowel movement and you just sit there and scroll through the internet and look at social media, is really bad for your haemorrhoids.
The medical expert and content creator advised her followers to use a bidet instead as it was a much more 'hygienic' option
'There is a vacuum effect on the toilet that pulls on the haemorrhoids and makes them worse.'
While she admitted that not everyone had the privilege of emptying their bowels in five minutes, she stuck to the point.
She explained, “If you haven't finished or started a bowel movement within five minutes, get up and come back another time when you feel like going again, but don't sit for too long.”
'This obviously varies and is different for people with intestinal disorders, operations etc. I'm not talking about that.
“I'm talking about the average Joe who only sits there on the toilet for half an hour. Do not do that'.
Other tips that made her top 10 list included warning cancer patients to opt for mainstream medicine over “alternative” treatments, to never use herbal remedies to treat constipation, and for women to avoid vaginal births after a C-section (cesarean section).