Men’s Underwear: How Often to Change Boxers & Briefs

You may be wondering how often a man should change his underwear, and by this, I am referring to boxers or briefs. You have heard a lot about this topic but because it is not something that is discussed every time, it is easy to forget what the correct answer is.

But I see you want to know how often a man should change his underwear. Otherwise, why else would you be here reading this? To satisfy your positive inquisitiveness, I have researched the topic and what the ideal frequency of boxer change is recommended.

Of course, top underwear is still another aspect of this question of how often to change underwear but lower-body underwear often gets more discussed because of their strategic location and the unusual temperature and moisture of that area. Not only is having good underwear hygiene beneficial to your overall health and well-being as a man but can also affect the comfort of those who live with you.

So, if you are still curious about how often a man should change his underwear, I promise you will find all the answers you are looking for here.

Men’s Lower-Body Underwear Types

I have already introduced these types of men’s underwear but for the sake of people who don’t know the different types, permit me to briefly mention the common types of men’s lower-body underwear.

1. Boxers: Loose-fitting lower-body underwear similar to shorts worn by boxers during a boxing fight. Usually made of cotton and light fabric and sometimes designed with a button fly to aid urination.

   

2. Briefs: Usually have a Y-front design resembling the shape of regular women’s lower-body underpants, and are often made from stretch cotton, or modal with a touch of elastane. They offer more view of your upper thighs and are commonly used by male models and bodybuilders.

   

3. Boxer brief: Similar in size to boxers but made of stretch fabric, with a softer and silkier touch, and a small pouch at the front to keep the genitals together.

   

   4. Trunks: Very similar to a bower-brief but has shorter thighs and a waistband that sits below the waistline. They are also referred to as hipsters.

   

   5. Thongs: Similar to other skimpy briefs like jockstraps and G-strings popularly used by women, but made to have a pouch in front and a narrow strip of fabric at the back, making them commonly used by men in bodybuilders’ contests.

   

How Often Should Men Change Their Underwear?

Health experts and dermatologists recommend that men change into a clean pair of boxers daily, stating that if you sleep in your underwear, you are even more susceptible to itchy skin conditions. Professor Sally Bloomfield from the London School of Hygiene said:

“You shed skin cells at a vast rate all the time. They are full of microorganisms. We all have skin and gut organisms that are usually not harmful on our skin and in our gut. But if they get into the wrong place, they can cause problems.”

As our skin sheds off broken-down cells, bacteria and other organisms on the skin can interact with them. Taking regular baths may help clear the micro-organisms off your skin but wearing the same pair of underwear more than necessary may pose a risk for certain skin and systemic conditions.

Fresh boxers are the best but quite hilariously, most men rely on the sniff test or the scratch test to know when to change their undies. This means as long as it has not started smelling bad or causing itchiness in their groins and buttocks, they can continue to wear them.

However in contrast, Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D, director of the Environment Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona, says that you can’t exactly rely on the sniff test because bacteria may be present even without a smell.

Concerns about the frequency of laundry and convenience have been the topmost reasons why most men prefer to use their underwear for over a week, probably until their sniff and scratch test says positive. In extreme cases, we see men who even wear briefs the entire month even when the sniff test is strongly positive.

Philip Tierno, Ph.D., a professor of Microbiology and Pathology at the NYU School of Medicine has weighed in that it is best to have a fresh boxer change every day but if it is an ‘underwear emergency’ or when absolutely necessary, you can probably wear the same pair not exceeding three days max.

How Often Do Men Change Their Underwear

There are quite some interesting statistics on how often men change their underwear.

A survey by the market research firm Mintel showed that one in every five male (20%) wear their underwear longer than a day. Marks & Spencer, the UK retailer, found that almost a third of guys change their underwear every two or three days, while Clorox, an American bleach manufacturing company, did a study revealing that one in every 8 guys will wear their underwear two to three times before washing it.

Another study conducted by the University of Maryland in 2015 found that 28% of men believed that wearing the same underwear for up to two days consecutively is completely fine.

Tommy John underwear brand also surveyed 2,000 men and women in 2019. Results showed that 45% admitted to having worn the same pair of underwear for two or more days, while 13% claimed to have worn the same day for a week or more. Conclusions from the research included that men were 2.5 times more likely than women to wear the same for a week or more.

Health & Social Effects of Overusing Underwear

Wearing underwear longer than necessary may not look like a significant problem, especially for me. This is because there seem not to be any immediate consequences. However, here are some health and social effects of overusing your underwear.

1. It might predispose to skin infections around the groin.
2. Infections might extend to other parts of the body (eyes, nose, etc.) via contact with contaminated hands.
3. An offensive smell may be discomforting to yourself and other people around you.
4. You may accidentally find yourself in an embarrassing situation when there is a need to remove your over-pants. For example, being examined by your doctor, at the beach, or when trying out new clothes at the boutique.
5. It may affect your relationship, as your partner may not be comfortable with it.
6. Itching which can further lead to eczematous skin rashes.
7. Smelling bad can affect your self-esteem in ways you cannot imagine.
8. It might make people avoid you unknowingly to you.
9. It can predispose to urinary tract infections, which may be transferred to your sexual partner, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Genuine Reasons to Wear Underwear for Up to 3 Days

While Professor Philip has stated an allowable duration of 3 days, changing your boxers every day will always be better because it keeps you fresh and free from skin germs. It also makes your partner comfortable around you always.

However, there are genuine reasons to wear your boxers to the optimal allowable limit of three days, including the following:

1. If you have just a few underwear change pairs, but not an absolute reason because you can always wash the used pairs when not in use.
2. If you are very busy, having a washing machine would help make it easier to wash.

You might not see any serious consequences with wearing underwear for a whole week or more. You may also say nobody has died from using underwear for an entire week, and several other similar ideas. But wearing underwear for the right duration before changing is a healthy hygiene practice all men should start adhering to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final words

This post answered the important question of how often a man should change his boxers or briefs. The key points: It is ideal to change into new pairs of underwear every day, but a couple of days may be allowable. Don’t rely on the sniff or scratch test before changing into new pairs of underwear. If you engage in vigorous physical activity, you might need to change them more frequently.

I answered some frequently asked questions above but if you still have any more questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section below. Stay clean!