

When you have any kind of pelvic pain or sexual disorder, nothing that has to do with your vagina is simple. You even have to be concerned with the way you dress it. As annoying as this fact may be, selecting the right kind of underwear for your pain is essential for your day-to-day comfort.

Before I had pelvic pain, jaunting into Victoria’s Secret and picking out sexy underwear was a favorite activity. I was relatively young, just beginning to explore my sexuality, and was thrilled that someone actually found me attractive. Dressing up my new womanly body was thrilling (I loved me some cheeky cut undies). All of that changed when I began feeling the pain and especially after I was diagnosed.

When you have pelvic pain, choosing what kind of underwear you want to buy suddenly isn’t about how cute it makes your booty look or finding a pretty pattern. It becomes a giant speculation session.”Will it aggravate my damaged nerve?,” “Will it protect me against incontinence?,” “Is this going to make my V flare up?,” “Is this going bring on another UTI?” Take your pick. The questions on your mind may depend on the condition, but regardless, underwear shopping turns into an ordeal when you have pelvic pain.

My solution? I just stopped wearing underwear altogether. Not only did I find that underwear aggravated my pain, I also found other evidence indicating that foregoing underwear now and again was actually healthier.

So what’s the story behind underwear and going commando? Well here’s my version of it.

Going Commando Is The Way to Go



When it came to underwear, I didn’t go cold turkey. It was a gradual process. I originally started going commando regularly because I was a busy college student that often found doing laundry on the bottom of my to-do list. Going commando not only saved me from household chores, but also made it immensely more comfortable to walk, sit, and perform every other life activity.

Many other pelvic pain patients – particularly those with pudendal neuralgia or pudendal entrapment – find that underwear can cause anything from discomfort to agonizing pain. Why? Because underwear tends to cut right into all the wrong areas — no matter how comfy the panty style is meant to be.

There’s nothing quite like sitting in a work meeting trying to pay attention, but feeling so much discomfort that you just want to stand up and publicly pick your underwear out of your crotch. If you’re going commando, this nagging sensation is no longer an issue.

Going commando can also help reduce the risk of contracting bacterial infections. This seems illogical considering that underwear provides an extra layer between your lady parts and the outside world. But underwear -– particularly if made from materials like silk or polyester –- actually traps moisture and creates the perfect environment for a yeast party.

Are you guaranteed to host the biggest yeast bash of the year between your legs if you slip into some silk panties tonight? Probably not. If you start going commando, will you never get a yeast infection? Unfortunately, no. There’s never a golden ticket to vaginal health. But considering that there have been recent studies that show yeast infections have actually been getting worse over the years, you might want to try going commando for a few months if you’re unusually susceptible. It might help you out.

I’m Not That Kind of Girl

Going commando is loaded with a lot of baggage. Many consider it risqué — the kind of thing that only “slutty girls” do. The kind of underwear you wear (or lack thereof) serves as a symbol of your sex drive and/or level of sexual promiscuity.

Is that true? Absolutely not. Can it say something about how comfortable you are with your body? Sure. But again, that still just comes down to stereotyping.

It also doesn’t mean you’re trying to project some hippie image or sexy persona. I go commando all the time, and no, it does not mean that I’m trying to be sexually promiscuous or “free spirited.” In fact, it really doesn’t mean anything at all.

What’s my ultimate point with all this?

If you’re worried about going commando because of the stigma that can be involved, then rethink your position. Enduring a lot of pain for an outdated taboo is not only silly, but also completely unnecessary.

Now I’m not going to claim that going without panties doesn’t sometimes seem like a thrilling and sexy thing to do. It’s lost a bit of its novelty for me now, but it did feel quite freeing in the beginning. Remember, there’s never anything wrong with getting in touch with your sexy side and feeling good about your body. Getting comfortable with yourself actually is one of the top ways to reduce many types of sexual pain!

From another (completely not medically-related) standpoint: You’ll never have to worry about panty lines ever again.

Commado: 1

Underwear: 0

But What About All the Gunk that Comes Out?

One of the top concerns about going commando that I hear from my girlfriends –- and women in general –- is dealing with vaginal discharge and menstrual blood flow. I usually wear cotton underwear during my period (at least when I go out), so I never have to worry about sitting down for lunch with a friend and finding a little red surprise when I go to leave.

As for the discharge, I can usually feel it. I simply take a trip to the bathroom and clean myself. As far as I know, it’s never run down my legs, gotten on any furniture I was sitting on, or any other horrific scenario that might be running through your head right now.

Most of the time, our fears about our discharge are highly exaggerated — the product of a society that raises women to be ashamed of their sexuality and their own bodies. Use common sense and be aware of your hang-ups to determine the right course of action for your body.

But What About the Pants?

If you’re a fan of wearing pants, the discharge isn’t a worry, but this presents its own host of issues. Wearing pants can actually aggravate pelvic pain and in this scenario, going commando might be even more painful than wearing underwear. Luckily, there’s a product available to solve this problem. Commandos are little cotton liners with adhesive that you can paste on the inside of your pants to catch anything that might come out and create a barrier for your lady parts.

If you don’t wish to spend the extra money on cotton pant inserts, head over to your local drug store and buy regular ol’ panty liners (minus the actual panties of course!) This adds a barrier between yourself and that pesky seam that runs right along the crotch of your pants.

The Answer My Friend, Is Blowin’ in the Wind

If my aversion to wearing underwear happens to come up in conversation, I’m always asked about walking around outside amid the capricious breezes of mother nature. I’m a loyal dress and skirt wearer, and people are simply baffled that I could walk around constantly at risk of being exposed to the world.

It happens rarely, but I try not to let it make me sweat. To my knowledge, getting a quick flash of my butt has yet to inspire world wars, suicides, or genocide. A moment of embarrassment is a small price to pay for being comfortable.

Whether you’re wearing panties or not, your butt is never safe from possible public exposure if you’re walking around outside. Nature and her winds do what they please. To me, this means the difference between getting your dress blown up while wearing underwear and getting your dress blown up while going commando is basically a moot point.

The ultimate answer to the Commando vs Underwear argument is simple: Whatever blows your skirt (pun totally intended). I highly recommend going commando before slipping into some panties, but ultimately it’s all about you, your boundaries, and your comfort.

Still Not So Hot On Feeling A Breeze Between Your Legs?

Everyone has their reasons for wearing what they wear. If you just feel uncomfortable going commando despite what I’ve written here, I get it. Maybe you just don’t like the breeze flowing between your legs. It can also take a little while to overcome feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, or disapproval from other people.

No matter what your reason, that means you might want to be looking into some other options. What underwear should you wear for maximum comfort?

All women -– whether they have pelvic pain or not –- should be regularly wearing relatively loose-fitting, cotton underwear. This fabric is breathable and slowly releases moisture throughout the day, reducing your chances of contracting a yeast infection. Wearing your underwear a little looser also reduces friction between the fabric and your vulva.

Slipping into some cute synthetic underwear to show off to your partner for a few minutes won’t make your lady parts burst into flames, but it’s not recommended for long-term, daily wear. This is especially true for women with vulvodynia or unexplained vulvar pain.

For my fellow pudendal neuralgia or pudendal entrapment sufferers, be sure to stay away from underwear with elastic in the legs. It’ll grip right around your nerve and give you a whole lot of grief.

As far as cut goes, this can be a tricky one. The ideal cut varies depending on the problem.

For most pelvic pain conditions, thongs are a no-go. Thongs can aggravate nerve issues and put too much pressure on the vulva. You’re basically taking a taut string and pulling it right against your most sensitive areas. Dropping thongs wasn’t really a problem for me, because I’ve never been a big fan of the feel or the aesthetic of this cut. After all, why wear a thong when I could just wear nothing?

Boyshort underwear is generally the best pick for pelvic pain suffers. The leg seams usually don’t sit right on the pudendal nerve and the fabric doesn’t cling to the vulva if properly fitted. They’re not traditionally sexy, but they’re comfy as hell and have a breezy, cutesy charm that can grow on you (and your partner).

Like most of the advice I give on this blog, the best way to find out what works for you and your pain is to experiment. If there was a cure-all or guaranteed way to make you feel comfortable, then this blog wouldn’t exist. Good luck!