It's probably something you've never really thought about while sitting on the toilet, but you may want to think twice about how many times you wipe after a number two.
That's because a pelvic floor expert has explained why you shouldn’t wipe more than three times after going for a poo and offered advice for those who do.
TikTok user George, who is a pelvic floor physiotherapist, explained why wiping too many times after you've been to the toilet can be bad news.
Advert
The clip - which was uploaded to the BIEN Australia TikTok account, a company that describes itself as an 'Australian pelvic floor wellness brand’ - starts with George telling her viewers how they will be able to reduce the number of times they wipe after using the toilet for a poo.
The physiotherapist said: "When you are wiping more than two or three times, that is called faecal smearing.
"So it is essentially when too much faecal matter stays at the entrance of the anus even after you have finished your poo." Grim.
Advert
She then shared a technique to cut down the number of times you need to wipe.
"A technique that you can use to reduce the number of times you wipe is by squeezing your pelvic floor in a waterfall formation,” she continued.
"So start by squeezing the anus 20 percent, then 50 percent, 80 percent, and 100 percent so that you have squeezed it four times at the end of your poo.
"This can help close off the anus sphincter, which is the reason you are having little bits of stool hanging on the entrance - it is usually from weakness from that external sphincter."
Advert
George went on to say that those who do need to excessively wipe may be suffering from haemorrhoids or any 'scar tissue around anus' making it harder to get clean.
She went on to say if her ‘waterfall’ technique doesn’t do the trick it could be worth getting checked by a professional.
As you can imagine given the subject matter, George’s upload has attracted plenty of attention from fellow TikTok users.
Advert
One wrote: “Uncomfortably watching this video from start to finish like.”
Another said: “One day I’ll be able to watch things like this without giggling. Today is not that day.”
Someone else commented: “I can’t be the only one watching this while on the toilet.”
While a fourth joked: “My problem is I’m as hairy as Chewbacca. It’s like wiping peanut butter off a Persian rug.”
Advert
OK, well I think that’s enough internet for me for one day.
Claire Reid