Hello all.
Firstly I'd like to say that this is the best Bike Travel site by far, I've been lurking here and there but keep coming back to this as its the most informative and open, generally just great!

Secondly, may I apologise about the subject of my very first thread, its not meant to be funny or offending, but dead serious.

I've done severaly African trips in the past and am in the process of planning my Big One, 5 year RTW on a one-off Diesel Engined bike. My goal mileage is 200k miles taking in as many countries as possible, what actually happens will probably be totally different, I never really set my plans in stone.

My question about hygene is this.
During my trip there will no doubt be long periods when washing will not be a massive priority or will not be that easy. Through experience of past travels I've easily gone for a good two weeks without a proper Bath oir shower but made do with a "Wipe down"
I was curious if any other fellow travellers out there have considered of even had a Circumsision for hygene purposes.
I am prone to bad bouts of Thrush if I dont keep a strict Bathing regime and am considering circumsicion to ward off the dreaded itch.
I've not done any travelling since I developed this recurring Curse of few years ago.

Any thoughts or experience would be greatly apreciated.

Cheers, and hope to get to know some great people through this site.

Steve

P.s ,sorry is this Thread offends anybody.

Soap dodgers of the world unite!

Dood, if you can't find the time to wash what by any standards is a small part of your anatomy on a daily basis your going to be in trouble if you get a cut or abrasion to manage in the tropics. Practice at home. Read some army survival manuals online, they have sections on personal hygene. You will be amazed how good a wash you can get with just a mug of water. Think outside the box.

Thrush? If you're prone to this you should look to get the underlying cause sorted - at least you'd save yourself the possible discomfort.

Also even having a snip you could still get it and as has been said basic hygine is very important (and easy with practice) as you could end up with all sorts of nasties if you let things slip. just google the subject and see what sor of pics you find

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WTF noone is messing with little Lee, well maybe big Lee if he see something he likes, and as for knives going near him your Nutts as well as Dirty.

You never heard of Baby wipes? if your stuck with no places to wash up use two the first cleans your face and neck, then your front bits, then your rear bits, throw that one away.

The second does anywhere else that needs doing, and when your have almost finish redo the back bits again.

Also if you go to the loo wipe with paper, then clean up front bits with baby wipe, and then clean up rear bits with the wipe, otherwise your just a scummy stinking rat biker type.

It also has the benefit of attracting the ladies, as they like the baby like smell, and not of puke or poo so don't even go there Martyn you sicko.

This might help
each time you urinate, pinch the foreskin over the front of the glans to hold back the urine. Then let it out in a big dollop. This will tend to flush or sluice out that area of concern. Healthy urine is sterile and acid, both will help. Eating acid fruits can also help. Check you are not slightly diabetic as sugars will exacerbate the problem. The more (clean liquid) you drink the better it is likely to be for your entire body.

Sorry I can't stop myself......


NEXT TIME USE A CONDOM

Lmao!!!
Thanks for some very...honest replies chaps!
I probably made myself sound like a "Dirty Rat Biker type" by not explaining myself better.
I'm generally a Very Hygenic person, being married with two kids has made me a respectable person...
I have experience with various "Field" hygene methods but am just worried about that damn Thrush(and also the availability of treatment in remote places), hence the curiosity about a snip. Is having no foreskin more hygenic?? Thats basically the question I'm trying to ask I guess.
I've used Baby wipes in the past, but yep, you guessed it, I got itchy!

Use the Aloe vera ones, they are really good at keeping the nasties away I mean they are used for nappy rash, also OLDBMW is correct in saying about using urine to flash out an infection as it contains trace amounts of amonia.

I used to be a jobbing jeweler (lost casting) way back when I was a young lad, and I had to pee on my hands to make them hard so that the heat didn't kill my fingers.

It's also a good way to stay off frostbite for a while if you have no other way of warming a body part up, just make sure that after you pee on whatever, you them put the affected part next to your body for core heating.

Pee is your friend.

That's what we used to tell apprentices too

But back to the serious matter in hand. Why not talk to your doctor?

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Chris
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"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

I'm sure there's evidence for each one for as to which one is better - but I think it's not going to stop you getting thush or itching - don't forget there's other places that will get hot and sweaty. Get it checked out - if you sort the cause you stop the problem

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A better way - pee into a used drink bottle - you now have a hot water bottle .. not to be confused with an apple juice bottle!

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

The baby wipe thing is grate they make bigger wipes as well. While your looking at baby stuff you may find a cram or powder to help you out as well it, drys.

Or you can use antifungal foot cream may be sick to think about but is about the same thing the doc will give you. Your not diabetic are you? May want to have that looked at.

Hey chappie - very serious and sensible questions - do not apologise one little bit... okay here's what I remember from my nursing days.

Thursh is caused by a fungal bacteria that gets a bit carried away when not kept in check by the healthy bacteria. The healthy bacteria will not grow properly if you're immune system is low, if you have a poor diet or even if you're just a bit 'low'. Antibiotics can also cause thrush.

Cleanliness doesn't necessarily keep you clear of Thrush - in fact over use of things like wet wipes (which don't see any difference between the good stuff or bad stuff) can actually help the Thrush along.

Sex can help Thrush along (because of the warm wet stuff) but it's not sexually transmitted - too much sex can certainly start it off or bring it back.

It's really important that you go to your doctor about this because re-occurring thrush is an indicator of things like Diabetes. Go get yourself checked out.

As far as the foreskin question goes - it's not that uncommon for men with re-occurring thrush to have a circumcision - the warmth and moisture (not dirt in any way) is what helps the thrush along - so no amount of cleaning will help. Go ask your doctor for advice.

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I was just gonna say as well as the BABY WIPES there is an amazing product out called WATER, with a PINT of it you can wash your entire body ( ok, Face, Pits, Bits,Feet,) and use the baby wipes ad freshen up.

It is copied and pasted from a medical health page.. so if the terms Penis or Vagina frighten or offend you, stop reading NOW.

Some info on THRUSH
Thrush is a yeast infection caused by the Candida species of fungus. Thrush is also called candida or candidosis. It happens when a fungus called candida albicans grows too much.

Candida occurs naturally in the body, especially in warm, moist areas such as the mouth and genitals. It normally doesn't cause any problems because it is kept under control by the immune system and other healthy bacteria in the body. However, some factors can cause the fungus to multiply leading to infection.

Thrush infections usually appear in the mouth or genitals. Candida is commonly found in the vagina, making thrush more likely to develop in women. However, the infection can also appear in men, too. Men with a foreskin are more likely to get thrush because the warmth and moisture underneath encourages the fungus to grow.

Anything that destroys the good bacteria in your body that keeps candida under control can lead to thrush. For example, if you are taking antibiotics for an infection the antibiotics won't know the difference between good and bad bacteria and will fight off both types. If you are run down and your immune system is weak, the bacteria that cause thrush may also multiply.
Candida tends to grow in warm, moist conditions. Thrush can sometimes develop if you don't dry your penis carefully after washing. Candida also thrives on skin that is already damaged. Using perfumed shower gels and soaps can irritate the penis, making thrush more likely to develop.
Men who have HIV, diabetes or other conditions that cause a weakened immune system, are more at risk of getting Candida. This is because the infection develops very quickly and the weakened immune system is not strong enough to fight it off.
If your diabetes is uncontrolled (usually because you don't realise you have the condition) you are more likely to developing thrush. Typical signs of diabetes include; excessive thirst, lots of trips to the toilet to pass urine and weight loss. See your GP if you have these symptoms, and if thrush keeps coming back even after treatment.

Thrush, men

Diagnosis

The medical name for redness and soreness of the glans is balanitis. Balanitis is usually caused by thrush, particularly if you notice it after sex. However, the symptoms could also be a sign of something else.
If you've had thrush before and recognise what it is, you can buy over the counter treatments from your pharmacist to clear up the infection.
If you're not sure what is causing the symptoms, you should see your GP or go to your local sexual health (GUM) clinic for tests. If you go to your GUM clinic, you will be seen in complete confidence and your GP won't be told. You will probably have swab taken from the head of the penis or just under the foreskin to be looked at under a microscope - results are usually available straightaway. A doctor or nurse may also examine your genitals.
If you keep getting thrush, or it doesn't clear up with treatment, your GP may test you for diabetes, as thrush in men can be the first sign of diabetes.
If you are a heterosexual man and have thrush, it is likely that your partner may also be carrying it in her vagina. This is because the candida fungus commonly lives in the vaginal area. It is a good idea for both of you to get treatment to stop the infection being passed back and forth between you.

Treatment

If you've had thrush before and you know what it is then you can get anti-fungal creams or a single dose pill (fluconazole) from your pharmacist without a prescription. Follow the directions on the packet, and see your GP if the infection doesn't seem to be improving.
Your GP may suggest using a steroid cream as well as the anti-fungal medication to reduce the symptoms of the infection. If there is infection of the glans (head of the penis) then a steroid cream should not be used by itself because steroids can make the infection worse.
Good hygiene can help to clear up the infection. Wash the affected area carefully with warm water. Showers tend to be better than baths. Dry your penis carefully after washing as the candida fungus thrives in damp conditions. Wear cotton underwear that fits loosely. Don't use perfumed shower gels or soaps on your genitals, as they can irritate them.
Some heterosexual men get a mild form of balanitis after having sex. This is probably caused by an allergy to thrush in your partner's vagina. If your partner gets treatment, it will usually clear up. Gay men can also get thrush by having unprotected sexual intercourse. Again, if you and your partner get treatment, it will usually clear up.

Try to avoid having sex, or at least use a condom, while you are being treated for thrush, so that the infection doesn't pass back to your partner.





Prevention

A balanced diet that is low in fat and sugar, along with regular exercise and not letting yourself get run-down can help to stop thrush coming back.

I don't suppose its a bad idea at all. Alot of the US troops have it done before they head out to the middle east and their is a reason...it is more hygeinic.

If you are willing to...go for it.

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Thanks
Joe