And finally, we reach your dirty bits

While a coffee enema might pep a person up, below-the-belt orifices
seldom need cleaning. Rectal itching, a.k.a. pruritus, can result from
poor hygiene, as when fecal particles become stuck in skin folds near
the anus. But itching and irritation can also be caused by too much
rubbing with toilet paper and/or too much washing. The rectal area is
naturally oily, which prevents irritation. Don't soap away your
natural oils.

The same goes for your package, which requires a lot less maintenance
than you might think. "Scrubbing the pubic area too much can cause
ingrown hairs that may turn into pustules," says urologist G. Bino
Rucker, M.D., of Bradenton, Florida. You should wash carefully but not
fiercely. Spare the soap and you won't deplete the oils you need to
stave off unsightly events. The best advice: When in doubt, leave your
privates in peace.

Hygiene beyond extreme

Dental as Anything:  Jeffrey Shapiro, D.D.S., had a patient who
flossed so hard that he "sawed through one of his teeth." The guy knew
he had a problem when he hit the nerve inside the tooth.

Lube Tube: Michael Abernethy, M.D., an E.R. doc, treated a teenage boy
who wanted a well-oiled penis. He used the thin straw on the nozzle of
a can of WD-40 to fire the stuff into his urethra. "But WD-40 comes
out at high pressure. He wound up with tissue necrosis, skin flaps,
and plastic surgery. He will never be sexually functional."

D.I.Y. Surgery:  Dr. Abernethy has also seen outdoorsmen who stitched
up their gaping wounds. "I call it Rambo syndrome," he says. "They use
dental floss or fishing line, with Jack Daniel's as anesthesia." The
lucky ones avoid infections, but even they can wind up with "some
hideous scarring."

Pubic Service:  Shaving pubic hair might seem hygienic, but ingrown
pubic hairs can become infected and, in the worst cases, erupt with
flesh-eating bacteria. "Ultimately, treatment can be as drastic as
removal of the scrotum," says urologist G. Bino Rucker, M.D. "You have
to put the testicles in pouches inside the thigh."