While Kim likely has all the resources to properly clean her clothing - the rest of us should be wary when it comes to wearing vintage clothing. Photo / Getty Images
While Kim likely has all the resources to properly clean her clothing - the rest of us should be wary when it comes to wearing vintage clothing. Photo / Getty Images
Kim Kardashian has raised eyebrows after she shared a photo of herself sporting a thong previously worn by a model in the 1990s.
The reality star, 37, recently shared a post on Instagram plugging her new contour kits in which she is wearing a vintage Gucci thong.
The garment first appeared on the runway as part of Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 1997 collection for Gucci and is actually part of a bikini set, reports the Daily Mail.
While it is unclear whether Kim found the piece at a vintage store, got a hand-me-down from her mother Kris Jenner, or it was gifted to her by Gucci from their archives, many were left horrified by the idea wearing underwear that was potentially previously worn by someone else.
Experts say that although Kim likely has all the resources to properly clean her clothing and take care of her health - the rest of us should be wary when it comes to wearing buying vintage clothing.
Ritual Vintage clothing store owner Stacy Iannacone told the HuffPost that not every piece of vintage clothing can be dry cleaned.
This means that not all hand-me-down clothing may be able to be doused in solvents that remove bacteria and stains.
Dr Jill Rabin, of the department of obstetrics & gynecology at Northwell Health in New York told Daily Mail Online that if vintage clothing is not cleaned properly, it could lead to dust mites, bacteria such as E. coli, dander and other allergens that enter the vagina and cause rashes or infections.
She adds that you are unaware of any health problems the person wearing the underwear before you had.
Not all hand-me-down clothing may be able to be doused in solvents that remove bacteria and stains.. Photo / Ebay
"Kim Kardashian has enough resources, I'm sure, to get things properly laundered and I'm sure she has good doctors," Dr Rabin said.
"But I don't want people reading this to start going into vintage stores looking for thongs. Buying new clothes is always best."
According to a 2017 study from the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) in the UK, 83 per cent of clean underwear contains about 10,000 living bacteria.
The undergarments pick these up from washing machines that never get clean, the Sun first reported.
GHI recommended that underwear after each use be washed at 60C and to throw them out every year.
Dr Rabin said there also other potential health risks that come with wearing thongs.
One concern is material. The Gucci thong appears to be made from nylon or polyester, but Dr Rabin says that the best material when it comes to undergarments is cotton.
Cotton is more breathable than other materials and allows air to circulate around the vagina, which takes moisture away and discourages the growth of bacteria such as yeast.
Nylon and polyester are versatile fabrics and, although they are lightweight, they do not breathe as well as natural fibers do.
This means these fabrics trap more moisture and heat, which is a "breeding ground for bacteria".
Several studies have shown that polyester also traps more body odor than cotton.
One 2014 study from Belgium found that polyester clothes tend to smell worse than cotton, particularly after exercise, because odor-causing bacteria grows better on polyester.
"It is my understanding if you launder a piece of cotton compared to if a piece of synthetic fiber is laundered, the bacteria will be more present on the synthetic fiber than the cotton," Dr Rabin told Daily Mail Online
Thongs also are mostly thin strips of material, particularly the waistband and the back of it, making it an easy for bacteria to spread.
Fill a sink or a bowl with cold or warm water depending on the label Add detergent meant for fine fabrics Fasten the garment and turn inside out Soak it for five minutes and knead it while it is underwate Dump out the basin, refill it with cool water and repeat Gently squeeze out water and lay flat to dry
• If they're machine-washable:
Treat any stains with a stain remover Fasten the garment and place it in a mesh laundry bag Select the temperature instructed on the label and wash on most gentle cycle Add a small amount of laundry detergent as the water fills the machine Remove the delicates from the bag and lay flat to dry
