Thong underwear is a type of undergarment that consists of a front piece of material and a thin strip of fabric in the back, which is positioned between the buttocks. A few types of thongs can be found on the market today. Many women, and some men, wear these undergarments because they can not be seen through outer layers of clothing. Some doctors, however, believe some health risks are associated with thong underwear.
The front part of a thong usually consists of a small piece of fabric that is used to cover the genitals and connect to the back of the thong. The backside of a thong typically contains much less fabric, usually a small strip of fabric. This fabric runs up between each cheek of the buttocks and connects to a waistband.
There are a few popular thong variations. A G-string has a string that runs between the cheeks of the buttocks, instead of a strip of fabric. This string is then usually connected to a triangle-shaped piece of fabric that is connected to the waistband. T-back thongs are another variation of these undergarments, and these usually contain a string on the back that connects directly to the waistband.
Many individuals believe that there are some advantages of thong underwear. One of the biggest advantages is the absence of so-called panty lines. Some young women, though, often allowed their thong to peek out of the top of their low-rise jeans.
Wearing a thong can be rather uncomfortable for some, but this is not the biggest disadvantage. Doctors now believe that women who regularly wear thong underwear are more at risk of developing certain infections, particularly bacterial vaginosis. This most likely occurs because the back strip of fabric is between the buttocks, and it can collect fecal bacteria. The bacteria can then travel to the vaginal area via the strip of fabric.
Although some people believe it to be a relatively new type of undergarment, thong underwear has been around for ages. In fact, the ancient loin cloth is though to have evolved into thong underwear. It is believed that men were traditionally the ones to wear thongs. This was especially true in hotter climates, like Africa and Japan.
Rudi Gernreich, fashion designer and inventor of the first monokini, or topless bikini, is considered to be the father of the modern day thong. In 1974 he began producing thongs. Although they were almost instantly popular in Brazil, it took the United States (US) a little longer to accept them. By the 1990s, however, thong swimsuits and underwear were rapidly becoming popular in the US.