Women tend to place significant importance on personal hygiene, which means that many only use products they know they can trust and rely on.

According to a new report from SCA, which produces personal care products such as Tena, personal hygiene is one of the most important aspects of modern life.

Researchers surveyed 7,000 people from nine different countries in order to discover their views on hygiene.

Three out of ten women surveyed for the SCA 2011 Hygiene Matters report said they now devote more time to personal hygiene than they did ten years ago.

And one in ten respondents said that social acceptance was the most important reason for maintaining a good standard of personal hygiene.

When asked about the main barriers to maintaining their personal hygiene, more than 15 per cent of college-aged women cited a lack of time.

Forty-two per cent of women in this age group said they devote between 30 minutes and an hour to looking after their personal hygiene each day, while 15 per cent spend up to two hours a day getting ready.

One of the most common issues faced by females is bladder weakness, which affects half of women, according to Charlotte Gorringe-Serrano, marketing manager for Lights by Tena.

Ms Gorringe-Serrano said that half of women experience light bladder weakness and could benefit from trying the Tena brand, which is specifically designed for women with very light incontinence.

She observed: "We know women like to feel clean and fresh, and we know that not feeling that way can make a long day even longer.

"That's why we designed Lights by Tena, to keep women feeling their best all day long."

The SCA research also revealed that many women are worried about their risk of developing female incontinence, a condition that becomes more common with age.

Eighty-four per cent of respondents to the company's poll said their biggest fear about looking after themselves as they got older was not being able to get to the toilet without assistance.