Made of less than six inches of cotton, what is that tiny pocket in the crotch of your panties intended for – secret storage, wardrobe malfunction backup, extra layering in cold weather? That pocket is formally called a gusset and is designed to protect your extra sensitive lady parts.

Today, a lot of women’s underwear is made of lace and other sexy synthetic material that doesn’t breathe well, allowing bacteria and sweat to gather in your crotch, which can lead to very un-sexy problems like yeast infections and urinary tract infections. The cotton gusset helps keep things ventilated and much more hygienic down there.

The gusset also protects your private bits from scratches and irritation caused by the synthetic materials used to make the visually appealing, seductive underwear (here’s looking at you Victoria’s Secret). In fact, doctors routinely agree that Granny was onto something with her all-cotton, no-frill panties.

The bottom line (pun intended) is that little panty pocket is there for your health. So if going commando isn’t your style, at least make sure your undies have a cotton gusset to protect your delicate nether regions.