GENITAL HYGIENE: THE VAGINA
Posted on: June 20, 2018
Keeping your body clean is an important part of staying healthy and feeling good about yourself. You probably already take good care of your hair, skin and nails – but do your lady parts down there get the same sweet attention? They deserve it! Here’s what you can do to keep your privates in their prime and maintain tip-top vaginal health:
LET HER CLEAN HERSELF!
Your vagina is a self-cleaning organ (aren’t they great?), using discharge to clean itself and carrying dead cells and bacteria out of the body to prevent infections. So those secretions are nothing to be ashamed of, and usually nothing to worry about. Don't stop the cleaning-machine doing her job, which means don’t wash inside the vagina. You can clean the outside with your regular shower gel or a mild, scent-free soap. Only use vaginal douching when indicated by your doctor.
BE FRIENDS WITH YOUR VAGINAL ODOR!
Forget what your rude ex or silly advertising may have told you in the past: all women — yes, ALL — have a vaginal scent. A healthy vagina is supposed to smell! Influenced by many factors such as your menstrual cycle, your activity levels or medications you take, this odor can vary. Trying to eliminate your natural vaginal scent by washing inside or using deodorants can mess with your vagina‘s natural PH value (which indicates a healthy acidity and alkalinity balance) and lead to infections. A truly bad vaginal odor is usually a result of infection or bacterial imbalance and you should see a doctor to solve this problem.
WORK IT OUT!
Doing exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles supports blood circulation, can give you a tighter grip during sex and can make it easier to climax. Bonus: your bladder will benefit too!
LUBE IT UP!
Many women experience vaginal dryness, which is nothing to be ashamed of. It isn’t even a sign you’re not turned on: many outside factors, like stress or medications, can have an impact. Using lube makes sex smoother for you and your partner and safer for your vagina by avoiding abrasions.
USE CONDOMS!
Whenever you have sexual intercourse, especially with varying partners, you should make use of condoms. They not only protect you from unplanned pregnancy, but also from the transmission of bacteria and viruses - crucial for keeping your lady parts happy and healthy!
ANNUALY SEE YOUR DOC!
Check in with your doctor at least once a year to make sure everything down there is in working order, and take the opportunity to talk through any questions you might have about topics like fertility, STIs, contraception or sex.
