Vaginal health is more than just avoiding infections or discomfort. It’s about creating a balanced vaginal environment to ensure comfort during reproductive activities.
Not sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Follow these tips to take care of your vaginal health:
Keep it Clean
Let’s get one thing out of the way: Your vagina is designed to protect and clean itself. Despite what “experts” say on the Internet, there are no special products or requirements for maintaining vaginal health. Your job, therefore, is to keep the surrounding area clean and healthy.
Here are some tips you should follow for keeping the vulvovaginal area clean:
- Wash your vaginal area daily with warm water.
- Use a gentle soap that is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. Keep in mind that using a soap for vaginal cleaning is totally optional.
- Clean your vaginal area with your fingers instead of a washcloth.
- Always pat your vaginal area dry after washing.
These practices will help remove unwanted bacteria.
Know What’s Normal and What’s Not
Given the overwhelming amount of information about women’s reproductive health on the Internet, it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s toxic advertising.
For instance, vaginal discharge is completely normal, but it isn’t always portrayed as such. It is your vagina’s way of staying clean and healthy. It can be watery, sticky, gooey, or even thick like a paste. Normal vaginal discharge is clear, milky, or off-white.
However, if you get yellow or green discharge, it could be a sign of an infection.
Avoid Douching
Your vagina wasn’t meant to be a flower, and you don’t need to eliminate any “odours.” But many women perform vaginal douching — the process of mixing vinegar, baking soda, iodine, antiseptics, and other fragranced products with water. The mixture is squirted upward into the vagina.
Healthcare professionals don’t recommend douching or consider it an acceptable practice for good vaginal health. Douching can disrupt your vagina’s natural pH balance and cause a plethora of issues, such as irritation or burning. Douching can even wash away the good bacteria in the vagina.
If you notice a strange odour, consult your OBGYN instead of trying to make your vagina smell like a perfume.
Wear Cotton Underwear
Vaginal health significantly depends on the clothes and materials you choose to wear. Opt for breathable clothing to prevent moisture and keep the vaginal area dry. Remember, excessive moisture can encourage yeast growth, leading to infections.
Cotton is the ideal material for underwear. Unlike silk or polyester, cotton doesn’t accumulate moisture and dries super quickly.
Know When to Change Your Pad or Tampon
Wearing a pad or tampon for extended periods can promote bacterial growth and increase the risk of infection.
First off, check the absorbency level of your pad. A thicker pad can be left in place for longer, while lighter pads need to be changed more frequently.
Change your tampon every 4-8 hours.
Practice Safer Sex
Using products for pleasure is completely fine, but protecting your vagina and vulva from harmful chemicals is extremely important.
For instance, if you’re using a lubricant, make sure it doesn’t have glycerin, petroleum products, parabens, scents, flavors, non-natural oils, or dyes.
Moreover, assess the condom ingredients. Avoid condoms that contain spermicides as they can disturb vaginal pH balance and cause irritation.
