WE all want to be clean down below, but experts have warned that some everyday habits could be damaging your vagina.
There are different types of vagina, each one being unique – but experts say there are some mistakes all of us are making, regardless of whether you have a Ms Barbie to a Ms Puffs.
Posting to TikTok Dr Robbie B said there are 7 things people do that can be harmful for the vagina.
Toronto-based Dr Robbie, who works at the Carlton Yard Clinic said you need to keep it simple when it comes to the vagina.
Dr Sarah Welsh, NHS Gynaecology Doctor and Co-Founder of HANX also said that there’s a lot of misinformation out there on how we should be caring for our private parts.
Speaking to The Sun she said: “Many of us didn’t learn how to take care of our vaginas during biology or Sex Ed classes.
“It’s so important to be open and clear about how we can take better care of our intimate health, and that means not being shy to talk about vaginas.”
Here experts go through each of Dr Robbie’s points and explain why you should steer clear of each action.
Dr Robbie’s first major no-no is not peeing after sex.
Dr Sarah said that by not peeing after sex, you are increasing your risk of getting cystitis.
She explained: “Cystitis in generally is more common in women due to our anatomy.
“Our urethra (the tube that carries urine from our bladder to outside of the body) is much shorter in comparison to men, so it’s easier for bacteria to travel from the outside into our bodies and cause irritation and infection.
“It’s pretty common for us to get a bout of post-sex cystitis, as during penetrative sex, the penis can irritate the back wall of the bladder when it pushes against the front wall of the vagina.
“This pushes bacteria into the bladder, which can be the start of a urinary tract infection.”
Dr Sarah said that penetrative sex or not, when having sex, the bacteria outside of the body, and often near the anus (there are many bacteria nearby that commonly cause UTIs such as E-coli), can make its way into the urethra as these areas of the body are very close in proximity.
“Some women get cystitis after having sex with a new partner, or one partner in particular, due to the anatomy of the couple, as well as being exposed to new bacteria”, she added.
During sexual intercourse, thrusting can introduce bacteria up the urethra and into the bladder, increasing the risk of a UTI (urinary tract infection).
Dr Lakeisha Richardson MD, OB-GYN said the reason that women are more prone to getting a UTI from sex is due to female anatomy.
“Women have a shorter urethra than men, which means it’s easier for bacteria to get into the bladder.”
Although anyone is susceptible to getting a UTI from having sex, Richardson says women with a history of recurrent UTIs or urinary abnormalities have an increased risk for these infections.
Dr Richardson added: “Some contraceptives, such as diaphragms or spermicides, may increase your risk for a UTI. If you think either of these may be contributing to your UTI, consider other forms of contraception.”
If you continue to have pain despite your UTI treatment, make an appointment and follow up with your doctor.
Dr Richardson added: “In spite of all the preventive measures, the majority of women suffering from Cystitis/UTI after sexual activity end up with an antibiotic prescription, so a herbal supplement alternative could be a better answer such as URALIX.
Douching refers to a ‘rinsing of the vagina’.
Dr Sarah said: “First things first: the vagina is self-cleaning.
“Vaginal douching is not recommended! You might feel inclined to ‘wash out your vagina’ after exercise or if you feel unclean, but this can actually flush away the good bacteria, such as lactobacilli, which help keep a healthy pH and healthy vagina.
“Douching only helps infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis survive and thrive, so step away from the douche.”
Scented products can affect your vaginal pH (aka vaginal flora or microbiome), leaving you susceptible to vaginal infections such as thrush and bacterial vaginosis, Dr Sarah said.
She added that you should use gentle soap and water for your vulva area to remain clean but leave the inside of your vagina to do its own thing.
Dr Sarah said that if you’re thinking about recreating that classic Home Alone scene with a down below twist: don’t.
“The natural balance of the vagina can be affected by synthetic sprays, which can cause irritation of the delicate skin of the vulva”, she added.
If you like to unwind with a bath bomb, then this will come as bad news.
Dr Sarah said that scented products inside your vagina can disrupt the delicate balance of good and bad bacteria.
She added: “If you use heavily scented bath products, this can affect the balance, leaving you susceptible to infections and irritation.”
Stear clear of baby wipes or scented products as these can disrupt the delicate ecosystem in your vagina, Dr Sarah said.
“Yeast infections such as thrush thrive in an environment that is warm, moist and also in a vagina that does not have the normal acidic pH that has ‘good bacteria’ to protect it from ‘bad bacteria.’
“These wipes can affect this normal pH, leaving you susceptible to thrush and its symptoms: itching, redness and discharge.”
Like any other aspect of your health, it’s important to get checked by a doctor if you have any concerns.
Dr Sarah added: “It’s often easy to ‘put it out of your mind’ if you’re worried, or leave it at the bottom of your to-do list, but that runs the risk of things getting worse and potentially longer-term consequences.
“Even just for peace of mind, make sure to get anything unusual for you checked out.”
HANX has recently launched a revolutionary online contraceptive pill service, HANX Fix:Pill which gives women the chance to take control of their body and choose from 30 different contraceptive pills, all available online to order.
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