How to take care of your vagina in all seasons?

Vagina is one of the very important organs of the body that does not only a functional job but also a great pleasure giver to women.  Just like any other external organs/parts of your body, it is important that you keep your vagina clean and healthy at all times. By saying “keep your vagina clean” we don’t mean to clean it every now and then but just to make sure that you take care of it well with our small tips that follow.

Don’t douche your vagina.

What is douching? Deep inner cleaning of vagina with water or with a mixture of water, vinegar etc is called douching. You really don’t need to clean your vagina so deeply because, as Dr. Deepa Ganesh (one of the finest gynecologists in Chennai) says, vagina has a “self cleaning” mechanism. Every vagina has a pH balancing mechanism. Maintaining this pH balance is really important because certain good bacteria can only thrive at that pH level. When you douche your vagina to clean it, you will be altering the pH balance, effectively eroding the good bacteria in your vagina.  This gives rise to the growth of ‘bad bacteria’ there.  (Good bacteria keeps a check on the growth of bad bacteria inside the vagina. Isn’t that amazing?).

Growth of bad bacteria gives results in bad smell, vaginal discharge etc.

Tip: If you thoroughly cleaning your vagina to get great fragrance from that place, all you need to do is eat healthy food.  Some say that eating pineapple makes vagina smell and taste sweet.  Try it and know first hand!

Don’t shave off the area completely

There is a very good reason why people have pubic hair. Pubic hair keeps some bacteria away and reduces friction. We don’t mean that you must grow a forest or a jungle there; all you need to do is to just trim and keep it to a minimum.

When you shave off the area you are reducing the risk of getting cut and also you won’t have to go through the itching sensation when the hair starts growing.  In circumstances where you have to get rid of the pubic hair completely, use hair removal creams.

Using lubricants before the act? Be careful with what you pick

Some women feel pain during penetrative sex. This can be due to a medical problem or due to psychological reasons. When the vagina doesn’t get lubricated by itself, penetrative sex can feel like hell. Especially women who have attained menopause state usually experience this.

In order to lubricate the vagina, you need to be very picky about the ingredients used in it. Certain chemicals can alter the pH inside your vagina and some may contain glycerine that promotes growth of unwanted bacteria.  Look for the following ingredients and avoid the lubes that are made with them:

1. Parabens
2. Scents
3. Flavours
4. Refined/Non Natural oils
5. Chemical Dyes

Though they may feel and smell great, they actually hurt your vagina.  Always pick water based lubricants, even though you may end up applying it multiple times.

Using sex toys? Make sure they are safe.

Visiting an online or an offline sex toy store can be overwhelming, considering the fact that you can find 100s of options for the same thing. You need to be sure that the toys don’t have any sharp edges/ends (which is obvious) and also, there are certain materials that are safe to the body including:

1. Wooden
2. Silicone
3. Stainless Steel (not just any steel)
4. Glass
5. Ceramic
6. Stone
7. ABS Plastic – (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

Once you pick a sex toy that is safe for your skin and body, you need to make sure that you clean them thoroughly before you hide it in your draw or under your pillow. Improper maintenance of these items can easily get you infected the next time when you use them.

Practice safe sex, always!

It’s a no brainer. When having sex with a new partner or unfamiliar person, always use a barrier. That can be male condom, female condom or dental dam or anything.  When you exchange genital fluids, you are putting yourself at risk of getting an infection. That can be a normal vaginal infection or can be a serious Sexually Transmitted Infection.

If you are sharing bed with a new partner, don’t be foolish enough to think that you are the only woman who has shared bed with the person before and in the future.  You also need to be careful when you are picking the right condom. There are ton of brands that make condoms and claim that they are safe but it is YOU who should check the elements that are used to make it. Condoms with spermicidal agents should be avoided because those chemicals can kill the good bacteria in your vagina too! If you are allergic to latex, try non latex condoms.

Done with sex? Visit the rest room and pee!

It is always advisable to pee after your act. The end of urethra is right above the vagina and it is prone to get infected easily. This can lead to Urinary Tract Infections. Peeing after the act can help in pushing out any infecting microbes out of the body. If anything is left inside your body, your immune system can try fighting it out.

What are your undergarments made of?

This is a pretty important question to ask. Your undergarments must be always made of cotton and not any shiny, silky looking material that doesn’t absorb moisture.  The material should allow your skin to breathe enough and also absorb any sweat in the area. This can save you from a ton of infections starting with itching.

You wouldn’t need any special or extraordinary ways to keep your vagina healthy. Avoid chemicals and don’t fall for fragrances, let it be natural but clean. Eat healthy and sleep well for better overall health including the health of your vagina. Should you see anything out of the ordinary wrt to smell or discharge from your vagina, don’t self medicate. Talk to our gynecologist Dr. Deepa Ganesh and get right medical  advice.