Things you should and shouldn’t do to keep your vagina healthy

Yes, I’m talking about private parts today, specifically vaginas. They are an interesting body part that can surprise the heck out of us girls in both pleasant and unpleasant ways. If you have one, you know that it can tell you things about your body relating to health and hygiene. Because of this, it is important for us to listen to our bodies and understand a few ways to keep our vaginas clean.  

The first topic on the list is cleansing. It is important to keep things nice and clean. The best way to do this is by using warm water and small amounts of a gentle, natural soap. Using too many harsh soap products can cause the skin to become irritated which, in that area, is very sensitive. This can cause dryness, making the skin flake. Certain soaps can even throw off your natural pH balance. This can lead to odor, discharge, and an increased chance of yeast infections, sexually transmitted infections, Urinary Tract infections (UTIs), and harmful bacteria. Try avoiding feminine product soaps, and douches as much as possible because these can actually be harmful. The vagina cleans itself on the inside and eliminates the waste through discharge. Because of this, there is no need to try and get in there and manually clean. If you do do that, it will through your pH balance off.  

Now let’s talk about avoiding UTIs. Other than the ways of cleansing to prevent, there are plenty of other ways to have a healthier vagina. If you are sexually active, be sure to use the restroom before and after having intercourse. This will help reduce the chances of a UTI.  Thoroughly wiping your vagina after sex also decrease the chance of a UTI as well. Regularly emptying the bladder is important as well. Holding in urine can cause the bacteria from the urine to affect the vagina. Be sure to wash your hands before and after going to the bathroom so the bacteria does not spread or linger on the hands. 

Next on the list is avoiding irritation and odor. If you’re experiencing some irritation and soap isn’t the issue, check and see if your underwear is too tight or if the material of the underwear is the issue. Wearing loser pants and underwear can help reduce irritation. If you’re up for it, try going commando for a day or two. This can help to avoid odor and/or skin irritation. Another way to avoid odor is by drinking water. Lack of hydration will lead to strong odors in urination and odors from the vagina because of bacteria build up.  

It is important to understand that every vagina is different. It truly is. Some women are going to be more sensitive to certain infections, smells, or nothing at all and that’s okay. However, you want to make sure that it is your normal by going to gynecologist and talking about frequent things going on with your vagina. If something does not feel right, get tested and don’t have sex or any sexual encounters until you figure out what’s going on. It is vital that you know what’s going on with your vagina, so be sure to visit a gynecologist for a checkup.