What Is Vaginal Health?
I have one. At least half the world’s population has one. Yet we’re all still shy to even say the word. VA-GI-NAAAAA. There I said it.
There’s so much we don’t know about our bodies that we absolutely should. Chalk it up to our excruciatingly horrible sexual education curriculum (or, you know, the patriarchy) but most people probably don’t even know
where their vagina is, much less how to take care of it. And a lack of knowledge about your body puts you at greater risk.
Watch the full video here.
The feminine hygiene market in India is expected to grow at 4.2% annually and there are advertisements galore to help you get your vagina “aesthetic” right, but not nearly enough resources to refer to for actual information.
People with vaginas - whether you identify as a woman, transgender, or gender-questioning - should know how to take care of what they have down there. Here are some of our tips on vaginal health.
1. What is the vagina?
“Vagina” is probably the most misused word in the entire English language. The vagina is the internal muscular canal that reaches up to the neck of the uterus (cervix). The mons pubis, clitoris, inner labia, outer labia and
everything else on the outside? That’s called the vulva.
A common misconception is that the reproductive tract and urinary tract are the same. No, we do not give birth, menstruate and urinate from the same opening. The vulva has two openings, one opening leads to the
vagina and the other to the urethra. A vagina is what is used by the body to expel menstrual fluid and is also the birthing canal. In the case of vaginal sex, the vagina facilitates penetration. While the urethra is connected
to women’s bladders and used for urination. So why don’t we call the vulva by its name?
Probably because the vagina is literally where a penis goes during
heterosexual intercourse, there’s a cultural over-emphasis on making it the most important part of the body. But your vagina is more than just your sex life. Beyond fertility, desire for sex and ability to reach orgasm,
ongoing vaginal health issues can also cause stress or relationship problems and impact your self-confidence. Vaginal health is an important part of your overall health and learning about anatomy is the first step to
prioritizing your self-care.
2. What affects vaginal health?
Your vagina is a self-cleaning organ (aren’t they great?), that uses good bacteria to maintain an even pH level between 3.5 and 4.5. So those secretions are nothing to be ashamed of, and usually nothing to worry about.
Various factors can affect the health of your vagina including:
i. Sex. Unprotected sex can result in a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
ii. Yeast Infections. You’ve probably heard of this one before. Most healthy vaginas have yeast but sometimes your yeast grows too much and leads to an infection. Yeast infections aren’t an STI - they aren’t contagious, and can’t spread to another person during sex - but they can be very irritating and uncomfortable.
iii. Other health conditions or treatments. Conditions, such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, might cause painful sex. An infection or change in the normal balance of vaginal yeast and bacteria can cause
inflammation of the vagina (vaginitis).
iv. Birth control and feminine-hygiene products. Barrier contraceptives, such as condoms, diaphragms and associated spermicide, can cause vaginal irritation. The use of sprays, deodorants or douches may cause irritation or make existing irritation worse.
v. Psychological issues. Anxiety and depression can contribute to a low level of arousal and resulting discomfort or pain during sex. Trauma — such as sexual abuse or an initial painful sexual experience — also can lead to
pain associated with sex.
vi. Pregnancy and childbirth. If you become pregnant, you’ll stop menstruating until after your baby is born. During pregnancy, vaginal discharge often increases. Vaginal tears (tissue scarring) are also relatively
common during childbirth.
If you notice symptoms such as vaginal redness or itching, a change in the color, change in odor or amount of vaginal discharge, a vaginal bleeding between periods, after sex or after menopause, pain during intercourse,
or a bulge on your vagina, it’s important consult your doctor.
3. Vagina myths that need to die
There are LOTS of myths about the vagina that need to die.
Myth: You need to clean inside your vagina with special products. There is no need for your vagina to smell like a garden - the vagina’s discharge is what allows it to clean itself and it’s completely natural.
Myth: Eating certain foods will make your vagina smell good. There’s an idea out there that certain foods like citrus fruit can make a person’s vagina smell more pleasant but so far no studies that suggest the types of foods a person eats will impact how they smell down there.
Myth: You could induce labor if you have sex while pregnant. When it comes to women with low-risk pregnancies, sex during those nine months is perfectly safe
Myth: You need to shave down there. In fact, there are no health benefits to removing pubic hair and it’s mainly meant to be protective. But of course, if you prefer to trim, shave, wax, or otherwise remove your pubic hair, that’s totally fine.
Myth: You’ll have the best orgasms if you find your G-spot. The concept of the G-spot, a supposed pleasure-inducing zone inside the front wall of the vagina, has eluded women for decades - but it might not even exist! Even if it does, believing finding it is the key to out-of-this-world orgasms is dangerous since sexual pleasure is more complicated than touching one area of the body and calling it a day. (Watch our video about orgasms to learn more!)
4. How to take care of your vagina
i. Be sexually responsible. Use condoms or maintain a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who’s free of sexually transmitted infections. If you use sex toys, clean them after every use.
ii. Get vaccinated. Vaccinations can protect you from HPV, the virus associated with cervical cancer, as well as hepatitis B — a serious liver infection that can spread through sexual contact.
iii. Don’t use scented toilet paper, tampons or pads. These can be very irritating to your skin and might even cause burn-like symptoms. Make sure all of your products are fragrance-free and don’t contain additives.
iv. Track your period. Your menstrual cycle can be a valuable marker for your overall health. In fact, conditions including diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, celiac disease and even some cancers can present through irregular
menses. There are many other resources available to help you track your period, so ask your OB/GYN.
v. Don’t wash your vagina and vulva too thoroughly. This can throw off your pH balance, leaving you more vulnerable to yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Rinse the vagina and vulva with water only, and the
groin can be washed with a perfume-free natural soap.
vi. Don’t forgo condoms during your period. Especially if you’re thinking you won’t get pregnant, because some women have.
vii. Don’t change your tampon infrequently. Ideally, you change your tampon every three to four hours. The risk is toxic shock syndrome, a rare and potentially lethal infection that spreads to the bloodstream. This occurs more
frequently in women who use more absorbent “super” tampons.
viii. Know your medications. Discuss medication use and possible vaginal side effects with your doctor.
Basically…
It’s important to erase the stigma surrounding the gynaecological anatomy that prevents people from approaching doctors, talking to them, seeking medical care or even talking about the vagina amongst themselves.
While it’s important to know your vaginal vocabulary, it’s more important that people feel comfortable talking to their doctor about their bodies, whether or not they know the correct names for body parts. Helen Stokes-Lampard, spokesperson for the Royal College of GPs in the UK, told VICE, "It is vital that people understand what is normal for themselves, so that when they notice changes in their bodies and their health, they are aware and can seek help."
And c’mon you can say the word. We all have one so phir why sharm? Say it loud and proud - VAGINAAA.
References
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xdmyjn/almost-half-of-british-women-cant-correctly-locate-the-vagina-or-cervix
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/vagina-facts-to-know
https://www.vice.com/en/article/qkjd75/whats-the-best-vagina-emoji
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/vagina/art-20046562
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xdmyjn/almost-half-of-british-women-cant-correctly-locate-the-vagina-or-cervix
https://www.insider.com/vagina-myths-that-need-to-die-according-to-gynecologist-2019-11
https://tweakindia.com/wellness/health/dummies-guide-to-the-vagina/
https://www.statista.com/outlook/80040000/119/feminine-hygiene/india
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/keeping-your-vagina-clean-and-healthy/
