We look to celebrities to give us pointers for all kind of things; style, beauty products, even where to travel. But it seems that celebrities just don’t hit the spot when it comes to vaginal health tips. In fact, it would be wiser to just stay away from their advice.
Maybe celebrities think that courting controversy will win over some of their fans (maybe it does), but when it comes to vagina health do we really need to be controversial? Isn’t healthy a better idea? Maybe some people get caught up in following fads that they believe are good for their feminine hygiene, but most of the time these vagina tips are just myths; they’re misleading and causing more harm than good.
The Best Vagina Advice
There are very few things that should ever enter a vagina; a couple of body parts, maybe a sanitary product, and that’s about it!
Your vagina is an incredible organ, not unlike your bowel. And because it’s an internal organ that is exposed to the outside world (in parts), it has its own very clever ecosystem that ensures it self-cleans and protects itself from harm. The vagina is lined with a mucous membrane and has a crowd of mixed healthy bacteria to protect itself against infection. And in much the same way that any suggestion of spritzing your womb with pineapple, douching or steaming it, covering it in oil or coating it in sugar (what?) would be appalling, the same should be said about touching our vaginas. A healthy vagina is one that is left alone. They self-clean.
Dr Eskander, Consultant Gynaecologist at The Gynae Centre says: “Many women report concerns about the smell of their vagina – especially when menstruating. It’s normal for your odour to change at different stages of your menstrual cycle but if you are concerned about any unusual smells you should speak to your doctor or gynaecologist.”
Covering up a whiffy scent with perfume is not going to solve it. In fact, disturbing the vagina’s delicate flora will inevitably make the problem worse. Looking after your vagina properly is a serious women’s health issue – ask any of the ladies who successfully sued Johnson and Johnson, winning the argument that their cervical cancer had been caused by using baby talc on their genitals.
So, What Are The Vagina Tips I Should Ignore?
Going bare: Do you really need to wax your nether regions? Khloe Kardashian revealed recently that Kim Kardashian is all ‘bare’ down there now! Whilst it’s nice to keep it tidy, it’s preferable to have something there. Public hair helps keep the area moisturised and protects from harmful bacteria and viruses.
Douching: This may be the worst idea ever. The vagina is PH balanced to perfection. Putting anything scented up there will just upset the balance. The vagina doesn’t need perfumed soaps, glitter bombs or Mugwort steam (thanks Gwyneth Paltrow!) to help stave off vagina issues!
Moisturising: Talking of Harry Potter, Emma Watson revealed that she uses Fur Oil to moisturise her nether regions. But do you really need to moisturise? As you age and approach menopause that area can be more prone to dryness. Whilst it is not necessary, you can use a paraben free or vitamin E moisturiser on your skin (as long as it is kept away from the inside of the vagina).
Decoration: Jennifer Love Hewitt admitted her love for a ‘vajazzle’ in her book The Day I Shot Cupid. “It’s like having a sparkly secret in your pants”, she said. Err, except this is no longer a secret!. But does that mean you need to go to the expense of decorating your vagina? Not really. As well as potentially introducing dangerous bacteria to the area, it will only end up bruising your bank balance.
Sweet smell: From Kim Kardashian alluding to the fact that pineapple juice makes her vagina smell better to Kandi Burruss admitting to using sugar down there to make it ‘sticky’ and ‘sweet’, celebrities like nothing better than shaming us into false vagina hygiene tricks. Unfortunately, women have been shamed about their vaginal odour since advertising began. The fact is, the vagina smells different at different phases of the menstrual cycle. If there is a whiffy odour, it’s more than likely this is a warning sign. If you have a particularly pungent odour problem, then seeing your doctor or gynaecologist is your best course of action.
At least some celebrities, Chrissy Teigen for example, seem to have a bit more sense: claiming, tongue in cheek when she talks about ‘steaming’ her vagina that her vagina will probably ‘dissolve’.
So, ladies, if you want a healthy vagina, wash with just water or a paraben free PH balanced body wash, and leave extreme vagina grooming well alone!
When it comes to looking after your vaginal health, the team at The Gynae Centre know all the facts. To book in for a consultation with a consultant gynaecologist call 020 7580 8090
