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Maintaining proper vulva and vaginal health is key to our overall health. Contrary to popular belief, hygiene in these intimate areas is not complicated – requiring the purchase of expensive products and following specialized intricate procedures where there is no room for error.
It is much easier than you think. In this article, we will discuss the fundamentals of female reproductive anatomy, address common concerns regarding feminine hygiene, and finally provide guidance on proper vulva care.
What is the difference between the vulva and vagina?
Surprisingly, many women believe that the vulva and vagina are the same. However, both are distinct areas of the female reproductive system. The vulva refers to the external part of female genitalia that surrounds the opening of the vagina. It includes the labia (majora and minora) and clitoris. The labia, also known as ‘vaginal lips’, corresponds to the skin folds that surround the vaginal opening. They can be divided into two parts. The labia majora (outer lips) are typically fleshy and covered with pubic hair. The labia minora (inner lips) is found inside the outer lips – beginning at the clitoris and ending at the vaginal opening. The clitoris is the primary source of sexual pleasure. It is a button-like area of flesh located on the top of your vulva.
On the other hand, the vagina is a muscular canal that plays an important role in sexual pleasure, transit of period blood, pregnancy and childbirth. The vagina cleans itself naturally by discharging vaginal fluid from time to time. However, the vulva requires some manual care. It needs to be kept dry and free from irritants. If you do not clean properly, your vulva can become red and swollen triggering discomfort.
What is the appropriate way to wash the vulva?
Fortunately, proper vulva maintenance is relatively straightforward and involves the use of warm water. While in the shower, use your fingers to spread the labia foldings apart and let water run in between and around them. You should also use your fingers or a clean cloth to rub in between the folds of the skin. As a cleaning tip, try to be as gentle as possible without getting water run inside the vagina. Once you are done, clean the private area dry with a towel.
What soap is good to clean the vulva?
If you are concerned about odor, you can also use a mild soap as well as water to clean the vulva. Strong cleansing products including antibacterial soaps, douching products, scented sprays, soaps, powders or deodorizers should be avoided. This is because your vulvovaginal region has a natural pH range to support the growth of specific organisms that keep the area healthy. When potent cleansing agents are used, the pH and organism composition can be thrown off, allowing foreign organisms to invade and introduce unwanted infections.
How often should you rinse your vulva?
It is also in your best interest to follow a vulva cleaning routine daily. If you skip a shower on a particular day, make sure you still clean the vulva with a wet, clean towel or your fingers as part of safe hygiene practice.
On the other extreme, it is important to not overwash the region. Overwashing can compromise vulva health by introducing the same effect as the use of a strong cleaning product. It can potentially strip off all the good, healthy bacteria and provide space for bad bacteria to colonize. You should also avoid douching or the practice of cleaning the inside of your vagina. In the market, there are many prepackaged mixes available for use in douching. These typically contain a mixture of water and vinegar, baking soda or iodine. Although such products are widely available, cleaning the inside regions is a bad idea as it can similarly upset the natural pH and bacterial composition.
How do you take care of your vulva skin?
When it comes to maintaining cleanliness in vulvar skin, there are many care practices you can follow:
Laundry Products:
Use laundry detergents that are free from dyes, enzymes and perfumes when cleaning garments that come into contact with your vulva. These include underwear, gym shorts or pants, cleaning towels, pajamas, etc.. You should also avoid the use of baby detergents because even if they are gentle, they are scented and hence a potential irritant. Apart from laundry detergents, it is also important to avoid adding fabric softeners or dryer sheets in the washing or drying machine. You can substitute these products with white vinegar (acts as a natural softener). Finally, you should also limit the use of bleach or stain removers. If you do end up using a stain remover on your garments, make sure you soak and rinse them in clear water before washing them with detergent. This helps remove as much product as possible.
Garment Type:
Make sure that the material you use for underwear is cotton rather than nylon. This is because unlike nylon, cotton is semi-permeable, allowing the passage of air and moisture in and out. On a similar note, you should also avoid wearing thongs or tight clothing composed of synthetic fabrics as they can be air-tight and trigger irritation. Sleeping without underwear or a loosely fit pajama is also recommended. Finally, to ward yourself off infections, you should also remove clothes and take a shower immediately after a workout session.
Bathing:
When it comes to vulva and vaginal cleanliness, you now already know the fundamentals – limit cleansing options to gentle ones, douching and rigorous rubbing. Another piece of advice to maintain good vulva health is to wash your hands with a fragrance free soap before cleaning the area. The use of scented soaps and/or sanitisers can introduce strong chemicals and alcohol to vulvar skin. You should also avoid washing the vulva with loofah, scrub or net sponge as such media tend to be more invasive. Finally, steer away from body washes, bath salts and scented oils as they can similarly introduce unwanted chemicals and irritate your vulvar skin.
What is the safest feminine wash?
Now that we have reviewed safe practices for maintaining hygiene in the vulvovaginal region, let us dive deeper into specifics. According to Dr Mary Jane Minkin, OB-GYN at Yale-New Haven Hospital and clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale University School of Medicine, one should use washes that are the least toxic with minimal to no amounts of allergenic ingredients.
Is intimate wash good or bad for you?
So far in the blog, we have been discussing the importance of avoiding strong cleansing products like scrubs, scented soaps, powders, etc to clean the vulva. The application of such potent cleaning solutions in this intimate region is what constitutes an ‘intimate wash.’ While these washes are marketed as safe and effective against vaginal odors, they cause more harm than good. One must remember that the vulvovaginal region, by no means, is a flower that needs to remain freshly scented all the time. Odors emanate as part of a natural process when pheromones are released. Intimate washes are marketed as ‘natural’, ‘safe’, ‘anti-bacterial’, ‘anti-inflammatory’ or ‘pH balancing.’ This is erroneous because regular use of these products only gives one temporary relief from bad odors. In the long run, they disturb the natural flora in your vaginal area and make it more prone to smelly infections.
Key Takeaway
In conclusion, washing the vulvovaginal area is very important for overall health. This is because it protects the area from dangerous organisms and irritants that trigger inflammation and discomfort. To wash the area, one should use clean fingers or a towel and apply warm water with mild soap. Washing should be performed routinely with excessive washing and douching avoided at all cost. Finally, garments that touch the vulva should be semi-permeable and cleaned without stain remover and dryer sheets.
