Vaginal issues make you feel like you’re the only one going through it. The doubts that pop up in your mind sometimes sound quite dumb and just too weird to say them out loud! But hey, we’ve all gone through it. You’re not as weird as you sometimes assume to be. Let’s address a few of such thoughts we’ve all had at least once.
1. Is washing and douching my vagina frequently good for me?
No! We understand your need to smell better and feel cleaner. But your vagina is like a cat that keeps itself quite clean! The discharges you regularly see are the vagina’s way of washing off the dirty stuff.
Your vagina is acidic in nature, and douching will just upset its pH balance (a good pH balance is 3.5–4.5) and that of the yeast and bacteria that normally live in your vagina. By douching, you’re just increasing the chances of infection.
2. I’m not sure how I should clean my vagina.
Apart from sweating, your vagina also has to deal with the grime that comes with urine and feces. So although it is self-cleaning, you have to clean your vagina just like any other body part. Just ensure you don’t use any overpowering soap and use one with the right pH balance.
3. I smell funny down there.
There can be two reasons for this. One, white discharge can make it smelly. Two, your vagina has its own natural odor.
White discharge is absolutely normal and part of the changes your vagina goes through every month. It is how your vagina cleans itself. However, the smell can mean a few things: some form of bacterial infection or even sexually transmitted diseases. If the smell is overpowering, it might be time to visit your doctor.
And eating something with a strong taste and smell (like red meat, onions, and garlic) can also make your vagina smell different. Smoking, alcohol, and caffeine have also been known to affect vaginal odor. If you or your partner notice that your vagina is giving out a fishy smell, it might be good to visit your gynecologist to check for infections.
4. My nether regions are always itchy!
This can be due to external factors such as sweat, regrowth of hair, and chafing from tight clothes and health issues such as skin conditions (eczema), hormonal changes, and allergic reactions to some products. Sometimes, there might be no clear reason for the itching sensation. If it gets uncontrollable and if it comes along with excess or not-so-normal discharge, visit your doctor. A slight itch every now and then is not a serious issue.
5. I get vaginal farts during yoga!
Yoga involves twisting your body into all possible positions. When you do this, air gets trapped in your vagina. So when you relax from whichever pose causes this (the shoulder stand and headstand are some common ones), your vagina release the air, a tad bit noisily and usually when everybody else is quiet! This is also called queefing.
This is normal but as embarrassing as it gets. The only way out of this uncomfortable corner is to stop the air from getting into your vagina. Try to do so with your body by moving some muscles at the right time. If it doesn’t work, just use a tampon to block the way anytime you’ve to exercise in public.
6. I feel aroused just before I pee and when I pee.
We women, just like men, are perfectly capable of feeling aroused at all the odd times and for odd reasons. And this is just one of those. There are no such things as normal or abnormal reasons for feeling aroused. So there’s no need for you to worry. This is just the way some of our bodies work. And you always have the option of visiting your Ob-Gyn if this results in other issues like a burning sensation or if it’s just too uncomfortable to handle.
7. I get acne even on my vagina!
Do you usually get these after trying to remove the hair in the nether regions with a razor? Then, you’ve answered your own question. These aren’t acne but just infections due to sloppy hair removal.
Razing away you vaginal hair is always a tricky process; you can never be careful enough and it usually causes infections. Your best bet is to stop using razors for a while. If you just have to shave the hair, go for waxing or laser treatment. If these acne-like bumps don’t disappear after a few days, do visit your doc.
8. One of the labia lips is lower than the other!
The inside of all vaginas is the same. But the outer bit, the vulva, are aesthetically different for each person. And the asymmetry in the labia lips is completely normal. So if this isn’t bothering you in any other way, let it be. It does not affect your health in any way.
9. Will a well-endowed guy stretch my vagina permanently?
You’ve absolutely no reason to worry about this. Your vagina is expandable and will accommodate even a super-sized penis! And the best part is that it’ll get back to its regular tightness soon after. You might have to worry more with childbirth as some women reportedly experience an expanded vagina after popping the baby out. However, no need to get paranoid as this does not happen to every woman.
10. The skin around my vagina looks a little too dark.
The color of the skin surrounding your vagina need not resemble your skin tone elsewhere. It might be lighter or darker than the rest of your body. So don’t compare – be it with other body parts or other women. In every ethnicity, the color tone of the vagina is different as well as the shape of the vulva and vagina. This is not something that should worry you.
11. I’m worried about losing things up there!
If you check with your doctor, he or she can tell just how many people tend to “lose” things inside their vagina! You can forget that you wore a tampon, lose condoms, or get a sex toy stuck in there. But don’t worry, you can’t really lose anything in your vagina as the cervix serves as an obstructing wall at the end. You might not be able to reach whatever gets stuck too deep, but you can get it removed. And it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. A larger number of women have been in this situation than you can imagine!
