When it comes to looking after your vajayjay, there’s nothing to feel embarrassed about! Maintaining vaginal hygiene is crucial and is something every woman must prioritize. A well-kept vagina is naturally acidic in nature and is packed with rich and good bacteria that prevent yeast and other infections. Here are 10 essential rules for a healthy vagina. (Ladies, you can thank us later!)
Also Read About Home Remedies For Yeast Infection
Rule 1: Trim The Bush
The best way to keep your vagina clean is to trim your bush from time to time. Instead of shaving, a pair of scissors would make a better alternative. Shaving can damage skin, cause skin irritation and lead to nasty cuts! To make the trimming experience a smoother one, use baby powder or olive oil to straighten the hair out before snipping it. You can also try getting a bikini wax done, as it cleans the area faster and makes the skin smoother as well!
Rule 2: Wash After Sexy Time
Before intercourse and after, it’s extremely important to make sure yours and your partner’s genital areas are washed and squeaky clean. Vaginas are prone to infection when they come in contact with other body fluids and skin particles. Hence, it’s important to wash the area and your fingers with plain water to keep bacteria at bay.
Rule 3: Pick Your Panties Wisely
Skimpy panties made with lace, silk and synthetic fabric look sexy but aren’t very comfortable. In fact, they prevent air from circulating, causing sweating and trapping moisture – that creates a breeding field for harmful bacteria. Loose, cotton underwear is comfy, light and lowers the chances of getting a skin rash.
Rule 4: Skip The Scrub
Whatever you do, do not scrub yourself down there. Using gloves and sponges can be too harsh for the delicate vaginal skin. Just your fingers and warm water should do the trick. You can also use feminine hygiene wipes to keep the area down there clean and fresh.
Rule 5: Eat With Caution
Foods like yoghurt, cranberry juice, leafy veggies, soy products and fruits, help boost the good bacteria in your vagina. They do not cause odour and prevent infections. On the contrary, foods like onion, garlic and various spices, can affect the moisture balance in your lady parts and cause odour.
Rule 6: Avoid Using Soap Down There
A healthy vagina’s pH balance is 3.8 to 4.5. Using soaps and other bathing products could interfere with the temperature and moisture balance. The harsh chemicals in these products could wipe away the good bacteria and irritate the sensitive layer of skin. This results in itching and yeast formation. If you do happen to experience excessive itching and odour, you may want to let your gynac take a look at it.
Rule 7: Do Not Wash TOO Often
Many women have this misconception that the more they wash their lady parts, the cleaner it will get. That’s completely false and dangerous. Washing your vagina once every day is good enough. Do it twice or thrice during your periods depending on how heavy your flow is. Washing too many times can cause health problems in the future.
Rule 8: Change Your Sanitary Napkin Frequently
When you’re on your period it’s important to use the right pad and not keep your sanitary napkin on for more than 5-7 hours. If you do, the pad could cause rashes around the vaginal area, increase the chances of getting an infection and cause bad odour. Hence you must change your pad often and wash your lady parts from time to time during your period.
Rule 9: Know Your Infections
Knowledge is power and you must know that there are three common types of vaginal infections. Trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis and yeast infection. Several types of fungi give rise to yeast infections. While bacterial vaginosis happens when there’s an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the vagina and finally, trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection. As soon as you spot them, get them treated at the earliest.
Rule 10: Practice Good Hygiene!
And last but not the least, always follow good hygiene. Remember to wipe and pat dry your lady parts every time you wash yourself. Change pads and tampons regularly and when you’re not menstruating, avoid using pads or panty liners to absorb natural discharge. Unnecessarily, they will contribute moisture, giving bacteria the chance to grow and spread.
Images: Shutterstock
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