Caring For Your Vulva and Vagina
So. Many. Products.
The “feminine hygiene” industry has really made it hard to know how to properly care for your vagina and vulva. There are a lot of great products out there that come in handy for specific issues, but the bottom line is, you really don’t need to do much to keep your vagina and vulva happy other than gentle washing with your hand and warm water. In fact, the reason there are so many products out there is that we need them to treat the side effects caused by other products that weren’t needed in the first place. So keep it simple.
Avoid products that are likely to cause irritation to the skin. Remember that the tissue that makes up the labia minora (inner lips) and the vestibule (area inside of the inner lips, but not yet inside the vagina) is not the same as the skin on the rest of your body. We need to treat the tissue with care.
Consider the following recommendations:
Use laundry detergents that are free from dyes, enzymes, perfumes. No fabric softener. If you get recurrent yeast or bacterial infections or have recently been treated for an STI, consider washing underwear in a separate load in HOT water with no detergent or an extra rinse cycle to really get it clean.
Wear white cotton underwear during the day. Go bare at night, either with no underwear or at least no close fitting underwear (consider boxers or sleep shorts/dress). It’s ok if you want to get fancy with your undergarments from time to time, but this shouldn’t be the norm. We often find that issues like recurrent UTIs and yeast infections stem from the underwear people are wearing.
During the day, try to avoid tight clothing, especially synthetic fabrics. This would include things like leggings, tight jeans, workout clothes. If you are wearing these things, try changing out of them when you get home for the day.
When you shower or bathe, avoid HOT water on the vulva. Heat is great for blood flow, but there are a lot of sensitive nerve endings in the tissue of the genital region, so we don’t need to set it on fire.
There is no need for ANY soaps or cleansers on the labia or in the labial creases. If you are a heavy sweater, you can use a mild soap on top where hair grows or in the thigh creases, but avoid the labia. Just use your hand, no washcloths or loofahs in these areas. Gently pat dry with a towel, avoid rubbing dry.
Use white unscented toilet paper and try to “blot” rather than “wipe” after urinating. If you prefer to use a damp cloth or baby wipe after bowel movements, that is fine but do not use them after urination.
Check back for more tips on maintaining the happiness of vulvovaginal tissue. We will be adding more tips and some product recommendations soon.
