Vaginal Douching – An Introduction
Douching is introducing a stream of water to clean or wash the vagina. Besides allowing women to feel fresh and clean, vaginal douching is believed to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, avert pregnancy, and clean menstrual blood. Although it may seem beneficial, it can cause several health problems, including trouble getting pregnant. Despite its many physical disadvantages, douching is very common among women. In fact, in the United States, almost one in five women between 15 and 44 regularly douche.
Understanding that women across the globe are oblivious to its side effects, we decided to bring in an expert to educate all about vaginal douching. In this article, we sat down with Dr. Mozhgan Sayyad to answer some popular questions on vaginal douching.
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Q&A Section
As doctors, we don’t recommend douching because it can change the balance of bacteria and natural acidity within the vagina. A healthy vagina is a combination of good and bad bacteria. And this balance helps to create the ideal acidic environment to protect the vagina from other infections and irritations. But when douching, it promotes the growth of harmful bacteria. This, in turn, causes several other diseases like yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis. If you already suffer from such infections, douching can further push the bacteria down to the fallopian tube, ovaries, and uterus and cause even serious health conditions.
Continuing Q1, the other serious health problems caused by douching are:
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Pelvic inflammatory diseases
- Issues during pregnancy
- STIs
- Vaginal irritation/dryness.
No. Although it can relieve vaginal odor and discomfort [vaginal discharge, pain, itching, and burning] for a while, it shouldn’t be your permanent solution. Contact your doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
- Vaginal discharge with a bad smell
- Vaginal itching and discharge [thick, white, or yellowish green] with or without smell
- Redness, swelling, or burning sensation in or around the vagina
- Pain when urinating
- Pain or discomfort during sex
Consult your doctor immediately, as these symptoms are associated with infections and STIs. Also, refrain from douching before meeting your doctor, as it can affect your cultural tests.
The best part is the vagina cleans itself by producing mucous. This mucous flushes out blood, semen, and other vaginal discharge. Isn’t that great? But if you’re concerned about its odor, you must remember that any healthy and clean vagina will have a mild smell that varies across the day. If you’re physically active, it’s normal to smell a more pungent or muskier scent. However, you can always talk to your doctor if it bothers you too much.
Here’re my two tips to keep your vagina clean:
- Wash the outside of your vagina with warm water while you bathe.
- Try to avoid scented products [tampons, pads, powders, and sprays] around your vagina. It can increase your risk of getting a vaginal infection.
Absolutely not! In fact, it does the complete opposite. Since douching tampers the ideal acidic balance and flushes out healthy bacteria, your risk of getting STIs increases.
Douching causes various problems during pregnancy, including:
- Douching at least once a month makes it harder to get pregnant.
- Douching can increase the chance of ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg attaches inside the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. Ectopic pregnancy also makes it difficult for women to get pregnant in the future.
- Douching increases the risk of early childbirth.
For a more thorough understanding of the side effects of vaginal douching, review this article published by the National Library of Medicine. You can also read through this in-depth health and vital report by Women’s Health to further your knowledge of the disadvantages of vaginal douches.
Simple Tips for a Healthy & Happy Vagina!
Dr. Moghzan shared some simple yet effective tips on maintaining a healthy vagina. Here’s the list:
1. Always remember to keep it simple. Your vagina is a self-cleaning machine, so you don’t need harsh chemicals to maintain it. Instead, just use water!
2. Wear breathable underwear. Lightweight and soft undergarments are keys to a happy vagina! Choose cottonwear as it’s more moisture-absorbing in comparison to others. However, if you can’t find cotton underwear, don’t worry; simply make sure to change it often.
3. Ensure to thoroughly double-wash your undergarments. However, don’t use too much laundry detergent.
4. Always wash new undergarments before wearing them.
5. Avoid wearing thongs.
6. Avoid using scented tampons. Also, don’t leave tampons on for a long time, especially overnight.
7. Avoid using feminine products that irritate your area.
8. Always check the ingredients of the lubricants you plan to use. Some may have ingredients that tamper with the pH balance. Avoid lubricants that contain:
[a] Glycerin
[b] Petroleum products
[c] Parabens
[d] Scents
[e] Dyes
[f] Flavors
[g] Non-natural oils
9. Practice safe sex. When it comes to keeping your vagina healthy, it’s important to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases. So, it’s recommended to use condoms or other contraceptives.
10. If you switch between anal and vaginal sex or vice versa, it’s best to change condoms each time.
11. Ensure to urinate after sex as it will help flush out bacteria and prevent urinary tract infection.
After sex, clean yourself with warm water and dry the area well.
12. Get regular checkups. Whether it’s testing for STDs or general health screenings with your gynecologist, it’s essential to always remain updated.
13. Prioritize your whole body. Without a doubt, a healthy vagina requires a healthy body! That’s why it’s equally important to take care of yourself as a whole. Make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate exercise.
14. When in doubt, talk to your doctor. If you experience symptoms outside the norm, it’s best to talk to your doctor immediately.
As you can see, taking care of your vagina is easy! Refrain from douches and let your body do its own thing!
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