Vaginal Cleaning Fads

[Aunt_Flo]

Saw this article in The Conversation recently. I can’t say I had ever heard of cucumber cleanses for vaginas before!  😮

I used to be quite self-conscious about the discharge I experienced – less so now. But, even then, I can’t say I would turn to vaginal steams as a solution! 

[EarthMama]

@Aunt_Flo when I was about 12 years old a friend of mine had to go to the doctor with some sort of vaginal rash. It turned out she had been using scented soap to clean inside and it was obviously disrupting the natural bacteria and cleaning cycle. I remember her coming home and telling me that vaginas are self cleaning and what an amazing thing that was! It was and is such good info to have!

[peachy]

@Aunt_Flo  I’d heard about steam cleaning but not the cucumber cleanse! Omg! 
@EarthMama I think the whole vaginas are self-cleaning thing is one of those other things I wish I had been taught in sex ed classes! The human body is amazing isn’t it? 

[Aunt_Flo]

@earth yeoooowch it’s go good she was so well informed though! 
@peachy true! I don’t think I ever learnt that in sex Ed. But I do remember talking about penile cleaning. Bit of a disparity there. 

[stephaniaaaah]

@EarthMama so lucky to learn that from such an early age, @peachy I agree should be taught in sex ex.  @Aunt_Flo same, I think you care less as you get to know what’s normal, even when you are ovulating from the type of discharge!! 

Vagina’s really are magic and I still have girlfriends who use products like femfresh even though they know there is no need.  I’ll be honest, the whole vagina’s smell like fish think really has a lot to answer for! Vagina’s smell like vagina’s and I have never not had someone tell me they can’t have sex with me because a) it’s too smelly and b) it’s too hairy!  😀 

[EarthMama]

This is great @stephaniaaaah !! There is far too much fear surrounding what comes naturally to us. If someone is lucky enough to be faced with a vagina- they must appreciate it in all its glory!

[Aunt_Flo]

Uhhhhh @stephaniaaaah in movies or porn when someone goes ‘wow your vagina tastes like berries!’ No…just no.

[stephaniaaaah]

So bad  :# @Aunt_Flo 

[mak_trouble891]

Does anyone else find it part of the problem when u are faced with those femfresh ads in public bathrooms? Like it just reinforces the fish smell stereotype 

[HoneyPot]

Defs agree that stereotypes about vaginal smell need to die. I like to use femfresh though as i’m a pretty sweaty person and its so nice to use when I have my period or after sex when I want some extra freshness! It’s also just a SUPER gentle soap (not actually a soap, does not contain soap) that I actually use on my whole body cause I have sensitive skin 🙂 The sprays though… Or the “deodorizing” washes are not for me. Just the regular wash thanks!

[Aunt_Flo]

Uh yes @mak_trouble891 it makes for an uncomfortable pee.  :/

[ekoorb9]

@HoneyPot The stereotype about vaginas smelling definite does need to die! As @stephaniaaaah says, vaginas smell like vaginas! I have to say I’ve never used any of the FemFresh products. I did use Original Source Mint Shower Gel down there once when I was a teenager though. DO NOT DO THAT!!!!! IT BURNS!!!!  😀 😀 😀

[HappyHooHah]

@aunt_flo @honeypot I love femfresh!!!! Wipes are awesome and flushable. Their shower wash is great too but I always take a break from it and use just water for a couple weeks. 
Definitely recommend femfresh for workout / sweaty days! 

[mistified]

Yes, they should definitely teach us these kinds of stuff in sex ed. I still recall feeling very confused trying to figure out if my vagina was normal. No one told me if it was supposed to be smooth or bumpy down there, or how it should smell. Btw, I’ve been told that you can rinse with salt water to kill bacteria or clean with watered-down vinegar to maintain pH balance. That should help with bad odour. 

[Nurse_Nettie]

@mistified yes, I agree sex ed should include info about what healthy genitals actually look like! A neat little diagram of the vulva isn’t very helpful & neither is porn. It’s come up before, but the labia library is a great resource to see a whole range of vulvas 🙂 

As for washing down there. I recommend just water or a mild non-soap cleanser for the outside & nothing at all inside the vagina. Vinegar, is too harsh, even watered down. If you suddenly notice a strong fishy odour, that could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis. This can go away all by itself, but if it’s bothersome a doctor can prescribe medication to get all back in balance.  

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