What Happens When I Don't Clean My Vibrator Enough

The menstrual taboo, plus the sexualisation of the female person body, ways that virtually children, parents, and even some doctors, do not know enough most how to keep the vagina and vulva make clean and healthy.

At that place are lots of myths and misconceptions out there… So, here is a menstrual matters' contained and testify-based guide:

one. Know the difference betwixt the vagina and the vulva.

This may sound silly but many people use the word 'vagina' when they are actually talking most the 'vulva'.

The vagina is only the inside flake (the warm, stiff, and flexible tissue inside your body).

The vulva is the name given to most of the exterior mankind- i.due east. the parts shown on this diagram;

2. Do not wash the vagina: information technology is self-cleaning.

If you only remember 1 thing from this blog, this is it- Do NOT Wash YOUR VAGINA!

Despite the availability of 'intimate' products, and various traditional and modern practices of douching or steaming (using products or water to 'cleanse' the vagina), doing this is actually actually BAD for your vaginal wellness [1].

Indeed, fifty-fifty so-chosen 'intimate' products state that they are for EXTERNAL use only (i.east. the vulva)- in the small print. Although, they practice not mind implying that the vagina is dirty… considering shame sells!

Why not?

The vagina is not dingy. Information technology contains a wonderful ecosystem of mainly 'skillful' bacteria [2]. In order to keep everything in tip top shape, your vaginal and cervical secretions create an acidic surroundings to help this bacteria thrive (pH 3.viii- 4.v) [two].

When h2o (or steam) (pH vii), soaps (pH 9-x), or even intimate products (pH 5.five) are put inside the vagina, information technology go less acidic; making conditions less suitable for the 'good' bacteria, and more suitable for 'bad' leaner- potentially leading to a vaginal infection [one].

During menstruation and after unprotected heterosexual sexual practice, the vaginal acidity level may also drop a niggling- which is what makes infections more likely at these times [3]. This is because menstrual fluid (pH vii) and semen (pH vii-eight.ii) are less acidic than the normal vaginal weather [3].

TOP TIP! Bandy to a plain, non-antibacterial hand lather to avert transferring antibacterial chemicals as well as soap to the vagina during the insertion of menstrual products etc.

3. Fifty-fifty if you take an infection, Do NOT WASH YOUR VAGINA!

If you detect yellowy or creamy discharge (thrush) or an unpleasant fishy odour with watery discharge (BV- Bacterial Vaginosis)- please continue to resist the urge to wash your vagina. Once more, calculation water or lather to the vagina will only make the infections worse, past making the environment fifty-fifty less acidic [4]. Also, do non add any fragranced or antibacterial soap products to bath water, and definitely do not put them within your vagina or near the vaginal opening.

A proficient solution for BV is an acidic pH-balancing vaginal product such as Balance-activ. Note- UK doctors can still only prescribe antibiotics for BV [5], many of which strip the good as well as the bad leaner from the vagina. This may partly explain why some people get recurrent vaginal infections, since their good for you bacterial population may never fully recover [half-dozen]. Using antibiotics on such a regular basis tin also contribute to the major global antibiotic resistance crunch [7]!

A Song Thrush (with thrush)- Pixabay

Information technology is therefore highly recommended that you beginning endeavor an acidic pH-balancing product alone, or at least during and/or after using antibiotics, if this is what has been prescribed for you (for any wellness issue, if y'all are prone to vaginal infections).

Besides, thrush (caused by an overgrowth of a common yeast called candida albicans) is effectively treated with Clotrimazole, used in thrush-specific anti-fungal creams or pessaries (medical capsules you insert into the vagina). These are available from most supermarkets and pharmacies.

iv. Do wash parts of your vulva- but avert antibacterial or highly alkaline soaps

We all get sweaty when hot, and dead skin is shed from our bodies every day. Since the vulva includes the urethra (where urine/ wee exits the body) and is very close to the anus (where faeces/ poo exits the body), we exercise need to keep these external areas make clean. During menstruation, it may also be necessary to rinse (water only) the vulva and surrounding surface area, i.eastward. if menstrual fluid gets onto the surrounding skin.

Epitome: Bruce Mars @ Pexels

Experience free to wash the outer sides of the labia (i.e.  the lips of your vulva). Just h2o is fine, but if you lot practise choose to use a soap or trunk wash, make sure it is not antibacterial and ideally one that is low pH (more acid than alkaline).

Practice not use soap between the labia, i.due east. near the vaginal opening; just rinse this area with clean h2o. If you adopt to have a bath, avert adding any soap products to the water if you are prone to vaginal infections and never use any antibacterial products (east.1000. Dettol).

five. Wipe, or wash, 'front to back' after going to the toilet

Most people already know this rule, but it is really important to always stick to it. After visiting the toilet for either a wee or a poo, take care to wipe (with toilet paper) or rinse (with water only) from the front part of the vulva towards the back, and in one direction merely . This is considering there are probably some bad bacteria near the anus (just behind the vulva). Wiping the incorrect way could motility the bad bacteria into the vaginal opening, or urethra (where wee comes out), leading to vaginal or bladder infections [viii].

half dozen. There are no exceptions to these rules… But there are some things that are safe to put inside the vagina

• It is not salubrious, and there is no need, to 'wash out' the vagina after sex activity (and information technology won't assist protect against pregnancy- that's what contraceptive products are for- delight see your local family planning doctor or nurse for more information). The vagina is usually able to return to perfectly clean and healthy conditions pretty presently afterwards being exposed to semen, another person's bacteria (from easily, or genitals) or sex activity-related products such as lubricant [2].
• Most vaginal moisturisers, lubricants, medicated creams/ gels for thrush or BV, pelvic floor exercisers and any other medical device or product take been tested to ensure they do not significantly impairment the vaginal bacterial ecosystem. Go alee and use them if useful!

• 

  Menstrual management products- all fine to insert into the vagina- but rinse your clean easily first! Image: גביע האלופות @ wikimedia

  Internal menstrual management products such as medical form silicone menstrual cups and loftier quality cotton-based tampons, volition not significantly disrupt the vaginal bacterial ecosystem merely practise non get out them inside for longer than suggested- as this may upshot in TSS (Toxic Stupor Syndrome) in those decumbent to this infection [9].

• Too, make sure cups are rinsed well in clean water if y'all have used any soap on them (Note- simply boiling in water for v minutes between cycles is enough to go along cups make clean- without the demand for any soap).
• Before inserting menstrual products, use non-antibacterial soap on your hands and make sure it is fully rinsed away before handing the menstrual product.
• Nosotros practise not recommend the use of sea sponges (or whatsoever other type of sponge) equally menstrual products- partly because they are animals and deserve to be left to alive their lives in peace, only too because their surface is mottled, which makes it difficult to keep complimentary from bacteria [x].
• Dildos, vibrators, and anything else that is made of a smoothen (and washable) textile and for the specific purpose of inserting into the vagina (avoid annihilation that isn't!), should be fine so long equally they are clean and any lather has been rinsed off earlier insertion.
• Your fingers. And so long every bit they are rinsed clean (i.e. done with lather but and so thoroughly rinsed to go all the lather off). Feel free to get to know your ain body in this way- it'southward a great manner to combat any internalised shame or fear.
• Lastly, please don't purchase 'intimate' products- these companies have literally made millions out of shaming people with vaginas, not to mention potentially damaging their customers' vaginal health. Also, it is best to avoid vaginal steaming or douching practices; non only are they unnecessary and sometimes expensive, but they promote the idea that the vagina is muddied while making infections more likely… Fight the power!

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References

[1] In fact, a review of studies found that: " Douching (washing the vagina with water or products) is associated with agin reproductive and gynecologic outcomes including bacterial vaginosis, preterm nascence, low-birth-weight infants, pelvic inflammatory illness, chlamydialinfection, tubal pregnancy, higher rates of HIV transmission, and cervical cancer. Cultural beliefs and educational factors strongly influencedouching practices":

Cottrell, B. H. (2003). Vaginal douching. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing : JOGNN / NAACOG. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884217502239796

[2] Huang, B., Fettweis, J. Chiliad., Brooks, J. P., Jefferson, K. Thou., & Cadet, G. A. (2014). The changing landscape of the vaginal microbiome. Clinics in Laboratory Medicine. W.B. Saunders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cll.2014.08.006

[three] Gajer, P., Brotman, R. Thousand., Bai, G., Sakamoto, J., Schütte, U. M. E., Zhong, X., … Ravel, J. (2012). Temporal dynamics of the human vaginal microbiota. Scientific discipline Translational Medicine, 4(132). https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3003605

[4] In fact, people who previously washed their vaginas, no longer suffered from repeat BV infections later on stopping this damaging do! Brotman, R. M., Ghanem, K. Thou., Klebanoff, Thousand. A., Taha, T. Due east., Scharfstein, D. O., & Zenilman, J. M. (2008). The effect of vaginal douching abeyance on bacterial vaginosis: a airplane pilot written report. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 198(6), 628.e1-628.e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2007.11.043

[5] See https://world wide web.nhs.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland/conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/ I have heard from several individuals (anecdotal evidence only) that Balance Activ is much better at resolving BV than antibiotic treatment- it certainly worked for me, when I had it!

[6] See: Mayer, B. T., Srinivasan, Southward., Fiedler, T. L., Marrazzo, J. M., Fredricks, D. N., & Schiffer, J. T. (2015). Rapid and profound shifts in the vaginal microbiota following antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Periodical of Infectious Diseases, 212(five), 793–802. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiv079

It is as well known that some women who endure from echo BV, stop taking antibiotics due to the range of side-effects (and presumably and then just cope with chronic BV symptoms, without treatment!) Information technology's probably time that the UK government funded some clinical trials of pH balancing products and compare their efficacy with antibiotic usage: Bilardi, J., Walker, S., McNair, R., Mooney-Somers, J., Temple-Smith, Thousand., Bellhouse, C., … Bradshaw, C. (2016). Women'south direction of recurrent bacterial vaginosis and experiences of clinical care: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 11(3). https://doi.org/ten.1371/periodical.pone.0151794

[seven] Olesen, Due south. W., Barnett, Chiliad. L., MacFadden, D. R., Brownstein, J. S., Hernández-Díaz, S., Lipsitch, M., & Grad, Y. H. (2018). The distribution of antibiotic use and its clan with antibiotic resistance.eLife,7, e39435. doi:10.7554/eLife.39435

[8] Vyas, S., Sharma, P., Srivastava, K., Nautiyal, 5., & Shrotriya, 5. P. (2015). Function of Behavioural Chance Factors in Symptoms Related to UTI Among Nursing Students.Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR,9(9), LC15–LC18. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2015/10995.6547

[ix] Vostral South. L. (2011). Rely and Toxic Shock Syndrome: a technological health crisis.The Yale periodical of biological science and medicine,84(4), 447–459.

[10] I couldn't find any recent research on the bacterial content of menstrual sponges! Nonetheless, this old report found that the use of sponges resulted in relatively higher levels of 'bad bacteria' relating to TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) – than found in tampon/ pad use: Smith CB, Noble V, Bensch R, et al. (1982) Bacterial Flora of the Vagina During the Menstrual Bike: Findings in Users of Tampons, Napkins, and Body of water Sponges. Ann Intern Med. ;96:948–951. doi: x.7326/0003-4819-96-six-948

Source: https://www.menstrual-matters.com/washing/

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