WHAT’S YOUR VAGINA TELLING YOU THIS SUMMER?

This summer has been HOT and STEAMY, but it’s not so good when your lady parts are this way! Here’s what your va-jay-jay is telling you to stay so fresh and so clean this summer. Dr. S is sharing her most common vaginal hygiene tips:

If your vagina could talk, it would say . . .

1. Start wearing more cotton underwear. Cotton is king in the summer! Unlike other synthetic materials, cotton is breathable and releases sweat and moisture. This allows the skin to stay cool and breathe and reduces the risk of vaginal infections.

2. Stop douching. Despite what our mothers and grandmothers may have taught us, douching is not good for vaginal health. Douching is thought to eliminate vaginal odors; however, the acidic solution disrupts the vagina’s normal pH balance and can irritate the vaginal wall lining. This pH imbalance increases the risk of vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis and can open the door for more harmful infections.

3. Ball out. Throw off the underwear and free ball at night. The poor girl has been cooped up all day – she just wants to get out and breathe the night air. But seriously, ditching the underwear at night increases ventilation, reduces moisture, and, therefore, reduces the risk of yeast infections.

4. Minimize tight clothing. Tight fitting clothes may look good in the summer, but they don’t feel so good to the vagina. Constrictive clothing reduces airflow and increases moisture thus creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow.

5. Remove damp clothing. This is just asking for a vaginal yeast infection. If you have sweat in your underwear on a hot summer day or you’ve just gotten out of the pool, get out of those soggy clothes and change into fresh, dry clothes.

6. Use caution when removing hair then hitting the pool. Any form of hair removal – whether waxing or shaving – should be done at least 24-72 hours before hitting the pool or beach. This gap in time reduces the risk of chlorinated water or sea water irritating the skin further. You don’t want an infected skin pore, do you?

7. Bump what you heard – DROP THE SOAP. That’s right – let the soap go. Our intentions are to keep our lady fresh and clean; however, the vagina is a self-cleansing organ. Washing the vagina with soap, especially scented ones, can irritate and dry out the skin as well increase the risk of fungal or bacterial vaginal infections. To clean the vagina, all you have to do is rinse with warm water, and she will stay in check.

Be fresh, be free and be well this summer!