Can intimate hygiene products harm the health of the vagina?

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Together with an obstetrician-gynecologist figured out how to make intimate hygiene safe.

How often and what should be washed

Hygiene is an individual matter. You need to wash your genitals every day, and the exact frequency depends on your lifestyle. For example, during menstruation, active sweating or after sports, you should remove impurities and iron products more often.

It is important to remember that healthy genitals can have a slight odor. It is caused by microorganisms that inhabit the vagina. A healthy microflora is dominated by lactobacilli: they help maintain an acidic pH of no more than 4.5. If hygiene is overdone, the pH increases and the balance of microorganisms is disturbed. The quality or quantity of lactobacilli may decrease, which will be replaced by conditionally pathogenic bacteria. This can lead to infections such as bacterial vaginosis or candidiasis (thrush).

The cause of the smell can be white and transparent discharge from the vagina. There is no need to worry – this is a normal phenomenon. The cervix produces cervical mucus, which helps sperm reach the egg during ovulation. Depending on the day of the cycle, the nature of discharge may change. Immediately after menstruation, they are sparse, white or yellow. During ovulation, the amount of mucus increases, it becomes slippery and resembles raw egg white in consistency. In no case, do not try to wash it out of the vagina.

The vagina as a whole does not need additional cleaning. You should wash only the outer part – the vulva, and for healthy hygiene, warm water is enough. Scented soaps, gels and antiseptics can be avoided – they are not a mandatory attribute of washing.

If nothing bothers a woman, it is enough to simply wash with water twice a day. Movements should be directed from the front back to the anus area. The external genitalia can be washed with ordinary soap as long as there are no skin irritations.

If the smell of the genitals is strong, and there is also itching, burning or unusual discharge, do not try to wash until it squeaks. It is better to see a doctor – unpleasant symptoms may indicate an illness.

How do intimate hygiene products work

If desired, you can use means for intimate hygiene. They gently affect surfaces, soften hairs, remove possible skin irritation from epilation, and eliminate discomfort after washing. But before using such means it is better to consult a doctor. By itself, the gel for intimate hygiene does not provoke health problems. But if they are already there – for example, the microflora of the vagina is disturbed, the product can affect the pH and aggravate the situation.

If you are healthy, choose a means for intimate hygiene according to the principle “I used it – I liked it, it did not cause discomfort and irritation.” But if something goes wrong, consult a specialist. Irritation may occur due to a delayed inflammatory process, dysbiosis or individual intolerance to any of the components of the product. For example, gels vary in pH. If you have thrush and you choose a remedy with a high pH, ​​the symptoms of the disease will intensify.

In some cases, for example, with dysbiosis, the remedy may be recommended by a doctor. But no hygiene product is a medicine and cannot replace pills and suppositories (candles). It can only be used as an adjunct to treatment.

In addition to washing gels, you can find intimate deodorants on sale that promise to reduce odor and even strengthen the walls of the vagina. But doctors do not recommend using them, as well as washing the genitals with a syringe.

Vaginal deodorants do not remove, they only mask the smell. So they can mask the manifestations of some disease. No deodorants, ointments, pills or other non-invasive procedures narrow the vagina. And any douching leads to the washing out of normal microflora, which can then be difficult to restore. The risks from it are much greater than the benefits.