From vaginal steaming to the cucumber cleanse, the internet is awash with bizarre trends claiming to improve and strengthen the vagina.
Two such trends are the use of pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles supporting the bladder, uterus and colon and jade eggs which claim to both strengthen and cleanse the vagina.
A stronger pelvic floor is associated with more intense orgasm, stronger internal grip during penetrative sex, reducing incontinence, and promoting healing after vaginal child birth so it is no wonder that women are looking for any way to strengthen these muscles.
But with so many trends out there all claiming to do the same thing, how do you know what to try and what should be avoided?
Jade eggs
Jade eggs (or yoni eggs) surged in popularity back in 2017 when Gwyneth Paltrow touted the benefits on her website Goop.
Advocates for the use of the product claim that when inserted inside the vagina the eggs produce an energy to spiritually renew the womb, to increase sexual energy, to balance your hormones and quell symptoms of PMS.
Advocates also claim that inserting a jade egg causes your body to do an involuntary kegel, which is a type of pelvic floor exercise. However, experts warn that using a jade egg could be extremely harmful to your health.
Ob-gyn Dr. Jen Gunter wrote on her blog, “The stones are really porous, so I’m not sure how it could be cleaned or sterilized between uses.” This would lead to a build up of bacteria in the pores of the rock being reintroduced into the vagina with every use increasing the risk of bacterial vaginosis and toxic shock syndrome.
Experts also warn that the stone could get stuck in your vagina and you could scratch your vaginal wall trying to retrieve it. Dr. Gunter also believes claims that using a jade egg will help strengthen your pelvic floor are false.
She said that leaving a weight inside your vagina all day causes you muscles to contract continually rather than contract and relax as would happen while doing kegel exercises. “Contracting constantly is like doing half of a bicep curl and not finishing it – that’s not how you work on a muscle,” Dr. Gunter said.
Kegel exercises
Despite this, other forms of pelvic floor exercises have been proven to work. The most common of these are kegel exercises.
Kegels exercises focus on tightening and holding of the muscles that control urine flow.
The exercise can be done standing, sitting or lying down and requires you to visualise the muscles that stop the flow of urine and tighten these muscles as much as possible. Hold this position for five to 10 seconds and then relax the muscles completely before repeating.
If you are having trouble identifying your pelvic floor muscles you can try to stop the flow of urine midway through emptying the bladder, hold for a second or two and then finish emptying the bladder. This should only be done to identify the muscles however and is not recommended as a regular exercise.
Although traditionally used to target the buttocks, squats can also be a useful exercise to strengthen the pelvic floor. However, not all squats have the same effect. Wide-legged or deep squats may make it difficult to retain pelvic floor contraction. When strengthening the pelvic floor, narrow and shallow squats tend to be more beneficial.
The important thing to remember is that there is no magic cure-all for all of your problems. If you are concerned about any aspect of your sexual health you should always consult your doctor before experimenting with alternative remedies and treatments.