Vaginas. Love them or hate them, a good chunk of the population has them. Vaginas are out of this world in a way. By that, I mean that they seem so foreign to their owners as well as other people. Why is that? Could it be due to the lack of education people receive while going to school or from their parents? With what seems like a great amount of knowledge lacking in the vagina department, there is a good chunk of vagina myths out there. Through my own knowledge via my gynecologist and some researching, I present you vagina myths and facts!
Myth: Vaginas that have an odor are dirty.
Fact: ALL VAGINAS HAVE AN ODOR. It is more than normal for your vagina to have a type of scent to it. Does this mean it is dirty? Most likely not, as vaginas are a totally cool self-cleaning mechanism. If your vagina does have a strong potent odor, it probably has to do with what you eat. One of the few times you should question your vaginas smell is if it smells strongly of fish, according to the Mayo Clinic. If this is the case, it could be an indicator that there is potential for an infection. Make sure to talk to your doctor if you are concerned about this.
Myth: It’s okay to douche your vagina in order to keep it clean.
Fact: Douching should only be done when a doctor has prescribed this. While people report that this makes them feel cleaner, it isn’t the best option to stay clean and healthy. Frequent douching can result in vaginal infection. This occurs when the pH and bacteria that keep your vagina happy, clean, and healthy get thrown off. When thrown off, this disrupts the vaginal environment freaking them out. Freaked out pH and bacteria most likely leads to an infection and no one wants that.
“Well if I can’t douche my vagina how else am I supposed to clean it?” Excellent question! When caring for one’s vagina there isn’t too much you have to do. In the previous paragraph, it is mentioned that the pH balance and certain bacteria help clean your vagina. Think of them as your own personal maid service! If you feel like you have to assist your maid service here’s a tip. Use an incredibly soft washcloth soaked in warm water and gently wipe the outside areas of the vagina. Believe it or not, people will take the washcloth into the vaginal canal. Please do not do this!
Myth: The looser the vagina, the more sex the person has had.
Fact: First of all, who cares how much sex a person has had? As long as it is safe, sane, and consensual it doesn’t matter. Second of all, no. Unless the object/body part going into the vagina is scarily huge, the vagina isn’t permanently stretched from it. When the person who has a vagina becomes aroused, the vagina will widen some and self-lubricate to prepare for sex. Once sex has ended, the vagina will return to its normal state of being. For a vagina to be permanently stretched, it really only occurs when a baby comes out of it. While technically the vagina is permanently stretched, it is able to go back to almost its original diameter. That means that technically it is “looser” but only by a small percent.
All in all, vaginas are pretty great. They’re kinda there doing their own thing and even have their own maid service. Can they be a pain? Yes, but so can any other body part or organ that you have. If you hear something about vaginas that makes you question its legitimacy, don’t be afraid to fact check. In fact, make sure you fact check it so you don’t start doing anything that is potentially harmful to your vagina. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your doctor or gynecologist either. They’re the professionals who likely know more about vaginas than some frequently shared image Jane Doe shared on Facebook.