When we talk about hygiene, we naturally think of a good evening or morning shower, brushing your teeth or even washing your hands. L’Personal care, which concerns the area of the perineum which includes the vulva and the anus, is often included in the basic gestures of personal hygiene. However, she deserves better. Let’s take stock with Dr. Christilla Nevi, medical gynecologist in Paris, and with Marie Drago, doctor of pharmacy and founder of Gallinée.
Should you clean your private parts?
On the subject of personal hygiene, Dr. Christilla Nevi is adamant: if you can wash your vulva without worry, it is highly inadvisable to try washing your vagina or performing a vaginal douche, otherwise you will develop an infection such as yeast infection or vaginosis .
He explains to Madmoizelle:
Above all, the vaginal microbiota must not be disturbed because it is its good balance that allows for good lubrication and to avoid losses and unpleasant odors.
The vulva, on the other hand, can be cleaned to remove smegma (note, a whitish substance composed of debris from dead cells and secretions) that can accumulate between the labia minora and labia majora, and eliminate odors due to maceration.
For Marie Drago, this area of the body also requires special care:
There is every interest in taking care of it because it is a border area between the vagina and the skin, and it is through this that the bad bacteria that colonize the vagina pass. Today, thanks to scientific studies, we know that the quality of the microbiome influences the chances of conceiving a child, the probability of prematurity, as well as the resistance to sexually transmitted diseases. So get involved!
An imbalance in the vulvar flora is characterized by many symptoms including tingling, itching, abnormal discharge, a feeling of discomfort when the vulva is in contact with underwear or dryness during sexual intercourse.
What products to use to wash the vulva?
To carry out her personal hygiene, Christilla Nevi recommends opting for an oil, a cleansing gel or a delicate cleansing bar to avoid creating dryness or irritation:
A neutral body product can be very suitable, but if you have a sensitive vulva, it is better to use a specific product adapted to the pH of this area of the body.explains
But what does pH have to do with it? It’s simple: the vulva has a microbiota composed mainly of lactobacilli but also of bacteria and fungi which, if they proliferate too much, can cause itching at best and infections at worst.
For lactobacilli to fulfill their protective role and continue to regulate the presence of pathogens, they must evolve in an acidic environment. Dr. Marie Drago enlightens us:
The risk, using a too aggressive product, is to change the pH of the vulva and thus give the possibility to fungi and bad bacteria to multiply and eliminate the lactobacilli essential for the health of the genital organs..
To avoid unpleasant surprises, she recommends opting for a formula with a pH between 4 and 6, without essential oils or perfume, and whose cleansing and foaming agents (the famous surfactants) are known for their softness.
” Unfortunately, the pH is rarely indicated on cosmetics, which is a pity, because it would allow us to understand the degree of stripping of certain products such as Marseille soap, whose pH is between 10 and 11 “, complains the founder of Gallinée, the first skincare brand dedicated 100% to the health and well-being of the microbiome.
How to wash the vulva?
To perform personal hygiene, use clean hands (gloves are a real breeding ground for germs) and clean the vulva from front to back. The anal area should be washed last to prevent coli (gut bacteria) from colonizing the vulva and vagina, causing infection. ” It is important to rinse well after cleaning, to remove all product residues and avoid irritation “remembers Christilla Nevi.
Sweet shopping for vulva care
Front page image photo credit: Sora Shimazaki on Pexels
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
