Vaginal Care

Vaginal care

I feel there should be more education about how we should take care of our bodies!!  Most women believe we have to use special products in and around the vagina to encourage it to smell clean and fresh. WRONG. The truth is, these products can actually make things worse!!

 So, what do you use?  Believe it or not, just simply some warm water on the outside only, should be enough!  If you feel you need to wash, maybe after working our, or spending a lot of time outside on a hot day, you can use a gentle soap, like an unscented body bar, on the outside only.  You should never, yes, I said never, put any soap in your vagina.  No douching, either.  No pH balancers.  Just simply warm water on the outside and occasionally a little soap on the outside when absolutely necessary. 

Panty liners?

Not daily!  If you wear a panty liner daily these can actually make discharge worse, too. Cotton lined underwear is the best thing for you to wear for your vaginal health. If you have to use a panty liner you can try an all cotton one, but I would try to stay away from these, too!

Change your underwear and bottoms after working out. 

Bubble bath lover? 

It’s ok, but if you start having issues with vaginal discharge or odor, you might want to take a break for awhile and see if that was the cause.

What about sex?

What do we do with our vaginal care before, during, and after intercourse? 

Plan with some unscented lubricants as well as non-latex condoms.  Then, afterwards, simply urinate.  There is no need for douching.  

What if there is a problem? 

If you have any odor, increased discharge, itching, irritation or discomfort, come see us! These could be signs of infection or bacterial imbalance. We are happy to help.

Author

Amanda Murphy, PA-C Amanda Murphy, PA-C is a board-certified Physician Assistant at Premier OB-Gyn with offices in Maitland and Oviedo, Florida. Amanda was born and raised in Palm Harbor, Florida. She attended Florida State University and obtained her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. Amanda’s brother received a life-saving heart and double lung transplant, which shaped Amanda’s goals for her future. She attended the University of Texas Medical Branch and obtained her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Amanda was the president of her class and involved in several organizations on campus. Amanda practiced Pulmonary Critical Care for nearly three years where she gained a wealth of knowledge and experience. She always had a passion for Women’s Health and started working in OB/Gyn, and completely fell in love with providing care for women. She enjoys delivering care to women of all ages and stages of life. She and her husband, Brendan, have two beautiful little girls named Abigail and Paige.