Vaginas are pretty amazingwhen you think about it.
They shuttle new life into the world and bring us pleasure during sex.
And unlike those dirty dishes sitting in your sink, they can even clean themselves.
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It can also mean you may not betaking care of this precious part the way you should.
“The vagina is a closed space,” Millheiser tells SELF.
“A tampon isn’t going to get lost in a black hole.
“So a tampon may be hidden in the folds of tissue.”
He or she can insert a speculum to make it easier to seeand quickly retrievethe wayward tampon.
Butbeing completely odorless isn’t the normfor most women.
“Every woman has her own personal scent,” notes Millheiser.
That’s your body throw in, just as some have more body odor than others.
Also, if you’re sweating, it’s going to smell more.”
Your gyno can diagnose you and prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection.
“I wish I had a dollar for every time a patient said, ‘I have discharge.
“Discharge is the shedding of the cells of the vagina,” she says.
“All woman have it.
Some can have a tablespoon per day and it’s normal.”
About one in four women ages 15 to 44 years old douche, according to theU.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
If you’re one of them, step away from the douche.
“The vagina is like a self-cleaning oven,” explains Millheiser.
“It will take care of itselfno cleaning on your part required.”
In fact, douching is moreharmfulthan helpful.
We hope you already know not to use soap inside your vagina (ouch).
“It’s a really sensitive place and harsh soaps can cause irritation down there,” says Millheiser.
But for the most part, childbirth and certainly having sexwon’t make you “loose.
In other words, they’re pros at snapping back into shape.
Not everyone gets wet right before having sex and that’s perfectly normaleven if you’re in your 20s.
Being dry as a desert down there is problematic because itmakes sex painfulinstead of pleasurable.
The good news is that there’s an easy solution:Lubricant.
If you need the works, use a silicon-based lube.
Or it’s possible for you to try natural oils, such as coconut oil.
Sadly, private parents aren’t protected from some common skin issues.
“you’re able to have eczema or psoriasis down there,” notes Millheiser.
Related:What Your Skinny Jeans Are Really Doing To Your Vagina
