The tough factor is, not all lubes are created equal. Slathering on one which accommodates glycerin (typically present in sure water-based choices, significantly flavored or warming ones) can up your danger of contracting a vaginal an infection, Kate McClean, MD, MPH, a board-certified ob-gyn in Seattle and chief medical officer at vaginal well being care model Evvy, tells SELF. How? Glycerin is a sugar alcohol that may function gasoline for the microbes in your nether areas, specifically yeast. Whereas it’s completely regular to have some yeast hanging round down there, an overgrowth of it will probably result in a yeast an infection (which may trigger irritation, swelling, and cottage-cheese-like discharge).
What to do as a substitute: At any time when you have got intercourse, use a hefty quantity of lube that’s freed from glycerin and different potential irritants like alcohol, parabens, petroleum, fragrances, and flavors. There are a bunch of fabulous choices available on the market that meet these parameters—take a look at our information to selecting one of the best sort of lube in your sexual state of affairs in addition to our all-time favourite picks.
4. You employ any form of particular “hygiene” product in your vagina or in your vulva.
You’ve most likely heard that the vagina is a “self-cleaning oven”—and it’s true: It naturally creates its personal cleansing answer, which you may know as discharge. So it actually doesn’t want any soaps, wipes, scented sprays, deodorants, or different “female hygiene” objects of any form except for (unscented) interval merchandise, Dr. McClean says. In actual fact, utilizing any of the above can truly knock out among the good micro organism dwelling therein, screw together with your vagina’s pH, and up your danger of an an infection. However as long as the cultural narrative persists round vaginas being unclean or smelly, firms will proceed to create objects deemed to cleanse them. Don’t fall for the advertising!
The vulva, or exterior a part of your genitals together with the “lips” the place hair grows, can use a little bit of cleansing (extra on this in a sec). However even on this zone, you wish to keep away from the hygiene merchandise listed above—significantly something scented, which might trigger irritation.
What to do as a substitute: Don’t—we repeat—don’t put something inside your vagina, it doesn’t matter what form of cleaning or freshness the product may promise. In the case of your vulva, you’ll be able to simply gently wash it with heat water, Renita White, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at Georgia Obstetrics & Gynecology, in Atlanta, tells SELF. Should you actually wish to use slightly one thing else, maybe to cleanse away particles or sweat within the hair-bearing areas, Dr. White says you’ll be able to go for a light, fragrance-free cleaning soap. (However should you discover any burning or discomfort, cease utilizing it, and change again to plain water.)
5. You have a tendency to depart a tampon chillin’ in your vagina for too lengthy.
Having a interval and needing to make use of menstrual merchandise is fairly inconvenient and costly as is, even earlier than you issue within the suggestion to alter your tampon each 4 to eight hours. So zero shade should you’ve ever discovered your self making an attempt to stretch out that window, whether or not to attend till it feels “full” sufficient (and make a pack last more), keep away from one other rest room journey at work, or some other cause.