You may believe Valentine’s Day is a special and valid holiday. Or maybe you think it’s a commercial holiday that Hallmark and Hershey’s created. Either way, the cute alliteration of vulva and Valentine makes this the perfect time of year to talk about maintaining the bottom floors of the corporeal abode we call our bodies.
Is Vulva the same as Vagina?
This is an important distinction and for anyone who mixes them up, here’s your cheat sheet:
Vagina = interior passageway that connects the uterus to the exterior. It’s like the hallway that leads from your living room to your front door.
The vulva = represents the external genitalia and acts as the bodyguard for the interior reproductive organs. You can consider this the gate around your front door.
What keeps the vulva healthy?
The issues most common to the vulva are skin conditions and infections. And while these are often caused by bacteria, it’s important to remember that good bacteria is a permanent resident of the vulva and it is, in fact, a crucial component to keeping your vagina clean and healthy. In other words, you need to be careful not to destroy the good bacteria when acting to prevent bad bacteria.
Therefore, it’s recommended that you take a less is more approach to cleansing this area. In your daily shower, wash with mild soap and warm water. That’s it. That’s all.
No douching
No scented soaps or down-there deodorants
For an extra measure of prevention, look for underwear with a cotton gusset. The gusset is the inset fabric that comes in direct contact with your vulva. Nylon gussets trap heat and create moisture, making an ideal environment for infection-causing organisms. Additionally, you should avoid staying in wet bathing suits or sweaty workout clothes for too long. Furthermore, be sure to wash these items between uses.
Lastly, if your skin is prone to irritation, or you’ve previously had issues in this area, stick to 100% white cotton underwear (underwear made completely of cotton, not just the gusset). White underwear will be free of dyes, reducing irritation and since cotton is breathable and hypoallergenic, all your itch-prevention bases will be covered.