HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR VAGINA: A GUIDE BY A PERSON WITH A VAGINA FOR PEOPLE ALSO WITH VAGINAS
Disclaimer: I am super duper not a medical professional. If something feels weird or painful or itchy, if you notice an odor that is not usually there or a discharge that is different from what you normally experience, please actually go see a medical professional!
Some important anatomical stuff:
Your vulva is the entirety of your genitalia, including your clitoris, urethra, and vagina (not your anus). Your vagina is specifically the opening between your labia minora, between your anus and your urethra.
Never ever ever ever use douching products. Donât even use regular soap! Your vagina is self-cleaning â all you need to do is splash some clean water up there when you shower. Anything else may screw up your vaginaâs pH, and can cause discomfort, infections, or odors you may be self-conscious about. Refer to our anatomical chart â shampooing your pubic hair is awesome! Douching or putting soap into your vagina is not!
Going commando is good for you! If you are uncomfortable going commando, wear ONLY cotton underwear. Cotton is breathable and lets your vagina air itself out naturally as you go about your day. At the very least, go without underwear at night.
THONGS ARE ZIPLINES FROM YOUR BUTT TO YOUR VULVA FOR BACTERIA. Wear them sparingly or not at all. I am so for real here.
When you have penetrative sex, the latex in the condom/the lube you use/the material of your toy/the crap under somebodyâs fingernails may cause itching, an odor, etc. If this persists for more than 24 hours, call your doctor! Otherwise it is totally normal.
Speaking of penetrative sex, vaginismus is a thing. If you are experiencing pain or cannot penetrate your vagina â even with a tampon â you should definitely see your doctor.
There is no such thing as like, ~normal~ discharge. What I mean by that is that discharge differs from person to person! ABNORMAL discharge is thick or discolored (greenish or yellowish) and has a distinct odor that is different from the odors your vagina would normally have (everyoneâs vagina sometimes has odors). Having some discharge is totally normal. Having different kinds of discharge over the course of your menstrual cycle is totally normal. Discharge is not a bad thing!Â
Sometimes your discharge can be basic enough to bleach your dark underwear. Donât freak about it. It happens!
Pads and tampons are both actually not great for your vagina (I say this, and I use pads). They wonât actually hurt you! But a menstrual cup is a little easier on your pH.
You donât have to do a goddamn thing with your pubic hair if you donât want to. Pubic hair is not dirty unless you donât shower or bathe, and if you donât shower or bathe we have other things to talk about. In fact, your pubic hair helps keep foreign stuff out of your vagina. It helps you! If you do decide to shave, trim your hair first before basically doing half-yoga poses in your tub while gently scraping a razor blade over your labia. Also, shave/trim at the end of your shower when your hair is a little softer. It will make your life significantly easier and can help avoid ingrown hairs and razor burn.
There is no normative vagina. All vaginas are unique! Yours is ok!
I highly recommend the Guide to Getting It On to anyone with more questions about penises, vaginas, and sex.
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