‘Should I use a feminine wash?’

One of the many reasons the female body is so fascinating is that the vaginal canal and vulval skin is home to a unique population of friendly bacteria, yeasts and viruses called the microbiome. Millions of species all live in harmony to keep the intimate skin healthy and at a slightly acidic pH. Keeping this vaginal pH in its optimal slightly acidic state is important for women’s health as it keeps the healthy bacteria thriving and the harmful bacteria at bay.

When it comes to cleansing our intimate area, being gentle is key to avoid disrupting the pH and altering the diversity of the microbiome. When the pH gets disrupted, it can result in inflammation and vaginal dryness which can be uncomfortable, or even lead to bacterial or yeast infections, such as Thrush or Bacterial Vaginosis, which may require treatment.

The vaginal canal itself is actually self-cleaning. Isn’t that amazing? By producing a thin discharge, the vaginal canal self-cleanses from the inside out. But whilst you certainly don’t need to clean the inside of your vagina, you do need to clean the skin around it; your vulva.

Some women will prefer to wash with just warm water and leave the microbiome to do its thing, and that’s perfectly ok, but here at femfresh we are advocates of personal choice and understand that lots of women do prefer to cleanse their intimate area using a wash, and that’s perfectly fine too!

If you are going to opt for a wash – keep those heavily fragranced soaps, bubble baths and shower gels up top! Genetic bathing products can be too harsh on the microbiome and risk stripping the vaginal skin of its friendly bacteria and can disrupt the pH, leading to discomfort, irritation and even infection. Either stick to warm water or give your intimate skin the TLC it deserves with a pH balanced wash such as femfresh Daily Wash, which will leave you feeling fresh, without disrupting the natural and delicate balance of the microbiome. You wouldn’t use your body wash on your face, so don’t use it on your vagina.

How often should I be cleansing?

When cleansing, remember you only need to do so once a day, even if on your period… there’s no need to overdo it.

What about after sex?

It’s a misconception that cleaning after sex reduces risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). You may want to cleanse after sex, but the only way to prevent STIs is to use barrier protection until both you and your partner have both had negative STI tests. And definitely keep the antibacterial washes for your hands and away from your vaginal microbiome!

What about vaginal douching?

The term douching refers to squirting water inside the vaginal canal itself, with the idea of flushing everything out. This is never recommended as this can disrupt the harmony of the microbiome leading to irritation and possible infections!

And remember, if you notice any new symptoms such as a change in consistency or smell of your vaginal discharge, itching, irritation, bleeding or pain then you need to speak to your own doctor.