A staggering variety of so-called feminine hygiene products seek to help with ‘vaginal odour’ and discharge and ‘keep you fresh’.
From deodorants to cucumber cleanses, scented panty liners, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s newest controversial fad ‘vaginal steaming’.
But these products actively promote the view that women’s vaginas should be discharge-free, says an Australian gynaecologist.
Dr Deborah Bateson, from the University of Sydney’s obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatology department, made the claim in a piece for The Conversation.
She revealed that many women now believe their vagina should exude the whiff of rose petals or vanilla pods.
Vaginal cleaning products actively promote the view that women’s vaginas should be discharge-free, says an Australian gynaecologist
What is vaginal discharge and why is it important?
The vagina is self-cleaning, and vaginal discharge plays an important role in keeping the vagina healthy.
From puberty, when oestrogen kicks in, the vagina becomes colonised with healthy bacteria from the Lactobacillus group which produce lactic acid.
This finely balanced vaginal ecosystem is referred to as the vaginal microbiome and the resulting acidity of the vagina provides protection against sexually transmissible infections.
Healthy vaginal discharge is made up of fluid from the vaginal walls, mucus from the cervix as well as the lactobacilli.
Because the vaginal environment is hormonally influenced, variation in the amount of discharge throughout the month is to be expected and completely normal.
As well as providing a protective environment, vaginal discharge provides natural lubrication with between one and 4mls of fluid produced every 24 hours.
Healthy vaginal discharge has a characteristic smell – and in some women this can become stronger because of the large number of sweat glands in the hair-bearing pubic area.
So while washing inside the vagina is not recommended, it’s important to keep the outer skin clean.
Disruption of the healthy vaginal environment
Anything put in the vagina can potentially disrupt the vaginal environment and its balanced vaginal flora, including tampons, penises, condoms, semen, fingers and hygienic sex toys.
Disruption in these cases is almost always temporary and the vagina quickly restores itself.
But this may not be so in the case of vaginal cleansing products, or repeated douching.
Homemade douches usually contain water and vinegar and commercial products contain antiseptics and fragrances that can reduce the lactobacilli and reduce the protective effect of the discharge.
From deodorants to cucumber cleanses and scented ‘panty liners’, many ideas have been touted as potential ways of cleaning the vagina in recent months
The latest fad?
So what about the latest ‘v-treatment’, vaginal steaming? To quote a version promoted on Gwyneth Paltrow’s site GOOP.
‘You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus. It is an energetic release — not just a steam douche — that balances female hormone levels.’
Apart from the risk of burning and scalding, there are many other reasons not to v-steam.
Not only will steam have a drying effect on the vagina, it’s likely to disrupt the vaginal microbiome and reduce the body’s natural barrier against infections.
While no steam may actually reach the uterus, blowing hot herbal fumes into this important organ has no benefits and could in fact do harm.
There would certainly be no effect of this pseudo-scientific treatment on female hormone levels.
