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Feminine Hygiene
So what is it with all these products out there that want to make you, " fresh and feminine"? It seems that a lot of companies want to market special soaps, douches, and perfumes for the genital area, but are they really a good idea?
The vagina has several glands that produce a liquid that keeps the vagina moist. Just imagine what your mouth would feel like with no saliva! This liquid is normally white or clear, sometimes yellow, and doesn't have a strong odor or itch. The vagina also has bacteria that live there, these are called "microflora". The most important bacteria that lives in the vagina is called "lactobacillus".
Lactobacillus is a good bacteria, not one that causes disease. This is also the bacteria that makes yogurt; if you have ever eaten yogurt with active yogurt cultures, that is lactobacillus. As part of its lifecycle, lactobacillus produces hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural cleansing agent; we use it all the time to clean out surgical wounds, cuts, and scrapes. When the lactobacillus produces hydrogen peroxide, it continuously cleans out the vagina and keeps the bad bacteria from growing.
So when women use douches and special soaps in the vaginal area, it tends to kill off the lactobacillus, which then actually makes it more likely they will get an infection. The best way to stay clean is to wash on the outside with the same soap you use everywhere else, it is not necessaryto use anything special or to douche.
- By lac at 2005-11-10 21:47