Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is going on down there. Vaginas are a lot more sensitive than we'd like to think. And the same way our skin can act up on us so can our va-jay-jays. Been experiencing a lot of vaginal discomfort lately? It could be an infection, it could be an STD or it could be an allergic reaction. YES, allergic reaction!
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It might sound strange, but believe me there is such thing as vaginal allergies. I know, one more thing us women have to worry about, right? But the good thing is you can usually figure it out just by process of elimination. The only problem is that some of us (with super sensitive genital areas) are allergic to more than one thing.
In fact, I have a friend who's allergic to douches (which you probably shouldn't use anyway), feminine washes, spermicide and even lube. Every time she uses either one she experiences everything from itching, burning, swelling, redness and sometimes even discharge. It's such a pain in the vag. Not sure if you have any vaginal allergies? Here are a few common ones you might want to watch out for!
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Spermicide & Condoms
"Many people who use spermicide experience burning or itching or rash," Dr. Iris Orbuch told Cosmopolitan. It's so true, unfortunately not all vaginas can tolerate spermicide. If you've noticed you're sensitive make sure to look for condoms that don't contain it. If you think what you're really allergic to is the latex in condoms, switch to lamb skin condoms instead.
Douches
Almost every woman I know claims they've tried douching at least once and almost every single time they've experienced either a UTI or yeast infection afterwards. According to health experts, you should avoid douching. It can bring on problems like vaginal infections (like bacterial vaginosis), pelvic inflammatory disease, urinary tract infections and even pregnancy complications. Try washing with a mild soap and water instead.
Tampons
Toxic shock syndrome is just one of the bacterial infections I've heard you can get from using tampons. Most women don't experience any sort of problems, but there is a small percentage of women who can hardly tolerate them. Be careful, the problem might not be the tampon itself but what it's made of that's irritating you. Dr. Orbuch first recommends making sure your tampon is getting fully saturated. A tampon that's too thick for your flow could cause discomfort. "You should also try unscented tampons, and the organic cottons ones that are unbleached, if you're not using them already. Many women's skin is very sensitive to scents or dyes, and that's the same in your vagina. If your skin is getting irritated, your vagina could be swelling, making removal difficult," she said.
Lubricants
Lubricants are usually used to avoid vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, but using the wrong one can lead to burning and irritation. Avoid oil-based lubes and also looked for water-based ones, like Astroglide Personal Lubricant Gel ($7) which tend to cause little to no side effects and don't cause condom breakage as easily.
Birth control
Feeling a little dry lately? A lot of women don't realize that birth control can leave you with a dry vagina. Think about it, your hormones and your estrogen levels play a huge part in your lack of vaginal moisture. If you think your dryness might be caused by your BC, make an appointment with your GYNO and check out some other options.
Detergents & fabric softeners
There's a reason why fragrance-free, hypoallergenic laundry detergents exist today and that's because regular detergents can irritate some people's skin, including your vulva. Whether you have allergies or not, I always recommend switching to a hypoallergenic formula. You have nothing to lose.
Toilet paper
That's right, toilet paper can cause vulvar irritation especially if it's scented. But apparently some women are allergic to the ingredients found in "bleached" toilet paper as well. Luckily, there are some unbleached options out there.
Chlorine
Ever took a dip in a pool or a hot tub and felt strange down there afterwards? Aside from that fact that they're loaded with bacteria, pools and hot tubs also contain chlorine which can be hard on your skin. It literally damages the oil and mineral balance of skin cells and messes with your fluid balance.
Jeans
Chances are you aren't actually allergic to jeans. The tight, moist environment can mess with your vagina and set you up for a yeast infection, though. I'm not suggesting you stop wearing them altogether, just take a break every once and a while and give your vagina some room to breathe!
