I'm all for personal hygiene, but you won't find any vaginal douches or feminine cleansers in my shower. Nope, all you'll find is a plain ol' bar of Dove soap that's fragrance-free and specifically targeted towards sensitive skin. Why? Because women are using way too many products down there these days that are loaded with chemicals and other crap that are causing a ton of reactions. Frequent UTI's, yeast infections and BV (bacterial vaginosis) is NOT normal chica!
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I've been noticing that more and more of my friends are struggling with frequent infections, one of them gets yeast infections on a monthly basis! According to a review in Clinical Medicine Insights: Women's Health, about one-quarter of American women have suffered inflammation, pain or itching on their vulva and studies believe that half of the cases are caused by harsh chemicals found in medicinal creams (like over-the-counter yeast infections meds), feminine hygiene products, soaps, lubes spermicide, condoms and vaginal dyes. Apparently the vaginal canal and vulva are so rich in blood vessels and mucus membranes they can absorb chemicals at a much higher rate than your skin does. How crazy is that?
Struggling with vaginal infections lately? It might be time to change up your hygiene regime. Here are a few ways you can detox your vagina and start off fresh and new!
Change up your cleaning routine: What you use to wash your vagina is just as important as how often you wash it. You should be cleansing down there during shower time, so basically every morning and every night. BUT always make sure to wash up before and after sex too. Lose the fancy feminine washes and cleanse with a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic soap. That's all you need!
Use the right lube: Struggling with vaginal dryness? You can still use lube, but make sure to look for a water-based one that's glycerin and paraben-free. If you experience any sort of irritation make sure to follow up with your OB-GYN.
Don't treat infections on your own: If you think you might have a yeast infection, try making an appointment with your gyno. According to William Ledger, MD, an ob-gyn at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, a lot of women can't tolerate the high concentrations of the antifungal ingredient found in most over-the-counter creams. Instead see if you can have your doctor prescribe you the Diflucan pill. It's just one pill you have to take and the infection is usually gone within 72 hours!
Be careful with spermicides: You might have tolerated them just fine before, but Mirdana Farage, PhD, research fellow at Procter and Gamble's Feminine Care Clinical Sciences in Cincinnati, Ohio claims that the shaving and Brazilian waxing trends means women are "removing the protective layer of skin and making it more sensitive to a record level of chemicals." If you notice your vagina becoming red, irritated or itchy within a few hours or days, stop using and see your doctor!
Don't make things worse: My OB-GYN always suggests washing down there with cool water and no soap just while you're undergoing treatment to treat an infection. She claims the soap can further irritate the problem. So keep your hygiene regime simple until things clear up!
Take probiotics: If you're especially prone to infections, try taking probiotics that contain Lactobacillus. This helps maintain a healthy vaginal flora as well at the health of your urinary tract, making it harder to contract bacterial infections.
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