The Vagina Is Self-Cleaning: Here’s What That Means for Your Reproductive Health
Did you know that the vagina is one of the few self-cleaning organs in the human body? Alongside the lungs, kidneys, and sinuses, it has a natural way of keeping itself healthy, with no fancy products required.
The vagina maintains its internal balance by regularly releasing a natural substance called discharge. Discharge is made up of old cells, healthy bacteria, and vaginal mucus. Its job? To flush out anything the body doesn’t need, keeping the vaginal environment healthy, balanced, and protected from infections. Discharge can vary in colour and texture throughout the menstrual cycle, and that’s completely normal. In fact, it’s a sign that your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to.
Because the vagina is so good at cleaning itself, there’s no need to manually cleanse it with outside products. Some commonly used products, such as douches and deodorizing washes, are marketed as essentials, but in reality, they can do more harm than good. The risk with these products is that they can actually disrupt the natural balance of the vagina. Here’s why: the vagina has a slightly acidic pH to help good bacteria (like lactobacilli) thrive and keep harmful microbes at bay. Most scented or “feminine hygiene” products are more alkaline or basic in nature, which when inserted into the vagina, can throw off the pH balance. This can be risky as it can lead to bacterial and fungal overgrowth, increasing the likelihood of infections with prolonged use.
Now we want to be clear, this information is not intended to fear-monger or shame anyone. If you have used these products before, you are not alone! Many of us grew up in a time when regular douching was the norm. Commercials in the 80s and 90s were filled with messages suggesting vaginas were “unfresh” or embarrassing. You might remember ads with young women whispering about feeling “not so clean,” reinforcing the idea that the vagina’s natural scent was something to be ashamed of. The reality is that those marketing tactics created and played on that insecurity, and entire industries profited from it.
The good news is that thanks to decades of evolving medical research and open conversations about reproductive health, we now understand that the vagina is self-cleaning and thrives when left alone. It doesn’t need to smell like flowers. It doesn’t need to be scrubbed or scented. It’s already taking care of itself in a way that’s both effective and fascinating!
So for the vagina-havers out there: next time you see a product claiming to “freshen” or “cleanse” your vagina, take a moment to remember: your body’s got this. The vagina is a self cleaning reproductive organ! How wonderfully unique is that?!
As always, Options is here for you if you have any questions! If you are curious about any of the information shared in this blog post, feel free to get in touch with our Sex Sense call line here at Options! They would be happy to answer any of your questions related to sexual health!
Sex Sense can be reached at 1-800-739-7367
and through the Sex Sense website www.sexsense.org
Written by Bryn Inglis