Vaginal health is an important part of a woman’s overall health. Vaginal problems can affect fertility, desire for sex, and ability to reach an organism. Understanding what affects your vaginal health and what steps/products can be used to improve vaginal health is essential.Â
What Affects Vaginal Health?
Sexual intercourse is one main factor that contributes to vaginal health. In this generation, women are either sexually active with their partners or participating in hookup culture. Regardless of which women are participating, it is important to use protection. Unprotected sex results in sexually transmitted diseases.
What are The Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Problems?
Some signs and symptoms that you should look out for are if there is a change in color, odor, or vaginal discharge. You must check for redness or itching, bleeding between periods or after sex, or a mass or bulge in the vagina.Â
Many women also experience vaginal candidiasis, also known as a yeast infection, which is a fungal infection that causes irritation, discharge and intense itchiness of the vagina and the vulva. To avoid getting yeast infections women should avoid tight-fitting underwear, scented feminine products and staying in wet clothes for long periods of time.Â
Types of Underwear You Wear Are Also Important
Underwear heavily contributes to a woman’s vaginal health. Some Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN) health experts have shared that synthetic materials such as nylon, spandex and polyester should be used cautiously because they are associated with a higher risk of yeast infections.Â
OB-GYN’s recommend purchasing cotton underwear because they are gentle with the skin, breathable and comfortable.Â
Products for Vaginal HealthÂ
Overall many health experts recommend not using fragrance-heavy products around the vaginal area. A woman’s vagina has an acidic environment so adding fragrance products and products with other chemicals may disrupt the vagina’s natural pH level.Â
The best thing a woman can do is use cotton underwear, avoid fragrance products, and use warm water to help improve vaginal health.Â
What are some recommendations you have to improve vaginal health? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!