here’s what gunter and calgary obstetrician and gynecologist dr. fiona mattatall have to say about the feminine hygiene market, how to take care of your vulva and vagina and why it’s so important to send the right message about these body parts.
how do you keep your vagina and vulva clean?
in the past, douches were marketed as a way to clean the vagina, but the reality is vaginas are like a self-cleaning oven — they don’t need special cleaning, and the practice of douching can actually cause infections.
mattatall describes the marketing of vulva cleaning products as the, “2020 version of the 1960s douche.”
“adding all sorts of perfumes and chemicals to market something as special for the vulva will cause dermatological reactions in some women, who then end up needing to see us in the clinic,” she says.
along with potentially causing skin irritation and allergic reactions, gunter says marketing can be so misleading that some people unknowingly use a product intended for the vulva and insert it up their vagina instead, which can cause many issues like infections.
cleaning the vulva requires very little energy — water and a gentle scent-free cleanser that doubles as face wash will do the trick. there’s no need for wipes, sprays or other scented products. mattatall says using a washcloth with water is more cost effective, environmentally friendly and safer than using feminine wipes.