So why do women douche? I know, I know….You don’t feel “so fresh” down there……..
NEWSFLASH, your vagina is like a self-cleaning oven; it literally takes care of itself. Besides, if you feel like you have an unpleasant scent, or are trying to rid yourself of some “irritation”, I’m willing to bet the house that there’s something else going on, DOWN THERE, that should be evaluated by your ob/gyn.
Here are some pretty common reasons folks think douching is good: it will prevent you from getting a STI(sexually transmitted infection). It will prevent you from getting pregnant if the condom breaks; you know, wash the sperm away. Both of the previous statements are FALSE!
I can’t come up with any good reasons to douche; however, here are my
TOP 5 REASONS NOT TO DOUCHE:
- Ya know all that discharge, mucous, “annoyingness” that seems to ALWAYS be coming out of your vagina? Well, most of the time that is your vagina’s way of cleaning itself. The vagina is made up of a complex system of bacteria that helps maintain the natural balance of things “down there”. Douching disrupts this balance and actually can cause “trouble in paradise” if you know what I mean.
- Is thought to increase your risk of developing Bacterial Vaginosis; you know, vaginal discharge accompanied by that “fishy odor” that we all hate! Yeppers. This is brought about by douching and its ability to offset the natural acidic pH of the vagina.
- Is thought to increase your risk of PID(pelvic inflammatory disease). PID is primarily caused by gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. There is even a link with bacterial vaginosis. Douching may make it easier for those agents associated with PID to flourish due to it “upsetting” the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina. It also may assist in pushing “bad bacteria” into the uterus/fallopian tubes, hence, leading to PID.
- Douching may double a woman’s risk of Ovarian Cancer.
- Causes more trouble than it’s worth. I already told you that the vagina essentially takes care of itself. Douching prevents it from doing its job! Doing so may actually cause redness, irritation, burning. My advice to you: LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!
Hoping this blog post has added value to your day!
Until next time,
Look Better. Feel Better. Be Better.
Dr. Angela
