Myths about the Vagina
It’s the 21st century and thankfully most of our children are receiving sex education in schools. Unfortunately, there are still false concepts in many minds regarding reproductive parts and sex. The taboo of talking about one’s body parts and sex-related concerns in previous times brought long-term effects till now.
Some of us have serious misconceptions, particularly regarding female sexual organs. What’s the use of calling ourselves a part of modern and liberal society when we find ourselves believing such myths? This blog post is highlighting some common myths about the vagina, which none of us should consider true.
1. You Can Lose Your Virginity with a Tampon or Menstrual Cup
Our grannies and mothers were told to avoid menstrual products that they had to insert inside the vagina. You do not lose your virginity by using a tampon or a menstrual cup. Your hymen will probably break. But it doesn’t signify a girl losing her virginity. An intact hymen in a virgin’s body is a myth itself. Your hymen can break if you engage in heavy workout and some serious stretching. Some women have a thick hymen that remains intact even after they have sex.
2. You Can Lose a Tampon Inside
I wish for such myths to get lost from people’s minds. It’s practically not possible for a tampon to get lost in your body. If a woman forgets to remove her tampon, for a long time, she may find hard to remove it. But there’s no way you can lose it. The tampon stays on top of the vagina, as the cervix is too small to allow it to pass through. If you cannot locate your tampon, you can squat and bear down and try to remove it. It perfectly fine to insert your finger in your vagina. If you are unable to remove it the you should have a doctor remove it. A tampon left in your vagina for too long can cause toxic shock syndrome.
3. You Need to Clean Your Vagina with Special Products
The so-called feminine hygiene products exploited this sexist myth for decades. Yes, it’s important to maintain good hygiene of your body parts. However, avoid using perfumed oils, special soaps, and douching to clean your vagina.
The vagina cleans itself to some extent. By using cleaning products, you can cause more harm than good. The vaginal skin is delicate. You can’t thoroughly apply soap as you do on the rest of your body. Using a mild soap with water is fine for cleaning.
The vagina contains its own normal flora, which is necessary for a healthy vagina. With cleaning products or douching, you’ll remove most of the bacteria or lead to other types of bacteria breeding there. Both cases are harmful. Every woman vagina smell different. This is due to different body chemistry. However, a fishy or foul odor and yellow or green discharge should be evaluated by a MD.
4. You Can Treat Vaginal Infections with Garlic and Yogurt
Who in their right mind would apply garlic or yogurt for treating vaginal infections? Sadly, a few online sources claim to use this as a natural remedy to cure vaginal itch and infections.
Vaginal infections occur when there is an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina, which is fairly common. Either your immunity weakens when you get sick, or the internal flora can change due to periods or any other condition.
Vaginal infections heal over time with the right treatment. However, you can use antifungal medications if the itching is severe. Of course, before you do so, you need to consult your doctor.
5. Your Vagina Loosens After Too Much Sex
Yes, there can be instances when the vagina feels tightened up or loose. But it doesn’t mean that you’ll end up having a loose vagina if you’re sexually active. The vagina is highly elastic. It doesn’t stretch permanently if you are sexually active. Nor does it mean multiple sex partners will cause a loose vagina.
So, it’s about time we put these myths about the vagina to bed.
