Myths on intimate hygiene you might have seen on TikTok to debunk

The term "clean vagina" has been heard a lot lately on Tik Tok, where the hashtag #femininehygieneproducts has 31.3 million views and explores tips and practices on how to keep the vagina extremely clean and aesthetically pleasing. So many influencers, particularly from the United States have promoted and sponsored obsessive monitoring for cleanliness, external appearance and smell of one's vagina, suggesting frequent washings and even tricks to shrink it and make it smell a certain way. The movement, of complete patriarchal heritage, is not in favor of vagina wearers but instead of those who observe it from the outside, do not know it and above all idealize it.  Fortunately, soon experts in the field and beyond began to take a stand on the issue, explaining with popularized content why it was not a fad to be followed. That is why I would say 2 big NOs to this fad.

My first NO is from a medical point of view. Starting from the anatomical aspect, the vulva is the outer part of the genitals, consisting of the labia majora and mount of venus, the area covered by hair, the innermost labia minora, and the clitoris covered by its hood. This outer area is right to be washed with special cleansers. Depending on the period of a woman's life, it is ideal to change the PH of of one's intimate cleanser: if in childbearing age an acid PH cleanser will be needed, from 3.8- 4.5, while in menopause a more neutral PH cleanser will be needed. The vulva care should not be overdone because the risk is to harm the vulvar microbiota; two cleanses a day are sufficient to keep it healthy.   

The vagina, on the other hand, is the inner part, the part, for instance, where the cup or the tampon is placed; it consists of mucous membrane and not skin, unlike the vulva. The vagina is home to a dense population of good bacteria called lactobacilli that make up the vaginal microbiota. These numerous families work and live in harmony to defend the vagina from pathogens. It is for this reason that the vagina should not be washed at all Classic cleansers, even intimate cleansers are not suitable for cleaning the vagina, they are irritating and can damage and inflame the vaginal walls. The vagina is a completely self-cleansing organ; it eliminates substances it does not need by itself through physiological vaginal secretions, which are normal, no matter how much the #cleanvagina trend wants us to believe otherwise.

Vaginal douches, on the other hand, which are created for the vagina, should be used with great caution, for strictly necessary reasons (such as infection, leucorrhea, etc.) and prescribed by the specialist. This is because washing the vagina can alter its PH, making it susceptible to infection of pathogens, irritation and inflammation. The delicate vaginal mucosa is weakened and can decrease physiological lubrication resulting in intimate discomfort and pain during intercourse.

My second, giant NO, on the other hand, is socio-cultural/ethical. As mentioned earlier, the message behind the trend is against women's health and in favor of an ideal image of women, which we can define as patriarchal.  The "clean," "pure," "immaculate" girl is a stereotype related to purity, virginity that elevates a woman's value, a stereotype that is outdated, but clearly not yet outdated. This image of "clean" runs the risk of making women feel wrong, unrepresented, and above all, of placing them in constant pursuit of a purity that society demands but does not actually respond to well-being.