AIBU to not really know what my vagina normally looks like (waaaay TMI)

[NameChChChChChanges]

Apogies in advance for the TMI nature of this post. Naturally, I've name changed because I'm a bit mortified.

After having a nice relaxing bath tonight, for no reason whatsoever other than the fact I'd just bought a new magnifying mirror (with the aim of making it easier to do my eyebrows!!) I decided to have a little look at my vag. It's literally been years since I bothered looking down there, am well past the point of making any effort to make that area look presentable.

Anyway, got the shock of my life to see (sorry, this is the TMI bit) no hole but instead a big fleshy lump sticking out where the hole should be. What the actual fuck?? Also have a couple of other fleshy lumps around the inner lips.

Am quite frankly mortified by my lumpy bits and after frantically googling will be making a GP appointment tomorrow.

Am also a bit mortified that I have no idea how long my bits have been like this, or even what they are supposed to look like any more. Was thinking that I pay attention to how my boobs feel and check for lumps etc but it has never occurred to me to do the same down there.

So it got me thinking whether I am strange for my lack of vagina/vulva checking?? Nothing feels any different down there, so I haven't given it any attention really. Does everyone else check down there on a regular basis?

I have these too OP. Went to Gp a few years ago who wasn't worried but they still freak me out on the rare occasions I have a look. Meant to make a return visit as thought there were more but relieved to see I'm not the only person with these.

God I've been staring at mine since I first realised I had one! I check up on it regularly...I'm also familiar with the interior...you're meant to know what's IN there so you can notice if anything alters.

Op are you talking about your labia?

@rooty123

I have these too OP. Went to Gp a few years ago who wasn't worried but they still freak me out on the rare occasions I have a look. Meant to make a return visit as thought there were more but relieved to see I'm not the only person with these.

@rooty123 what did gp say it was ?

Why the hell does no one know what their vulva or vagina looks like...? Pretty sure all men know what their penis looks like!

Well, there's the small matter of location. One is tricky to see without equipment and the other is there right at the centre front.

I've had no wish to look since having children!

They did give a name, which I dangerously googled, but they didn't look like it. Nor do any other pictures of vaginal lumps.

We need more open, lighthearted and honest talks about our vulvas.
I literally roll my eyes and grimace every time I read an OP along the lines of "TMI!!! Soooo gross, sorry to inflict this on you but I noticed my discharge has changed in consistency. Ew ew ew ew. Am I normal???!! Soooo TMI!!! Blurgh!"
Alright. Quite a bit of embellishment there, but you get my point.
And the kicker is, the OP will be a 29 year old grown arse woman or similar.
Why so squeamish? Just why?

How can you know what it should look like though at various stages of life? I mean if you do t work in that area? Even with the above search there are hardly any actual full on photos. I think sometimes diagrams are actually quite meaningless.

@ChetChet

We need more open, lighthearted and honest talks about our vulvas. I literally roll my eyes and grimace every time I read an OP along the lines of "TMI!!! Soooo gross, sorry to inflict this on you but I noticed my discharge has changed in consistency. Ew ew ew ew. Am I normal???!! Soooo TMI!!! Blurgh!" Alright. Quite a bit of embellishment there, but you get my point. And the kicker is, the OP will be a 29 year old grown arse woman or similar. Why so squeamish? Just why?

I love looking at my genitals, but the word discharge makes me reach for bucket too. It's like the word moist.

I mean what the vast range of normal is? I’m not talking about neat pre childbirth perfect representations.

Didn’t you feel the lumps. Please don’t tell me you never pleasure yourself.

I mean, I’ve just googled 'vulva post childbirth ' and got cartoony pictures, plus photos of oranges and onions

Same with vagina. Twee cartoons and fruit. Not even decent anatomical drawings.

I look semi regularly because I've had an infected Bartholin cyst twice and I'm worried about it happening again.

I am not one to be searching around with a magnifying mirror but a thought has come to me which I am wondering about.
Every PP seems to have had vaginal deliveries. What about people who have only ever had a C. Section delivery. Would the C Section ladies have different looking vulvas/vaginas. Would a doctor or nurse be able to tell from looking that a certain woman has not had a vaginal delivery? Would a man (new partner) be able to tell?

You are such a bunch of wimps! Have a look, and keep having a look until it’s completely normal. Make sure your daughters do the same.

Have to had an episiotomy OP? I got chopped to bits when I had my first son and they did a terrible job of stitching me up again. A whole fleshy piece has been left hanging down and not stitched back into place. It was sore for years. I had it looked at but was told in order to fix it they would have to cut open the old scar tissue and I can't face that!!!

I know exactly what mine looks like. I’m curious that people can have a part of their body and not know what it looks like, especially since it’s not attached to your shoulders.

How old are you? Have you had vaginal deliveries?

It sounds very much like you have a prolapse.

Take a look at The Great Wall of Vagina by Jamie McCartney.
This piece of art features all shapes and sizes of vulvas and I found it strangely reassuring to see there is such a variation in normal.

I'm not embarrassed either, just no reason to look!
Agree it's not really like a bloke looking at his penis due to the fact that one sticks out and our undercarriages are um, under.

Why the hell does no one know what their vulva or vagina looks like...? Pretty sure all men know what their penis looks like!

It's an awful lot easier for a man to look at his penis than for a woman to get a decent view of her vulva, let alone her actual vagina (not sure I have ever seen mine tbh). Obviously I see all the outside bits easily enough. If I want to see what's happening with my actual undercarriage, I have to get a mirror because I am not a contortionist. That's not the case for men and penises.

I do have a look now and again as it happens. But I can completely see how someone would not think of it unless there was something unusual going on.

Have you given birth vaginally? I have and, as a result I have a very mild prolapse where the muscle wall between the vagina and rectum is a bit weak and it can bulge up into the vaginal entrance if I’m a bit constipated.

Would be good if you came back to let us know what the GP said.