To not wash the inside of my vagina?

[Secretname123]

First AIBU so please be nice! There is a huge debate going on on twitter where people are horrified that some women wear tampons in the shower (it seems to be the majority of the many women responding to the tweets who are horrified). They claim it’s unsanitary because then you can’t wash inside your vagina. I thought we weren’t supposed to do this? I’m sure I had this drummed into me as a child. I never have and have never had an infection. Have I been doing it wrong all these years?!

This. I suspect men want to push the narrative so they can feel more like women. What horseshit.

Thanks for the reminder SQUEEZE

@uxcate finally the truth has been spoken! your bum hole is the thing that needs cleaning out, leave your vaginal canal well alone people!🙏

I should probably name change for this but feck it...

In my twenties, I used to do this before sex (predictable sex anyway). Not in the shower but in a hot bath of just water.

It a combination of how I was raised and trauma giving me a deep deep sense of shame about discharge and it being revolting.

Luckily I didn't get infections from doing this and I don't any more.

So yes anyone trying to convince others that washing inside their vag is necessary is clearly a dingbat BUT just saying that people who do this privately aren't necessarily stupid, poorly educated our hygiene freaks etc.

Hope that makes sense.

"It's not - that's been covered repeatedly in the thread. A tampon does not prevent you cleaning your vulva after all"

@liveforsummer I didn't say it did.

I know the difference between vulva and vagina. And am in agreement that the vagina is self cleaning and does not need cleaned.

However, and as I stated in my post, it has never occurred to me to mr to shower with a tampon in. For a start, the string hangs down and would get wet, which would lead to damp underwear.

Without a tampon, blood can just be washed down the plug hole so I just don't particularly understand the necessity. One could be inserted before getting out. Just dry hands and pop one in.

But whatever, if this is what works for women then fine, i wasn't criticising and don't know why you're making out that I am. I simply expressed surprise as I didn't know women did this.

Squeeze of Cif and a bottle brush..

I literally couldn’t- the flow never paused. So shower with one, get dry, the go to the loo and change the one with damp string.

Attempting to shower without would have required cleaning the bathroom after the shower.

Exactly the same! Before the shower was turned off, there would be a blood bath! And major loads of washing! I did used to change my tampon before showering though, the string was dried as I was drying myself. I never contracted anything nasty from doing that. I suppose it's hard for people to understand if they've never suffered horrifically heavy periods. Thank God I'm post menopausal, couldn't imagine going through that again!

For me it’s a bit like the filter on the dishwasher. I’m not going to be digging about in there every time but maybe once every six months I’ll give it a bit of a check and extra clean, no chemicals though

Depends on your flow. Anyone with a heavy flow will know that before you have had a chance to dry off you will have leaked blood everywhere.
Never had a wet string problem. I would shower with tampon in. After drying off etc i would change my tampon at the loo. I'd be clean, fresh tampon, no leaking everywhere.

They must be Americans. I wash my vulva with aqueous cream, which was recommended to me by a nurse on the vulva clinic years ago. I don't use soaps or shower gels as it irritates the skin there for me.

@porridgeisbae Some gay men aim a lot of water up themselves before being a recipient of anal, which seems a shame. They do all sorts of preparations for it to try and avoid the deadly taboo of having some poo appear during anal.

Not just gay men 🙄. Why is it a shame. People may wish to enjoy anal but not enjoy the smell of faeces. That's ok too.

My cats are called Cissie and Aida.

Really get in there and give the whole area a good wash daily. Don't use scented products.

This. I couldn't shower without a tampon either as I have a very heavy flow, not that I need to though, a wet string has never caused any problems.

I'm guessing Americans too. I have used intimate soap for years but only ever on the outside. Never caused any issues doing this.

Genuinely don't know whether these are serious posts or not at this point... 😂

It's a natural thing and so we shouldn't be too uptight about it. I mean, they're doing actual douching with a contraption. Some poo is bound to come out during anal sometimes, I'dve thought.

Some also were starving themselves for a day before sex to try and make sure they don't have any poo down there. Or they follow a very rigid diet.

... Has anyone ever spotted a mooncup troll?

No... for starters, I don't 'stick' anything 'up' anywhere.

Upper body with hands, lower body with different parts of a flannel.

And whoever on here is saying 'rectum' is frankly an idiot. Rectum is inside the body. Obviously nobody is washing that.

It's confusing to those of us who can't believe people bath/shower with a used tampon in.

well it wasn’t “used” when it was inserted. Several people have clearly explained why keeping a tampon in is necessary for them. Why is it so confusing for you?

Let's say I wake up, change a tampon then potter around for an hour or two. Then I'm going out so I wash my hair in the shower. Why would I change a tampon after two hours just because I'm going in the shower? Wasteful, and if the flow is quite light, probably a bit uncomfortable.

Let's say I'm at the gym on a heavy flow day. Let's also say you were shower next to me. Would you be happy with, as someone, possibly you, put it so vividly yesterday, me fishing out clots with a finger and sending them down the (at my gym) communal drain? Unlikely.

So there are two reasons for you. Is that less confusing now?

Edit: I see it was not you, and once again I am practically heaving at reading what was suggested right before lunch.

Not 'confused' at all. Just find this whole thread quite bizarre.

No one bleeds 24/7 for days on end. And if they do, I'd suggest 'to tampon, or not tampon' is the least of their worries.

Brilliant 😂