A very personal question.... have I been washing my bits wrong my whole life?

[ettieb]

As I am now heading towards the menopause I have been reading a few articles and one of them said that you should only wash your vagina/vulva with water and nothing else. (I'm a boy mum and not entirely sure what the difference is between a vagina and vulva and my mother never used either of these words!). I could never ask my friends in real life about this but I'm really keen to know if I'm doing it wrong. When I have a shower I wash with soap inside the vagina lips.. is this wrong?! I don't think I would feel clean doing this but in the article it said the vagina is self cleaning

vagina is the passage itself, vulva is the whole area including the labia and pubic hair.

I wash mine with soap too, it would smell if I didn't, but I have heard people saying that it's not necessary/good for you, and that we should just adjust our thinking so that natural body smells aren't anything to be ashamed of...I feel slightly embarrassed to admit that I personally don't enjoy the smell and feel better when I've washed with soap.

Only wash with water - otherwise it's easy to upset the delicate ph balance down there and get infections more easily! Plenty of water - no smell! Occasionally use a bit of shampoo or shower gel on my pubic hair but always careful not to get it near my vagina or vulva.

I've used water only all my life and never smelt. Water is better for your vulva I believe. So try using just water?

ok probs does go on vulva but not non hairy bits!

I wash mine with soap too. It's never caused me any issues and I don't feel clean otherwise.

I wash mine too. Never had a problem. Could not even imagine leaving it, especially at the time of the month etc. I consider the water only to be an old wives tale.

I was everything outside with soap and water. Nothing inside.

Isn't there still a smell with just water?

I’ve always washed mine with shower gel etc. I’m 40s never had any issues. To use just water would seem really grim to me.

I basically use soap anywhere there’s hair, would definitely smell otherwise.

I leave the actual inside of the vagina well alone.

As in up the hole?!

No. I feel and am clean with water alone. I'm 58 so many years of a sparkling foof

Aqueous cream for washing that area & back passage.

I only ever use water and definitely no smell!

Wash outside with a soapy hand, I don't put anything inside. I would definitely get thrush if I did.

The reason it smells is because you've mucked around with the natural balance of it (if you mean actually inside!). You also shouldn't put soap up your bum, or your elbow in your ear, etc. etc.

I only use water and don't smell.

You can get specific washes for your foof, called vagi something or fem something. They are PH balanced to not upset things.

I've used them both with no issues. 😬

Most people use the word vagina where they actually mean vulva. Vulva is all the outside bits you can see. Vagina is the inside part (third hole).

Never put soap inside the vagina, it's ok to wash your vulva with soap but you don't need to. If worried you can always use something like femfresh because that is balanced to the right pH level.

Washing inside your vagina is known as douching and it can cause infections, thrush etc. Not good for you. Like you wouldn't put soap up your nose, don't put it up your vagina.

I just wash the hairy bit with my pouffey sponge. I've never washed internally - it wouldn't occur to me to do so?!

GP told me to use Aqueous cream to wash genital areas never scented soap/shower gel

Not in the hole but inside the flaps. 😊

Aqueous cream has SLSs which are known skin irritants, I wouldn't.

vagina is inside, vulva outside. water only - and never inside!!

I've always washed my vulva with whatever I'm washing the rest of my body with, but always avoid my vagina. I really wouldn't feel clean otherwise and it doesn't cause any problems down there.