5 Myths Associated With The Vagina That Need To Be Cleared

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding the vagina that can lead to confusion and even shame. In this article, we will debunk five common myths associated with the vagina to help clear up any misunderstandings and promote healthy attitudes towards women's sexual health.

  1. The vagina is naturally 'dirty' and 'smelly'

First of all, this may be the longest standing myth, or blatant misconception, about the vagina. The female sex organ is not naturally dirty or smelly.

It is your lack of knowledge about its proper cleansing since childhood that has contributed to your vagina smelling unpleasant.

Okay, fact: the vagina does not naturally smell like flowers, but men’s penises don’t smell like sandalwood either, so what’s your shame in the natural scent of the vagina?

Ads for products that perfume your vagina should be banned because they give wrong information, wrong education and wrong perception about what the vagina should smell like.

Perfumey products should never be put near the vagina as they only disturb the natural balance of the vagina, thus increasing its unpleasant smell.

You could feel an itch, or even a burning sensation, on your vagina; and this is by no means healthy.

As per information from the Cleveland Clinic, several vaginal odors indicate temporary changes in pH levels and should not be a cause for worry. If you notice a vaginal odor that is mildly sour or tangy, it might suggest a slightly more acidic pH level in your vaginal flora, which is perfectly normal. This scent is linked to the presence of beneficial bacteria in the vagina, known as lactobacilli. Some individuals liken the odor to that of yeast or sourdough bread.

  1. The vagina needs thorough cleansing with a douche

Whether soaping the inner walls of your vagina or douching, many women have been made to believe that this is what is necessary for the maintenance of a nice-smelling vagina.

Wrong. Absolutely wrong. The more often you wash the inner walls of your vagina with soap and other harsh chemicals, including douche and perfumed products, the more you disturb the natural balance of your vagina.

When this balance is disturbed, you are naturally welcoming bacteria and yeast to live and thrive in your non-alkaline vagina.

The more you wash, the smellier you become and the more you think you need to clean your vagina with harsher products. In reality, the vagina is self-cleaning and only needs warm water to clean.

If we are talking about the skin outside of your vaginal walls, which is called the vulva, then this part can use a little bit of soaping.

According to Healthline Media, using soaps, sprays, gels, or even water to wash inside your vagina can disrupt the natural bacterial balance. This disruption can lead to issues such as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and other forms of irritation. Additionally, washing your vagina excessively can interfere with its natural ability to clean itself. It is generally recommended to avoid using harsh products inside the vagina and to stick to gentle external cleansing methods to maintain a healthy vaginal environment.

  1. Vaginal discharge is not normal

In fact, vaginal discharge is normal for most women and it is not necessarily an indication of a health issue. Many things that are normal about your bodily functions could affect the quality and aroma of your vaginal discharge though.

When the discharge is super sticky or if it gives off a very foul aroma, then this may be a strong indication that something wrong has happened to your body.

When that happens, you need to quickly make a doctor's visit before taking any over-the-counter medication.

Other than that, if your vaginal discharge is just cloudy or milky, and its amount does not cause extreme wetness to your underwear (to a point you need to change more than once a day), this is all normal.

Some variations may happen to your vaginal discharge caused by hormonal changes (part of menstruation or pregnancy) and also diet.

  1. Your hymen is your seal of virginity

Totally untrue, this one. For thousands of years, certain cultures of our world used this myth as a means to shame women, but this is totally inaccurate.

To say that a virgin will 'bleed' on her first sex is crucially wrong. The hymen, which acts as a thin barrier to the vagina, can easily be torn even if a woman has never had vaginal sex.

Heavy sports, injury around this area, or even just using a tampon, can break the hymen. Plus, some people were born without hymen.

Plus, plus again, some virgins do not bleed from their vagina the first time they have sex if their lubrication is on point.

Even more plus than that, if a woman has had a very intimate sexual moment, like kissing and breast fondling, and stimulating the clitoris, this alone should indicate someone isn't virgin anymore per se.

It’s the experience that matters; not a hymen breaking.

  1. Tampons, or other stuff for that matter, can get lost in there

This, technically and physiologically, is not possible because the cervix opening is not big enough for a tampon to slide through. So, when women say a tampon has been lost in their vagina, this is not true.

However, what is true is that the said tampon might have been left in the vagina for too long that it has moved to the upper part of the vagina.

When it gets stuck in this area, the tampon string could have become unreachable, making the removal of the tampon virtually impossible. Well, this is the issue of forgetting to take out your tampon.

With that said, always remember to take out your tampon and always check for it on the days you are wearing one.

Doctors have said that sometimes, their patients make a visit and complain about a sudden horrible smell coming out of their vaginas. In most cases, it's the long-forgotten tampon that's doing that.

According to an article published in SELF Magazine, there is no need to worry about a tampon, condom, or any other object somehow wandering up through the rest of your body. The vagina is not an open-ended tube; it has a cervix that serves as a barrier to prevent objects like tampons, condoms, and harmful bacteria from freely traveling around the body. The cervix acts as a protective gateway, ensuring that such objects remain within the vaginal canal and do not enter the rest of the reproductive system.

All in all, it was discussed that people need to debunk myths associated with vaginas and clear their information. The five myths we listed can help you identify which information is a myth and which is a fact.

Low Female Libido Causes And Remedies

Libido is generally referred to as the sex drive and this trait is observed both in men and women. If the libido is high in a woman then she may have more urge for sex and can be a wonderful sex player. This drive may vary from women to women and those having low libido often find it difficult in having an orgasm. There can be multiple numbers of possible low female libido causes.

Some of the possible causes, which may diminish the sexual drive among women, are as follows:

Besides some of the above reasons, there can be many other low female libido causes too. That can be as weird like going to Hawaii vacation or any sexual abuse in the past or any mental tension due to the certain misconception about sexual intercourse.

Some women go through hopelessness in their life due to various reasons, which may also reduce libido. Sometimes different kinds of panic and depression can also be the low female libido causes. Such people can have normal personality but may have a very low sex drive.

Social and friends circle where sex is considered to be a taboo also may be another important low female libido causes. In such social circles maintaining virginity is considered to be pious activity and women are often ridiculed, if they ever are in the proximity of any male member. In case someone charges any women of infidelity, a great sense of guilt is developed. If a woman from such a social circle ever get married or comes in close contact with any male member for sexual encounter may exhibit a lack of libido.

There are other low female libido causes which are becoming quite prominent and that is an unresolved determination of gender. Such women often turn out to be lesbian. In such cases, sexual drive with the opposite sex can be pretty low.

A woman, who is fighting her divorce case for a pretty long time can also have reduced sex drive. Due to various accusation and miscommunication, they develop a kind of hatred for the opposite sex and such women often lack libido, when they come in contact with men.

Here are few remedies for the reduced sexual drive: