An important aspect of a woman’s health is vaginal hygiene. It doesn’t take much to maintain good vulva hygiene, but it is important to do it the right way. The most critical aspect of vaginal health is its pH level. A normal vaginal pH implies your vagina is moderately acidic enough to provide protection from infections. When symptoms such itching or burning during urination or foul smell or discharge are experienced, it means your pH is unbalanced and needs correction. All of this suggests that a healthy vagina is tied to maintaining a healthy vaginal pH, and here’s how:

The Tips:

Practice healthy sexual intercourse: No need to panic unnecessarily, but be careful what you allow into your vagina. For instance, although there are many benefits to sex, making it a healthy activity, semen is known to contain alkaline which can alter or disrupt vaginal pH. Condom use makes sex largely safe. Bath before and after sex. Drink water before sex and urinate right after sex to wash bacteria that could find their way into the urethra. That way, you won’t need to douche, as that is unhealthy.

Probiotics are helpful for restoring the balance of bacteria the body needs. Yoghurts are particularly recommended because they are high in probiotics. Probiotics are also available in pill form. But remember that, it is unhealthy for any form of food to enter the vagina—sugars, salts amongst others.

Stay Dry: Take extra care to stay dry. Bacteria can thrive in moist conditions around the pubic area as a result of sweat or menstrual blood or vaginal discharge. Dryness should be maintained in the vaginal area. Clothes worn around the area should be moist-absorbing. Change pads frequently during menstrual periods, so the area doesn’t get too damp for long. Depending on the flow, determine the right sanitary pad that works best for you.

Avoid vaginal douching: More and more women are resorting to douching for reasons including fighting bad odors, washing off menstrual blood and semen to avoid pregnancy or even STDs. Unfortunately, douching has not proved effective in this regard. As a matter of fact, experts advise against douching, and have linked certain complications and infections in women to douching, amongst them, pregnancy complications, cervical cancer and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. No matter how fresh or clean you feel when you douche, know that it is riskier than safe. It is important to stress that douching disrupts your vaginal pH, thus increasing your risk of infections, especially due to the presence of chemicals in douches.

Washing: So if you should avoid douching, what’s the other option? It’s simple. Wash your vagina with ordinary water. With your index and middle fingers, gentle hold your vagina lips apart, and wash with plenty of water. This does not include the interior of your vagina. The vagina cleans itself naturally. All you should do is wash the area surrounding it with warm water and with a mild soap. If you feel an itch or irritation or pain, see a doctor. A mild vaginal odor is normal, and shouldn’t warrant seeking medical attention.
Don’t shave pubes to skin: pubic hair has its own purpose. It is fence that prevents bacteria and dirt from entering your vagina. Shaving pubic hair to skin also creates a bad itch when hair begins to grow. Cut pubic hair low with scissors, leaving some amount that will protect the area.