Forget your village people and invisible enemies; the real weapon fashioned against you is an itchy vagina. And if you don’t know how to deal with it, you will find yourself hiding behind a bag of rice in the middle of the market for a quick scratch.
Itchy vaginas are more common than most people would like to admit. Almost every woman has been ambushed by one at the worst possible moment; on a first date, in front of a class, mid-board meeting, or anywhere without a bathroom to sneak into for a desperate scratch.
Things like dryness, sweat, friction, shaving or waxing and allergic reactions (like allergies to latex condoms) can easily cause an itchy vagina. Still, if you experience constant itching in your everyday life, the culprit could be yeast or BV (bacterial vaginosis)
If you’ve never been to the gynaecologist, having a yeast infection or BV does not mean you are dirty. A yeast infection happens when Candida, a fungus that naturally lives in the vagina, grows out of balance, and BV happens when harmful bacteria outgrow the good bacteria that keep the vagina’s pH balanced. Aside from the itching and change in vaginal discharge, BV sometimes comes with a fishy odour that can get very embarrassing during intimate moments.
We had a chat with Dr. Zeenaht Abdullahi, an obstetrician/gynaecologist, where she shared expert knowledge on vaginal infections. According to her, there isn’t a specific trigger for yeast/BV, but there are a few things that predispose you to getting an infection or having one recur after you’ve treated it.
In this article, we explore things that make you more likely to have a yeast/BV infection and how to prevent it.
Your Hygiene Practices Can Put Your Vagina at Risk
Vaginas have a natural musky smell. Trying to make your vagina smell like vanilla or cookies by douching (flushing out the vagina with water or a mix of liquids) or putting things like yoni pearls in your vagina is dangerous to your reproductive health.
The vagina is a self-cleaning organ, and sticking your fingers inside to clean it in the shower does it more harm than good. Washing your vulva with water is enough to clean it, and if you feel the need to use soap, use mild, unscented soap around the vulva and not inside the vagina.
You May Be Wearing the Wrong Kind of Underwear
Lace g-strings and nylon underwear might look sexy, but they aren’t breathable. While one date night in silk panties won’t doom you to an infection, wearing them every day for long hours is a bad idea, especially when combined with sweat. Fabrics like nylon and polyester trap heat and moisture, creating a breeding ground for fungi and harmful bacteria. Dr Zeenaht recommends cotton panties, and if you must wear lace or any other material, make sure that the part your vulva sits on is made of cotton.
Bacteria Grows Best in a Damp Vagina
Wearing clean underwear daily won’t be enough if your underwear isn’t dry. Instead of leaving your panties to dry in bathrooms and damp places, leave them in the sun. And if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of other people seeing your panties outside, or you don’t have access to sunlight, iron them before you wear them to kill off any bacteria still present on the fabric.
Also, after using the toilet, don’t wear your underwear on a very wet vulva. Instead, pat yourself dry with a towel or some tissue before pulling your panties back up.
Check Your Sexual Partners and Their Hygiene
While yeast and BV are not transmitted through sex, having a vaginal infection (especially recurrent infections) can sometimes mean your sexual partner has something going on with them that makes you more likely to have an infection or to have one recur.
Your partner’s hygiene is very important to your vaginal health. If someone else’s hands or genitals are going to be getting near your vagina, their hygiene levels have to be above average. Don’t be shy to ask them to wash their hands and genitals before you have sex. Asking them to wash up can kill the mood, but so will an infection. Most people don’t know that having sex with an already irritated vagina will worsen the infection and make sex more painful than pleasurable.
Questionable Masturbation Habits
The same rule that goes for your partner’s hygiene also goes for yours. Before giving yourself some self-love, your fingers or any other sex toys going into your vagina should be properly cleaned. Yes, Dildos and vibrators can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean it is safe or hygienic to borrow or share sex toys with someone else. Aside from putting you at risk for a vaginal infection, many vagina horror stories start with borrowed sex toys. Sharing sex toys can also put you at risk of contracting STIs like herpes.
Using the wrong kind of lubricant can also set you up for a vaginal infection. For women with sensitive skin, it is advisable to use water-based lubricants instead of silicone or oil-based lubricants.
Your Vagina May Be Really Sensitive
Just like certain people have skin that reacts badly to stress, new weather or skin-care products, certain people also have vaginas with a pH balance that is easy to mess up. Things like a change in diet, a change in underwear, a change in environment, a change in exercise routines, a change in sexual partners and even a change in laundry detergents for extra-sensitive women can disrupt the vagina’s pH balance and make you more likely to get an infection.
Even though you have a sensitive vagina, drinking lots of water, eating healthy and taking probiotic supplements or food like yoghurt that is rich in probiotics will reduce your chances of getting a vaginal infection.
Next Read: I Spend Minimum Wage On My Vaginal Care Every Other Month
