It can be easy to put our vaginal health to one side in the hope that whatever is going on ‘down there’ will eventually go away untreated. There are some ways to prevent an unhappy vagina, especially if you are sexually active- so here are 5 tips to ensure that you are content on the inside and out.
Sex on Female First
Lingerie
It’s always a treat to wear something lacy and skimpy for your partner ahead of a sex session, however try to reserve your smaller items lingerie for times such as these rather than as everyday underwear. Tight clothing creates a hot and moist environment, causing chafing and irritation to your vagina. For day to day wear- choose more generous in size, loose, permeable panties made from natural materials such as cotton to let your vagina breathe.
Soothe intimate irritation
Washing with Canesfresh Feminine Wash Soothing Wash Gel (£7.99 for 200ml) will stop you from suffering from irritation which can cause sex to be uncomfortable. All too often shower gels and scented soaps may smell nice but they play havoc with the pH balance of the vagina causing itchiness. Washing with something such as Canesfresh, before and after sex provides up to 12 hours of comfort due to the calming properties of glycine. If you ignore what your vagina is telling you then it could lead to bacterial or fungal infections so sex will definitely be of the table.
Diana Mansour, Consultant in Community Gynaecology and Reproductive Healthcare comments: "If you're prone to intimate irritation avoid wearing tight underwear and clothing and using harsh products that include parabens, soap, and preservatives, in your intimate area, as they can further aggravate any problems.”
Available from Boots.com, all good pharmacies and the healthcare aisle of grocery stores. For more information visit www.canesten.co.uk
Cystitis
Cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder, can be caused by bacteria being transferred from the anus to the urethra during sex and not emptying your bladder after sex to clear out any bodily fluids that might have travelled up the urethra.
This will leave you needing to pee more often and feeling burning or stinging sensation when you go to the bathroom. If this does happen Care Cystitis Relief Sachets (£4.10 for 6) offer an effective two day course to relieve cystitis. The individual cranberry-flavoured sachets are easily dissolved in in water for a portable, effective fix.
BBC Health Correspondent and family GP Dr Sarah Jarvis comments: “Cystitis symptoms usually clear up within a few days and can be eased rapidly with the help of the right products and by drinking plenty of water.”
Available from independent and Asda pharmacies. For more information visit www.allthecareyouneed.co.uk
The online GP app
We are all aware that approaching the doctor with an intimate area issue can be embarrassing but did you know that you can talk to a GP over telephone or online without having to book an appointment at your local surgery with LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor? You can take the interactive quiz and learn more about your intimate parts as well as take a look at their blogs for hints and tips.
Test your knowledge of your vagina
If you are looking to keep your vagina as healthy as possible then you need to understand your body better so LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor have produced a quiz to test your knowledge of your downstairs! Visit https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/blog/vagina-quiz/ to take the test.