Washing your vulva, good gestures, good products, good routine

How well clean her vulva ? Should we use a specific product or should we limit ourselves to water only? How to conduct well personal hygiene ? What rhythm to adopt? What are the dangers of overly aggressive grooming?

Intimate toilet? Huge question! Between myths, grandmother's remedies and advice from your friends, it's hard to find your way around. Yet theintimate hygiene is an important and sensitive issue. You have to do it well, have a regular routine, use good products to protect your the vagina and take care of its pH balance.

Are you lost? Don't panic, Loulou shares, today with you, all the tips to wash her vulva without attacking him and in complete safety.

intimate area cleaning

Vulva, pH and vaginal flora

First, a brief reminder of terms and definitions is in order. When we talk about the vulva, we are talking about the outer intimate area, everything that is visible, and not the vagina. the vulva washing thus means cleaning in particular of lips and pubis.

La personal hygiene ou intimate hygiene includes washing the vulva, but also the inter-gluteal groove where the anus is located. It is never recommended to conduct vaginal douches. You risk the development of an infection or fungal infection. We therefore speak here of an always exterior washing of all that is apparent.

La the vagina ou vaginal microbiota is, as in the intestine for example, a set of micro-organisms present in the vagina naturally. This flora is constantly in balance between good and bad bacteria. With too aggressive cleaning, thebalanced pH is endangered and can have many consequences.

The vaginal flora and the pH of the vagina

A good cleaning, soft, regular and adapted therefore takes care of the good pH balance of your vagina. Like the pH of the water in your swimming pool, it must not be unbalanced otherwise bad organisms will develop in too large a quantity.

The correct pH of your vagina is between 4 and 4,5. It is therefore an acidic ecosystem. The vaginal mucosa is slightly acidic. It is because of the good bacteria produced, the lactobacilli. The acidity of lactobacilli helps counter fungi and other microbes that would like to find refuge in your vagina. These good bacteria, lactobacilli, are so acidic that they are also responsible for the discoloration of your underwear.

Good to know. The pH of the vagina changes slightly during period depending on the various events and phases it goes through. So during the period, the blood which has a pH of 7,2 makes the vagina less acidic and is found around 6. During ovulation, so that the spermatozoa end up in a welcoming zone, the vagina is even less acidic and becomes neutral (around 7,5). In luteal phase, the vagina becomes more acidic and regains its pH of 4.

Excessive cleaning, inadequate intimate hygiene or the use of the wrong product can lead to a disturbance of the vagina pH. The good bacteria are therefore no longer numerous enough to fight off potential external attacks and infections.

soap vulva cleaning

What are the risks of improper washing?

You do not wash your vulva or badly? You risk experiencing inconveniences far from being funny. Irritation, burning sensations, itching, but also bad smells, colored, thick and malodorous losses (white, brown or other), the symptoms are different, but all unpleasant. Your sex can also be painful. The lubrication is no longer effective, the report is irritating and unpleasant.

The development of a vaginal thrush or an bacterial vaginosis is quite common, but should be taken seriously.
The cystitis or urinary tract infections can also be due to poor washing of the vulva.

What are the right steps to take?

As you will have understood, it is therefore essential to take care of your the vagina and good clean her vulva. But how to do it ?

  • We advise you to adopt a routine at the same time soft, respectful, without aggressive gestures, simple (no need to accumulate products) and regular.
  • Regular does not mean several times a day! Too frequent cleaning can precisely bring the opposite result to that sought. By cleaning her vulva too much, she will be more vulnerable and weakened. Once a day enough, at the time of the daily shower. If you have to shower twice a day, just rinse with water.

  • To wash her vulva, use a small dose of a gel or intimate cleanser suitable for neutral pH and with a gentle composition, if possible without perfume or alcohol. Ask for referrals from your gynecologist or midwife. Go to a pharmacy or parapharmacy. Avoid soaps (Marseille soap and other processed soaps), shampoos or even common and basic shower gels that are not suitable for your privacy. Also avoid intimate wipes and other lotions or perfumes.
  • Always take the reflex to clean from front to back just like in the toilet. It is important to wash her vulva then her anus and not the other way around.

  • To dry, do not rub, gently dab with a towel.

Other actions to adopt

  • To respect your privacy, avoid clothes that are too tight.
  • Put on cotton, not synthetic, underwear. Our Loulou period panties are all made with organic cotton.
  • If you are particularly sensitive, if you have already experienced mycoses to urinary tract infections, takes great care to stay dry, especially in summer. Think of spare panties, renew your teen period panties when you have your period, change quickly after swimming so as not to keep the humidity of the swimsuit at the level of your intimacy.
  • Wash yourself rigorously during your period.
  • Turn to dietary supplements, type probiotics to rebalance your vaginal flora.