Women are using Vicks VapoRub to ‘tingle and cleanse’ their vaginas
IT’S the new trend doctors are warning against — women are being encouraged to use Vicks VapoRub in a very wrong way.
IT seems there is no end to the bizarre things people on the internet suggest women use on their vaginas.
We’ve had glitter-bombing, cucumbers, vagina visors, neon pubic dyes and many more.
Now it seems Vicks VapoRub is making an appearance as a way to boost your sex life, soothe itching, clean your intimate areas and maintain odour pleasant down there.
Some even suggest it can protect you against yeast infections.
While these claims may all sound great, they’re simply not true.
Any gynaecologist would tell you the only way you should be cleaning your vagina is by using warm water, with a mild soap at most.
And any form of cream or scent should not be used as it can damage the delicate skin membrane on the vagina, leaving you open to nasty infections.
A quick Google of Vicks VapoRub and vagina and you’re met with an alarming number of blogs and forums that suggest the ointment can be used on your lady garden.
Yes, that’s right, the thing that you rub on your chest and dab under your nose to relieve congestion and help you breathe through the winter months on your most intimate area.
Imagine the tingling it gives you on your chest and then imagine that between your legs — that’s what gives VapoRub its sexual allure.
Some forums suggest it can be used to spice up things in the bedroom.
Rubbing it on your clitoris, or on your man’s penis, could help heat things up.
But it could help heat things up too much — we all remember the women whose vagina was “ablaze” after she used Original Source mint shower gel.
And the irritation could last for hours as the ointment is difficult to wash off.
If you want to add a little more sparkle to your sex life (without using glitter) there are a range of intimate lubricants that can give you a tingling sensation, all of which have been tested and approved for use ‘down there’.
So stick to those, it’s a much safer bet.
Let’s move on to the more alarming suggestions that VapoRub can be used to clean your vagina and maintain smell.
It has become a common misconception that women need to clean their vagina regularly and there are all sorts of weird suggestions on how to do that.
Last week it was revealed women were using peeled cucumbers to cleanse their “yoni”.
But the thing is, vaginas are self cleaning — they don’t need any extra help to keep them fresh — not even soap.
It produces a discharge that is a form of mucus produced from the cervix, the opening of the womb.
Its production is a completely normal part of female life and is the vagina’s way of keeping itself clean and healthy.
And if there is an odour, that’s a sign something is wrong and you should see a doctor.
Generally vaginas don’t give off an offensive odour, so using VapoRub to make it smell like someone’s chest when they have a cold won’t achieve anything except an unwanted burning sensation that’s hard to ignore.
If you do notice an unpleasant odour coming from your va-jay-jay then it could be a sign you have an infection like bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted infection.
Dr Vanessa Mackay, a gynaecologist and spokeswomen for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, previously told The Sun Online: “Mild soap or a mild shower cream and water is all that you need to wash the outside of your bottom, front and back.
“And you don’t need to wash your vagina — it self-cleans.
“If you have any concerns about odour you need to contact your doctor.”
On the topic of infections, some blogs suggest you can use VapoRub to clear up a yeast infection, also known as thrush.
But experts say this is a definite no.
Thrush is caused by a build up of yeasts in the vagina, often as a result of the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina being disrupted.
Something that can cause an upset in the natural amounts of bacteria is using products on your vagina that are not designed for the vagina.
So VapoRub will not treat your yeast infection — instead it will likely make it worse.
Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) advises women to avoid getting thrush by using water to clean the vagina no more than once a day and avoid irritants like perfumed soaps, shower gels, vaginal deodorants, wipes and douches.
Dr Mackay added: “It [the vagina] contains good bacteria, which are there to protect it from infections.
“Disturbing the natural flora through extensive cleaning can lead to infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush and inflammation.
“It’s a good idea to avoid perfumed soaps, gels and antiseptics as these can affect the healthy balance of bacteria and pH levels in the vagina and cause irritation.
“Using Vicks VapoRub on the vagina would not only be uncomfortable but also has the potential to cause damage and disrupt the natural flora of the vagina.
“It is a myth that any products need to be used to odorise or clean the vagina.
“Use plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the area around the vagina (the vulva), not inside it, gently every day.
“During your period, washing more than once a day may be helpful.”
If you think you have thrush you should speak to your GP or pharmacist.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission.