Eight Vaginal health mistakes that Nairobi women make
As much as they are tied to your womanhood, your lady parts do not come with a manual.
Here are mistakes that you could be making and putting your vaginal health at risk;
1. Douching – The average Senga in Nairobi will talk about how to best douche your vagina to keep your man happy. Away from debates about whether or not this actually works, there are health risks which outweigh the benefits that come with douching.
Washing out your vagina with vinegar upsets the natural balance of bacteria in that area leaving a woman prone to endless infection. It has also been linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer. Do not steam your vagina either.
2. Using talcum powder – In an effort to retain a dryness and freshness in their lady parts, some women apply talcum powder, commonly known as baby powder, on their underwear. The risk of this is that the powder in the genital tract can cause inflammation. This increases a woman’s risk of contracting invasive ovarian cancer.
3. Lace panties and tight jeans – While they may feel comfortable, tight trousers accompanied by nylon underwear restricts airflow to your private parts. This results in trapped moisture which is the perfect breeding ground for yeast infections.
4. Constantly using panty liners – While these may be a god-sent for women with incontinence, constantly wearing panty liners is bad for your vaginal health. The nylon underpart of the panty liner retains heat and moisture and prevents air circulation making a woman prone to infections. A more frequent change of underwear may be a better solution than panty liners.
5. Ignoring a heavy period – Often, women are quick to downplay heavier than normal periods. Well, you shouldn’t. While hormones can affect a woman’s cycle and the heaviness of the period, sometimes a heavier period is a sign of something more serious. It could be a symptom of fibroids or even cervical cancer, do not ignore it.
6. Scented soap – While scented soaps may give your lady parts a pleasant scent, they are also likely to give you an infection. Stick to milder scentless soaps.
7. Self-medicating – Women are doing this every day. Each time she feels an itch down there, she rushes to the chemist and buys a cream or suppositories. When you do this, you risk having a bad reaction or even burning your vagina. If you have a question, it is wiser to see a gynecologist.
8. Going commando – Going without underwear can be a very comfortable and liberating experience. But it is not one without negative consequences. If you wear trousers without underwear, you risk irritation of your genital area, remember the vagina is a very sensitive area.
When you are not wearing underwear, there is nothing to absorb the moisture that the vagina produces. This leave a woman prone to infections and itching.