In truth, the vagina is like a self-cleaning oven—it doesn’t require any special cleaning method to stay healthy and you shouldn’t put any products or creams inside of it (unless you are prescribed a medication by your healthcare practitioner). Yet many women still practice douching to clean their private parts, which can paradoxically cause infection.

Douching means washing out the vagina with water or other mixtures. Some women were raised to believe they should douche monthly to wash away period blood or prevent odor. Some believe it will prevent STDs or pregnancy (not true).

Douching can change the acidity and bacterial makeup of the vagina, causing infections, which may spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It has been associated with bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, and adverse events in pregnancy.

A recent study showed that 81% of respondents douched or put products like sexual lubricants, petroleum jelly, oils, or antifungal creams into the vagina. Women who used petroleum jelly intravaginally during the previous month were 2.2 times more likely to test positive for bacterial vaginosis.

Ladies, there’s no need to douche or apply products internally. You can keep your vagina healthy by simply washing of the vulva with water during your daily shower or bath.

Q: What can I do about vulvovaginal itchiness and hives?

A: Dryness and irritation of the vulva are commonly related to menopause and can usually be easily treated with estrogen cream. Vulvar itching, on the other hand, has many causes, many of which are unrelated to menopause. A physical examination is needed to determine the cause of vulvar itching. In the meanwhile, be sure to eliminate all soap on the vulva. Just use clean water to bathe. From what we know about hives, it is unlikely that they are caused by the menopause. You should check with a dermatologist about the hives if they are not disappearing.