There’s no official holiday for vaginas, but summer does seem like the best time to give your most private parts a few presents. Consider these five suggestions.
A new bathing suit. Vacation travel may be limited this year, but even a trip to the backyard pool deserves a new swim costume. This season’s styles include fun florals and flirty ruffles. Just be sure to change into dry clothes as soon as you’re done splashing around for the day. Sitting around in a wet bathing suit can cause all kinds of problems (yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and more) we promise you want to avoid.
A vaginal moisturizer. If you spend a lot of time at the pool, you already know how drying chlorine can be. It strips your skin of its protective layer, leaving it tight and itchy — and the skin of your vagina is no exception. Sand in your suit can also irritate intimate skin. A vulvar moisturizer like Mia Vita™ Gel, and personal lubricant & moisturizer like Mia Vita™ Personal Lubricant & Moisturizer with vitamin E and hyaluronic acid will help if you are suffering from vaginal dryness.
New undies. Cotton has long been touted as the best fabric for the vagina. It allows it to breath and wicks away moisture. Though synthetic fabric may be fine for a special occasion, make your everyday panties cotton. You can also consider technical moisture-wicking underwear for exercise. In either case, make sure your underwear is not too tight. Ill-fitting undies can irritate the vulva — and don’t even get us started about what a thong can do to your most sensitive parts. Give yourself the bonus gift of washing your underwear in fragrance-free detergent — perfumes can irritate delicate skin.
A bidet. Demand for toilet paper was high earlier this year, but that didn’t change the fact that it’s not great for the vagina. Gently washing after going to the bathroom is much healthier than using toilet paper. Rough TP can scratch. Smooth TP can leave tiny balls of remnant that can cause irritation. And if you have vaginal dryness, no toilet paper is going to feel good. Plus, a bidet can help with cleanliness, which may lead to fewer rashes, hemorrhoids, urinary tract infections, and other issues.
A podcast. Knowledge is power, and there are a number of podcasts that will give you the information you need to have a happier, healthier vagina. A couple that we like, helmed by physicians, are The V Word and For Vaginas Only. Check out FemmePharma’s podcast Love Mia Vita where we engage in a lively conversation of tips (and myths), sexuality, feminism, and everything else that is part of womanhood.
Photo: Maureen McCloskey