Feminine Hygiene

Feminine hygiene is so important to our overall health. In addition to keeping our skin clean and free of bacteria, it can prevent odor, itching and discomfort from perspiration.

Feminine hygiene involves more than just bathing or showering. It encompasses a whole spectrum of practices women should follow to be healthy. Most of us learn these skills from our mom, sister or friends. Or we just figure it out for ourselves.

But, not every aspect of this topic is well-known. For example, whoever taught us to always wash our new jeans, panties, shorts, or other clothing bottoms before we wear them? You should, because dyes and other chemicals on new clothing can cause your vaginal area to become irritated or infected. I have noticed some clothing that will put this on label, but not often.

During your menstrual cycle, be sure to wear fabrics that allow your vaginal region to breathe. Wear loose, breathable, clothing like loose panties that allow for air circulation. Natural, breathable fabric such as cotton is preferred. Wear thigh-high pantyhose or pantyhose made with a cotton crotch to reduce the vaginal sweating caused by nylon and other synthetic fabrics.

When not on your cycle, try to sleep without wearing panties or pajama bottoms if possible, as this will provide your vagina with the air circulation needed to help prevent infection.

Tight pants, shorts, or panties made from synthetic fabrics can reduce the air circulation around your vagina and cause it to sweat, which can increase your chances for odors and infection.

Remove wet, sweaty bottom clothing as soon as possible. Wet or sweaty panties and pants can cause bacteria to multiply and increase your likelihood for getting odors and infections. Take a shower and wear fresh, clean clothing after you have gone swimming or exercised.

Of course, bathing or showering daily is the beginning of developing healthy habits. It is so important to wash the skin daily to get as much bacteria off as possible to prevent sickness and infection. Sweat is the body's way of removing waste & bacteria from the body. So it should be washed off every day. In the shower, wash the vagina externally with mild soap, then rinse with fresh water and dry off immediately with a clean towel. For internal cleansing, use WaterWorks, which is described at the bottom of this post. If you have problems with excessive sweating, abundant discharge, rashes, folliculitis, or pimply lesions on your Mons Pubis or inner thighs, be sure that you use a new sharp razor to shave and that you change the razor after 4-5 uses.

You can use a blow dryer to gently dry the external vaginal area around pubic hair, inside the creases & around the vaginal lips (Labia Majora & Minora), between your buttocks and all over the outer groin area. This can reduce irritation and infection.

Use moist baby wipes instead of toilet paper and always wipe from the front toward the back. This will help ensure that fecal matter and bacteria won't be pushed into the vaginal canal.

Never use chemical douches, deodorants, sprays or powders. We never recommend douching, as these products usually cause more infections by disrupting your natural pH, hormones and the delicate chemical balance of your vagina. Women who use these products and douche with chemicals will be battling ongoing irritation and infections on a regular basis.

Be sure to change tampons, sanitary napkins, and panty liners frequently - this means every time you use the restroom or at least every 3-4 hours. When pads and tampons are worn for long periods of time bacteria can build up. Not only can it cause foul odors, but especially with tampons, it can cause mild to very serious infections like toxic shock syndrome.

If you can, try to use menstrual products that do not contain scents or dyes. And try to find the all-cotton pads and tampons because some of the commercial products contain fiberglass. This fiberglass can find its way into your vagina or under your skin, causing non-infectious irritations.

Always wash your vaginal area after sex to rinse out the semen, bodily fluids and residue from condoms and other intimate products. All of these can cause infection, irritation, and odors if not removed. For this purpose, WaterWorks is wonderful, as it is an all-natural, FDA-cleared method for feminine cleansing. (See www.waterworkshealth.com for more details). WaterWorks is so gentle. It uses only the pressure from gravity for a gentle water flow to rinse the vagina. It can be done every day while in the shower.

I think it's important for us all to just get into a routine like we do with our hair and nails. Then it just becomes easy and we feel better.

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Everything You Need to Know About Feminine Odor

Today, I want to help those of you that are concerned about the type of vaginal odor that seems to get better and then, for no reason, will show up again and again. It is so frustrating because you know you haven't changed your hygiene habits, so why does it keep coming back?

The thing is, women have always struggled with vaginal odor, rashes and irritation. Why? Because period blood, sex and many medicines can disrupt the normally-low vaginal pH and create an environment for odor, bacterial and yeast infections to return over and over.

Many women struggle with how to clean up inside the vagina and have only learned what our mothers and grandmothers told us. The truth is, most of us over clean, and grab every product we can, in an effort to help - whether it is douches, sprays, special soap for "down there", creams, lubricants or inserts. We even read on the Internet about "natural" ways to cleanse and heal the vagina. For some reason, we think natural is better, and we use douches with vinegar or lemon juice, or soak tampons with vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt, lactobacillus, colloidal Silver, and an unending number of herbal products.

But, unfortunately, the odor and irritation does not get better and returns anyway, which makes us work even harder to clean up inside. This goes on and on.

The vagina was made in such a way that it does not need help from us to heal or cleanse itself. Yet, we feel the need to intervene. Many women do not "feel" clean unless they can clean up inside their vagina. Especially with the change of vaginal discharge throughout the month, a change of your sexual partner (or finding out that he cheated on you or if he gave you an STD). The natural vaginal environment is acidic (lower pH) than the rest of our body. Semen, period blood, douches, soap, vaginal creams and lubricants can raise the pH and completely hinder the vagina from healing and cleaning itself.

It is a healthy feminine hygiene practice to use soap to cleanse the outside of your body, around the vagina, anus and labia. But up inside, if you feel the need to rinse out your vagina to clean out semen, blood or excess discharge, you should only use warm water.

A lot of women are using WaterWorks now because it has been FDA cleared for vaginal cleansing to remove odor. WaterWorks is very different from store bought douches. It is made to be reusable. Therefore, you can save money and the environment by using it. It is designed with a refillable bag to fill with warm shower water connected to tubing with a medical grade stainless steel nozzle. The nozzle is placed inside the vagina and sprinkles out the warm water. It is the reaction of the stainless steel, water and vaginal mucosa that removes vaginal odor. It is a wonderful, useful discovery to help women with excessive discharge and odor. It can be used daily or as often as needed.

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Can WaterWorks Help With Vaginal Discharge in Addition to Vaginal Odor?

This week the question is:

“I know WaterWorks helps with vaginal odor, but I have a lot of discharge, will it help me with that too?”

It seems kind of funny, but problems with vaginal odor and discharge seem way too embarrassing to bring up over lunch with the girls, even though in my experience, based on what I hear safely behind closed exam room doors, it's one of the most common problems women have. Maybe it would be good to know that the women closest to us suffer too.

Because vaginal odor can be caused by an imbalance of the normal bacterial flora in the vagina, odor and discharge often go hand in hand. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections can both be culprits of recurrent odor and discharge.

Unlike store bought douches which contain chemicals that can make the situation worse by destroying that normal ecosystem WaterWorks uses of only tap water for vaginal cleansing, so it can be used every time you shower without causing any adverse effects. In fact, by using WaterWorks, a healthy balance can be created as the abnormal discharge and bacteria are removed and normal vaginal pH can be restored.

This is best seen by using WaterWorks to rinse out semen after sex. What is really happening has to do with the composition of the semen, which is a sugary, alkaline substance created to protect the sperm from the acidic environment of the vagina. If not for this, the sperm would die on contact with the vagina and no one would ever get pregnant. After sex, semen remains inside and if you have sex again within a day or two, it gives the vagina no time to restore the normal flora that creates the acidic environment. Once this happens there can be persistent discharge and odor that reoccurs.

So back to the question as to whether WaterWorks helps to eliminate vaginal discharge with the odor, the answer is yes. We have many women writing in and telling us how much they love WaterWorks. The WaterWorks system is a reusable vaginal cleansing system that has been FDA cleared for vaginal odor and it is the reaction of the stainless steel nozzle end that is designed to comfortably insert into the vagina, with ordinary tap water that eliminates or reduces the unpleasant odor.

The unique design and gentle sprinkling action will rinse unwanted discharge and semen from the vagina and help facilitate the natural healing process of your own body. No chemicals and no medications. What a wonderful gift to every woman.

Oh, and just for the sake of any curious readers, I do not receive commission from any of the WaterWorks that are sold, so there is no monetary incentive for me in telling you about it. I was just so excited when I discovered WaterWorks and met the inventor, because now women had a natural way to combat feminine odor and discharge without having to use chemicals or medications. All natural. What could be better than this?

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What does HPV and Dysplasia mean, for me?

Dear KnowYourV,
I just got the results of my pap smear back and it showed 'high risk HPV with mild to moderate dysplasia'. I'm worried because someone told me HPV is an STD and that dysplasia is pre-cancerous."

Well, Vanessa let's back up a little bit. First of all, the reason you come in once a year for your pap is to screen for cervical cancer. And since so many more women do get tested yearly now, we rarely see advanced cases of cervical cancer like they saw years ago.

These days, if a woman has an abnormal pap, we do repeat paps or biopsies immediately to evaluate the cervical tissue. If necessary, any abnormal tissue with HPV can be removed so healthy tissue can grow in its place. This way, dysplasia or high risk HPV never have a chance to progress to a cancerous condition.

HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is transferred through sexual contact and belongs to the wart family. It can show up as visible genital warts or flat 'invisible' kind that can cause cervical cancer. Men harbor it in their semen and women carry it in their cervical tissue and cervical/vaginal fluids.

There are two types of HPV: 'low risk’ and ‘high risk'. High risk is the one reported on pap smears and is responsible for cervical Cancer. It can also cause penile cancer, anal cancer, vulvar cancer and oral cancer. Therefore, it can be transferred though anal sex and oral sex as well.

It's possible to get HPV from your first sexual partner and not know you have it. There are no symptoms and it can lay dormant for years. Just like the herpes virus, it may erupt during times of stress or during pregnancy. When HPV begins to flare up, it causes cellular changes in the tissues. When your pap specimen is taken, the cells are looked at under a microscope and the clinician can see the HPV infection and any affects it is having upon your cervix.

Dysplasia is not cancer; it is not even pre-cancer. It is only a descriptive name given to tissue at a certain point in time so that it can be compared with another point in time to note changes. With dysplasia, the terms ‘mild’, ‘moderate’ and ‘severe’ are used, and then it may go to cancer. Most of these changes take several years to happen, and most women choose some form of treatment long before cancer would become an issue.

What about the men? That's what women worry about when they find out they have HPV - shouldn't the men be tested too? Unfortunately, it doesn't do much good, because HPV is in their semen, and there is no way to treat them. They are not at risk for cancer the same as we are.

Fortunately, the new HPV vaccine, which can be given starting at age 8 to boys and girls, should start making a huge impact in the future.

The most important thing is keep getting your pap smears on a regular basis. Over 75% of the U.S. population has HPV, and it is as high as 85% worldwide. So, you are definitely not alone in this. It is a battle we've been working hard to win, and the vaccine is one step along with regular pap tests.

As I've told you, one of the best things you can do daily to help yourself feel fresh and clean is use the new WaterWorks feminine cleansing system. This is so wonderful because it can be used when you shower, and does not require special formulas or chemicals - just plain tap water. And, it can be used more than once a day. Most women will use it right after sex to rinse out semen, which helps them feel clean and fresh right away. Plus this can also immediately rinse away any semen infected with HPV or other STDs. This is important, since a woman's body acts like a little incubator for bacteria or viruses. That is why so many women love using their WaterWorks - it gives them confidence and they feel they are working towards better health with better hygiene. Plus WaterWorks is FDA cleared for vaginal cleansing to remove unwanted odor with or without discharge.

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Sex and your well-being

Many women have asked me about the benefits of sex in relation to health and well-being. Well, it turns out there has been a lot of scientific research done to give us some insight into this.

Studies done in the U.S. and England have revealed that couples who have sex at least 2 times a week had significantly lower stress levels. This was monitored by putting participants into highly stressful situations like public speaking or intense exercise and the checking their diastolic blood pressure and catecholamine levels afterward. The couples having more frequent sex showed better levels. Hmmm, interesting.

Sex also boosts the immune system. The same studies also found that having sex at least 2 times per week helps boost the amount of immunoglobulin in your bloodstream. This helps combat colds, flu viruses and other illnesses.

Sex can also be a great way to burn calories. A recent study showed that thirty minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more. It may not sound like much, but it adds up! Every little bit helps; plus, this exercise is enjoyable. 42 thirty minute sessions will burn 3,570 calories, so burning off those pounds may be within reach after all! In addition, lowered stress and lowered weight can lead to a reduction in cardiovascular disease. Amazingly, this reduction can be quite significant. The study in men actually showed that, when they had sex two times or more a week, there was a reduction in the risk of fatal heart attack by ½ as compared to those who had sex less than once a month.

Isn’t this interesting? Who would have thought sex could have so many positive health benefits
The studies also found that frequency of ejaculations in men in their 20’s correlated with reduction of prostate cancer later in life. The number of partners didn’t matter, but 5 or more ejaculations a week in the 20’s reduced prostate cancer by 1/3. Another study showed that 21 ejaculations or more per month in elderly men (as opposed to 4-7) was also linked to lower rates of prostate cancer.

And listen ladies, the more orgasms we have, the stronger it makes our pelvic floor muscles, which helps bladder control and frequency issues, especially as we get older. If your pelvic floor muscles are stronger, then you have better bowel control and are better able to hold back gas at those crucial times, oohhlaalaa! The stronger the muscles the stronger the orgasms, too.

During sex we release a very strong hormone called oxytocin. This is the hormone that gives us all the warm, loving feelings. Women release it during labor and when breast-feeding, and it helps them bond with their babies and make breast milk. They have found that when people are given this hormone, they are able to tolerate pain better, and that is why many of us find our headaches, PMS, and arthritis pain improve after sex. Oxytocin also improves our self-esteem, and that’s why having sex makes us feel better about ourselves. It has been called the love hormone, and because of that, having sex can improve intimacy and help us learn to bond and trust. When couples were tested for higher levels, they were shown to be more loving and generous to each other.

The last thing which I think we all know already, is loving sex promotes good sleep. What a surprise.

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What should I know about HPV, human papilloma virus, and what are its signs and symptoms?

Dear KnowYourV,  

What should I know about HPV, human papilloma virus, and what are its signs and symptoms?" 

This has become one of the most commonly asked questions recently, since HPV is a sexually transmitted virus and the #1 cause of cervical cancer worldwide.

As women come in for their annual exams and pap smears, questions arise about HPV testing and detection. Infections by genital HPV are very common. In fact, over 70% of people who are sexually active will contract the virus at some point in their lives. Yet many will not know it because they will not have any symptoms.

Whether or not symptoms occur has to do with the type of HPV, and there are more than 100 types of this virus. Some types of HPV are associated with genital warts, either visible or flat and not visible. Other types of HPV are associated with cervical and other cancers, with no warts nor other noticeable symptoms. Still more common forms of HPV produce warts on other parts of your body like your hands and feet. Many people who get genital HPV will clear it spontaneously over time, however, the longer it stays in your body (and depending on which type of HPV you have), the higher the risk for cervical, anal or oral cancer.

Since HPV infections are contracted through sexual contact, many women have concerns about their current partner and how to find out when they contracted the virus. Women in monogamous relationships who have tested positive for HPV worry about re-infection from their partner, if their partner is positive, or protecting a negative partner.

For most women, it is an abnormal pap smear that first alerts them to a positive HPV test. Like most viruses, HPV has an incubation period, and it is possible to be infected with the virus even years earlier, only to have it lay dormant. During times of stress to the body, either emotional or physical, the HPV can re activate, just like we experience with cold sores or acne outbreaks.

As I've explained previously, the prevalence of HPV and its dormant period can make it impossible to know who the infection originated from – a current partner or a previous one. We can contract it during our first sexual experience and it may not be detected until years later on a pap smear.

Concerns about HPV are increasing, as they are now finding oral and throat cancer on the rise due to viral infections from oral sex . There has also been recent publicity about celebrities that have battled throat and anal cancer.

HPV has become the most important reason for women to come in for their annual exams and pap smears. Also, good dentists will screen for any suspicious or HPV-type oral lesions during your routine exams. Thankfully, most gynecologists now report that cervical cancer has been on the decline in America due to early detection of High Risk HPV.

Women tend to be at an increased risk as their bodies tend to function as incubators for such viruses when semen is deposited. So, it is best to get up after sex and rinse out that semen with the amazing WaterWorks System. It may look and act like a douche but works nothing like it. It is completely reuseable, and uses only natural tap water, no chemicals. The stainless steel nozzle coupled with the downward gentle sprinkling action of the water makes it unique. The stainless steel reacts with the water and vaginal wall to remove unwanted odor, and the gentle sprinkling action of the water cleans and rinses out any remaining semen. This has helped so many women feel cleaner, fresher and odor-free without the use of medication or douching, which can be harmful to the natural environment of the vagina.

So keep up the good work, stay healthy, eat right and get out there and move your muscles around. You will start to feel much better.

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What tips do you have for someone who is looking for a new gynecologist? What should I look for?

Choosing a new or first gynecologist can be very stressful for women. This health care provider consults us about some of the most intimate areas of our health. It's our Ob-gyn's who see us through some of the most emotional transitions in our lives with conversations including contraception, conception, childbirth, PMS, and menopause. For many women, the gynecologist is their primary or only physician and, therefore, needs to be someone with whom she feels comfortable sharing a lot of information. I know in any health crisis, the Ob-gyn physician is the first doctor most women turn to, so trust is critical.

The gynecological exam is a highly private and personal experience that can leave women feeling very vulnerable, so women need to decide if a male or female doctor will be more appropriate for them. One of the best ways to find a good Ob-gyn is to ask friends or family, or get a referral from another doctor you've known and trusted. You can ask them questions ahead of time about the Ob-gyn and you may feel more confident knowing they have had a good experience with their doctor.

However you choose your new Ob-gyn, always remember to prepare for the visit before the day of the exam. Make a list a questions that you need to ask, and prepare to review what tests you need to do and how often you should have them done. Just remember, your Ob-gyn knows it is a stressful exam and expects you to have questions. If you don't ask then it is assumed you are OK, with no questions. But, no question is too silly to ask. If you are worried about it, then it is important.

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