You may have heard that the vagina is self-cleaning and the normal vaginal secretions keep it clean and healthy. However, with so many feminine hygiene products available women want to know – “What Can I Do For My Vaginal Health.”
Understanding Vaginal Health
The vaginal microflora contains a mix of bacteria, which includes ‘good bacteria’ or lactobacilli as well as bad bacteria. Lactobacilli produce high levels of lactic acid which keep the vagina pH slightly acidic and prevents infection. When the right balance of bacteria is maintained the vagina is healthy and protected, and the resulting secretions are also healthy.
What Can I Do For My Vaginal Health?
The most important thing you can do for your vaginal health is to avoid using soaps with irritating ingredients and fragrances. These irritants can disturb the delicate balance of the vaginal microflora because they can reduce lactobacilli, which upsets the natural defense against vaginal infections. It’s therefore best to use a hypocontactant skincare system like the FeminaRx SkinCare Collection available at Fowler GYN International.
The FeminaRx Skincare Collection is specially formulated for women with sensitive external genital tissues. The collection contains hypocontactant soap, soothing moisturizing skin lotion, astringent skin rinse for the external genitalia, nonreactive water-based vaginal lubricant for intercourse, a non-water based labial emollient for sports and exercise to prevent tissue friction, and a special blend shaving cream for the genital area.
You can also keep the vagina healthy by not douching. Douching can actually harm the vagina because it removes some of the healthy bacteria, and has been linked to higher rates of bacterial infection. It’s also important to take antibiotics only when needed because they also destroy some healthy bacteria.
If you would like to learn more about maintaining vaginal health, contact Fowler GYN International, Phoenix, AZ at www.fowlergyninternational.com, or by calling (480) 420-4001.