Should i douche regularly

Myths About Douching So, why do women douche? These myths include: Douching is "hygienic," and part of a woman's normal cleansing process. Again, no. Douching will wash away menstrual blood and other matter, but it also changes the pH, or the acidity, of the vagina, leaving it vulnerable to infection.

I need to douche because my vagina has a bad odor. In fact, douching acts like an air freshener — it only hides odors, but doesn't make them go away.

An unusual vaginal odor could be the sign of a bacterial infection, bladder infection, or STD. Only treatment will clear it up, so see your doctor as soon as possible. Also, keep in mind that your vagina may simply have a mild odor — this doesn't mean that you're "unclean. Douching after sex does not wash semen out of the vagina or prevent pregnancy. Douching has, however, been linked to infertility, and has also been associated with a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy.

The Bartholin glands are a pair of glands, near the opening of the vagina. If a duct from one of the gland gets blocked, fluids can build up…. A cyst may form if…. If you have vaginal atrophy, you may wonder if it can be reversed. With treatment, some women find that their symptoms improve.

Although antibiotics can help treat bacterial vaginosis BV , it often comes back. There are several steps you can take to lower your risk of…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Michael Charles, M. How does it work? Is it safe? Risks of douching. How to safely clean your vagina. When to see a doctor. How to prevent vaginal odor. Read this next.

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. What Causes Sticky Vaginal Discharge? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women not douche, citing research indicating that women who do are at increased risk of PID pelvic inflammatory disease.

According to the U. In the United States, almost one in five women 15 to 44 years old douche. Doctors recommend that you do not douche. Douching can lead to many health problems, including problems getting pregnant.

Douching is also linked to vaginal infections and sexually transmitted infections STIs. The National Institutes of Health similarly discourages the use of vaginal douching, warning women that:. Douching has been associated with many adverse outcomes including pelvic inflammatory disease, bacterial vaginosis, cervical cancer, low birth weight, preterm birth, human immunodeficiency virus transmission, sexually transmitted diseases, ectopic pregnancy, recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, and infertility.

Despite these and many other recommendations to abstain from douching, it's estimated that 20 to 40 percent of women aged 15 to 44 douche. Nearly half of these women douche every week. Continue reading this article to find out why.

Additionally, all douche formulations — except for the pure saline varieties — contain ingredients that could trigger an adverse or allergic reaction. Once you stop consuming the food or other products, the odor usually goes away. Washing the outside area — the vulva — with deodorant soap can decrease the natural odor, but it may also dry out the sensitive tissue, so use those products with caution.

Some odors may occur due to a health issue. These odors and accompanying symptoms can arise due to a serious infection like gonorrhea, trichomoniasis , or chlamydia. Bacterial vaginosis , an imbalance of the various kinds of bacteria found in the vagina, can cause discomfort and odor as well.

If you have this problem, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, which selectively affects only the anaerobic bacteria bacteria that live without oxygen and leaves the healthy bacteria intact.

Yeast vaginitis is what most people refer to as a yeast infection, but really occurs because of a bacterial imbalance that allows the yeast to flourish.

Your doctor will prescribe one of several medications to treat the abundance of yeast and put the natural balance back in place.