Intimate hygiene is all the rage now, with washes, wipes, sprays and douches taking up more space on store shelves and online carts. The product catalogue for intimate hygiene is extensive, and vaginal hygiene has become heavily commercialised. Every other product promises to take your intimate wellness to the next level, with big and exaggerated claims of confidence and cleanliness in a bottle.
But with so many options available, how do you really know what is good for your body and what is just good marketing? Misinformation around vaginal can make women believe that their natural body needs fixing, when in reality, the vagina has its own self-cleaning mechanism. Using too many products, especially scented or chemical based ones, may disturb natural balance and increase the risk of irritation, infections and discomfort.
For a better understanding, HT Lifestyle spoke to Dr Renu Malik, director at Malik Radix Healthcare, who explained why less is more when it comes to vaginal hygiene, which products women should avoid, and when intimate symptoms may actually require immediate medical attention.
Does your vagina really need to be cleaned?
The entire narrative of ‘cleaning,’ the vagina is flawed, as the doctor asserted that the vagina is self-cleaning. “Your body has a natural defense system. Your vagina contains good bacteria (Lactobacilli) that protect you from infections,” she said. Most importantly, it is efficient enough to actually maintain the right pH balance, throwing the intimacy products that claim to fix pH balance; bogus claim when your body does it naturally.
“The acidic environment prevents harmful bacteria from growing. It cleans itself. The vagina produces natural discharge to keep itself healthy and infection-free,” Dr Malik noted.
The doctor also informed that the vagina does not need strong external help, as the body is designed to do the work by itself.
Is vagina supposed to have an odour?
The second set of products also claim to fix vaginal odour, but the doctor warned that this often profits off women’s insecurities. She explained that the vagina does have a normal odour, and discharge can be healthy too. Believing in these myths can drive fear and make women more likely to use these products unnecessarily. The bigger downside is overuse. “Constant use of these products disrupts the natural balance you’re trying to maintain,” Dr Malik remarked.
It is high time, we dismantle the capitalistic notion that natural intimate wellness is ‘unclean’ and you need to buy something to fix it.
What are the intimate hygiene products you should avoid?
Here are the list of products, as mentioned by the doctor which are hazardous for your intimate wellness:
1. Douching is dangerous:
- It kills good bacteria and increases risk of infections, bacterial vaginosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease
2. Scented products irritate:
- Fragrances and deodorants cause burning, dryness, allergic reactions, and yeast infections
3. Frequent washes destroy balance:
- Even gentle washes used too often disrupt your protective bacterial ecosystem
4. Creates a dependency cycle:
- You feel you need products to feel clean, leading to more use and more problems
What should you really do?
With so much information available, it can get confusing to understand what actually works. Everyone is quick to share their two cents, which can make intimate hygiene feel more complicated than it needs to be.
Here’s the detailed routine from Dr Malik that is simple but efficient:
- Wash with water only: Plain water is best for daily external cleaning
- Use mild, unscented soap sparingly: Only on outer skin if needed; never inside the vagina
- Wear breathable cotton underwear: Allows proper air circulation.
- Avoid tight clothing and excess moisture: Creates the right environment for infections
When to see a doctor?
Now, intimate wellness can show certain alarming signs. But that does not mean you should head to the supermarket and shop for scented products, washes or sprays. In reality, these symptoms may be body’s way of telling you to visit a doctor. Identifying the signs is very critical. Here are the symptoms Dr Malik advised women to watch out for:
- Foul-smelling discharge
2. Itching or burning
3. Unusual color or texture changes
What do these signs mean? As per marketing, you may think it is indicative of poor hygiene, but in reality, these are signs of infections!
“Your vagina is smarter than any product marketing team. Trust your body’s natural processes, ignore the advertising,” Dr Malik said as parting advice, reiterating that vaginal hygiene does not need to be complicated or driven by product-heavy routines.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
