What Is Douching?

As a vulva owner, you’re often led to believe that what’s going on downstairs isn’t normal. From the way your flower looks to how your foof smells and everything else that goes on down there, chances are you’ve probably wondered whether or not your paradise slice is up to scratch. But we’re here to reassure you that regardless of what you’ve been told, your field of dreams is unique and beautiful in its own way.

However, in order to combat any negative issues surrounding their puss, many women take to douching to keep their flowers looking and smelling fresh. So, what is douching and should you actually be squirting anything up your lady cake that isn’t loobie or doesn’t come from a peen? Stay tuned to learn all about douching, its alternatives and how to keep your snatch feeling its best.

What is a Douche?

Probably not the type of thing you should be inflicting on your kitty.

In addition to vaginal douching, you may also be familiar with the process of douching your derrière with what’s known as an anal douche. Anal douches are a popular way for people to prep their posterior before indulging in a bit of anal action. While some people use an anal douche to clean out their cavity to minimise any potential mess before going backstage, anal douching isn’t at all necessary for enjoying bum fun.

Why do People use Douches?

Sadly, many cultures and religions have led women and vulva owners to believe that their Mappa Tassie and the normal bodily functions that come with it are dirty and something to be ashamed of. It’s for this reason that some women go to such extreme lengths to keep their velvet patches spick and span.

There are a number of different reasons that vulva owners partake in douching, including:

• Flushing out old blood after their period

• Eliminating natural odours

• Treating vaginal issues like discharge, itching or infections

• Preventing pregnancy by flushing out semen after sex

• Avoiding sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

As it turns out, vaginal douching doesn’t actually help with any of this and is probably doing more harm than good for your moot. And while you’re probably already across the ins and outs of safe sex, we just want to make it abundantly clear that douching is NOT an effective method for preventing pregnancy or STIs. Stick to tried and tested condoms or visit your GP to discuss other methods of contraception that might work for you.

Is vaginal douching safe?

As it turns out, there’s next to no scientific evidence to suggest that vaginal douching is effective for cleaning the vajango, eliminating odours or any other reason that people turn to douching. In fact, regular vaginal douching has actually been found to lead to a raft of different nasty effects that’ll be enough to put you off douching for good.

When it comes to cleaning your cooch, most medical experts, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, recommend avoiding vaginal douching altogether. As it turns out, the vagina is an efficient self-cleaning organ. With a delicate balance of good and bad bacteria paired with a precise pH balance, your poonani is perfectly capable of keeping itself fresh and clean without the help of a douche or any other products for that matter. Using a douche on your downstairs can actually throw out this delicate balance, leaving you more prone to infections like thrush or bacterial vaginosis.

While disrupting the balance is just one side effect, vaginal douching has also been linked to a number of other gynaecological issues that can cause severe complications, like:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease, which is an infection of the reproductive organs

• Cervicitis, or inflammation of the cervix

• Bacterial vaginosis

• Pregnancy complications, including, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth and even difficulty getting pregnant

• Cervical cancer.

How to keep your flower fresh

If you’re looking to keep your puss in pristine condition, rather than give you a blow-by-blow on how to douche, we thought we’d be better off discussing the alternatives to douching. Because your vagina has already mastered the art of cleaning itself, we don’t recommend washing inside your lovin’ oven. Instead, just stick to washing the vulva, or the area around the outside of your lady cake. With that being said, if you’re interested in reading up on how to use an anal douche, you can head over to our guide on anal douching instead.

One of the easiest ways to clean your poonani is in the bath or the shower when you’re taking care of the rest of your bod. While warm water is enough to do the trick, if you do feel the need to use soap, we recommend opting for sensitive, fragrance-free options to minimise the risk of irritation. Simply use one hand to separate the outer and inner labia of your kitty while using the other to gently splash water over the area. Avoid vigorously scrubbing the area, and if you do choose to use a soap, make sure you give it a good rinse to remove all residue before gently patting your puss dry with a clean towel.

At Lovehoney, we stock a range of intimate care products for vulva owners, including feminine washes and wipes. If you prefer to feel fresh after fooling around with your flame, then you can always pick up a pack of intimate wipes like the Vush You Do You Intimate Wipes (30 Pack) or Lovehoney Fresh Biodegradable Sex Toy Wipes (25 Pack). Specially formulated for sensitive skin, these wipes can be used all over the bod. As a bonus, you can also use them to help keep your sex toys fresh and hygienic.

Don’t forget that your V has a natural odour and this unique flave differs from person to person. It’s also totally normal for your tuppence to secrete discharge, so if you notice anything of the sort in your knickers, there’s absolutely no cause for concern. Unless your odour or discharge changes suddenly or you’re experiencing pain or discomfort down there, your V is just doing its thing and keeping itself clean.

When to visit your GP

While some vaginal odours and secretions are totally normal, there are other instances that call for a trip to your doc. Here are some of the signs that could mean there’s something more serious at play:

• A strong vaginal odour that smells fishy, yeasty or more pungent than usual

• Abnormal vaginal discharge that’s white or green in colour

• Burning, itching, redness or swelling in or around your V

• Pain or discomfort when you go for a wee or while dancing the mattress mambo.

Your coochie deserves to live in peace in all its natural glory. So give your snatch a much-deserved break and keep the douching strictly for anal.