An expert on intimate health has explained why you should steer clear of bath bombs and other heavily scented wash products 'down below'.
Dr Susanna Unsworth is an NHS menopause and women's health expert who works as an in-house gynaecology expert for the intimate wellbeing brand, INTIMINA. The specialist from Cambridge has spoken on whether products aimed towards intimate areas are actually worthwhile.
According to Dr Unsworth, these products can be a waste of money and contain ingredients that may irritate more sensitive body parts, reports The Mirror. Many people choose to not discuss intimate health for fear of embarrassment, but it's important to know all the facts to stay healthy.
She has also debunked some of the biggest myths around the vagina, including washing routines, as intimate areas don't need different treatment in the shower because they are "self cleaning".
Dr Unsworth explains: "A lot of women ask about intimate health and what they could be doing to improve that, so first of all I would generally say that your vagina and the tissues down below are actually quite good at cleaning themselves and you don't really need to do too much.
"You don't need a specific routine in the shower to look after your health around your vagina and vulva and you don't need to be buying lots of intimate health washes. Many of the products marketed for that, especially those that are heavily perfumed, can actually make things a lot worse."
The doctor went on to share a gentle reminder to be mindful when using scented items in the bath, like bubble bath, bath oils and bath bombs.
"Again, you probably want to avoid over-using perfumed things," Dr Unsworth warned.
"Baths can be nice and relaxing and you can use things like bath bombs and what not, I'd just be careful not to use them too frequently and make sure that when you get out of the bath, you're rinsing yourself thoroughly so you're not leaving any of those products on your skin as that could lead to issues further down the line."
She added that if you have any concerns or are experiencing any vaginal discomfort or irregular symptoms you should make an appointment to speak to your GP about them.
While it may make sense that intimate areas need to be cleaned more, this is not the case for the vagina, which can actually do the job without the help of heavy scrubbing.
She added: "There are a lot of nice and healthy bacteria in the vagina that are part of your natural cleaning system and if you start over-washing yourself you're going to get rid of that healthy, protective bacteria and it will allow negative bacteria and microorganisms to grow."
If this happens many women may find themselves experiencing uncomfortable symptoms.
You might develop problems with discharge, itchiness, and soreness as well as things like thrush and bacterial vaginosis," Dr. Unsworth explains.
"For most women, I would say you don't need to be using any specific products, however, there are a few situations where some things can be helpful, for example, vaginal dryness can be a problem for quite a few women, maybe post-menopausally, or after a pregnancy. A vaginal moisturiser like those made by INTIMINA can be useful here to maintain the moisture in those tissues."
She continued to share how many may find themselves trapped in a cycle of poor intimate health if using perfumed products.
This is because when people start to experience uncomfortable symptoms because of the products, they may then overwash to try and make it feel better, but actually they'll likely just be making things worse for themselves.
Over washing will cause more problems, so it's definitely a case of less is more. "The whole area is very good at looking after itself and you don't need to worry too much about it," Dr Unsworth added.
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