Is Vagina A Self-cleaning Oven? - Ojus Life

Is Vagina A Self-cleaning Oven?

Dr Anita Nischal

 

Did you know that about 1,200 women in the age group of 25-49 experience vaginal itching or irritation in the United States? Also, 24% of women had a vaginal odor and 21% had an infection reported in the last year. So, if you believe that vagina is like a self-cleaning oven, then why are several women undergoing vaginal issues every year?

A healthy vagina or self-cleaning vagina is inhabited by an equally symbiotic flora of microorganisms that are certainly present and keep the vagina clean and healthy. Besides, there are some misconceptions that the vagina is self-cleaning, and women that suffer from vaginal issues must be doing something incorrectly. But this is not true!

Let us discuss the same and clear our doubt on is vagina self-cleaning or not?

Does Your Vagina Clean Itself?

To begin with, we must know how and what disturbs the mechanisms of the self-cleaning vagina? The women who are suffering from chronic vaginal discomfort must be tired of hearing that their vagina clears itself. But you ought to understand that your body’s reaction to all of the variables can affect your vaginal health.

What is self-cleaning? Is it the removal of vaginal discharge, is it the maintenance of positive bacteria, or is it maintaining a certain scent? Although, all 3 of the above actions will help to define the vagina self-cleaning oven. However, for this to happen simultaneously, the biological environment of the vagina must uphold the correct pH. The normal vaginal pH should be maintained between 3.8 – 4.5. The keeping of the vaginal bacteria in the correct ratio can lead to the vagina self-cleaning oven.

How Is pH Maintained Inside The Vagina?

pH balance is completely affected by an abundance of the dominant lactobacilli bacteria species which accounts for 90% of the vaginal microbes. And produces lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide to maintain an acidic environment. Also, the pH balance is negatively affected by the less beneficial bacteria Gardenella- vaginitis species which accounts for 10% of the vaginal microbe but is responsible for 90 % of the symptoms of vaginal discomfort.

Thus, is it a myth that the vagina is a self-cleaning oven? The vagina is efficient enough to maintain the balance between two bacteria species where G-Vaginalis is not a foreign invader, but it is 10 % of the natural bacteria environment of the vagina.

This is enlightened in the recent scientific data that the imbalance of bacteria is primarily due to G- vaginalis species, which can develop a polymicrobial biofilm that adheres to the vaginal tissue and displays resistance to the dominant lactobacilli species. Further, it produces hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid to maintain the vaginal pH and the self-cleaning oven mechanism.

Factors That Impact Vagina’s Self-cleaning Efficiency

Besides, several factors in a woman’s daily life and body composition can trigger vaginal discomfort and challenge the efficiency of the so-called vagina self-cleaning oven. Diet, stress, sleep, weight gain, contraception, sexual habits, sanitary napkins, tampons, STI, menstrual cycle, ovulation, and medications are among the common reasons for a shift in the vaginal pH. They should be spontaneously resolved within 24- 48 hours in a healthy vaginal environment.

The soaps, douching, and feminine hygiene products – all women reach for these products to aid the “self-cleaning oven”. As many women become victims of clever marketing tactics telling them that they need to improve their vaginal scent. A vaginal unusual discharge or a change in the color of the vaginal discharge can be a sign that the “self-cleaning oven” is not functioning efficiently.

To put this in a nutshell, we believe that yes, the vagina is a capable self-cleaning oven but with limitations. While on one hand, the vagina is capable of clearing vaginal discharge, it is incapable of destroying the biofilm of G- Vaginalis.

Currently, there are no known products to destroy Biofilm. We are presently experimenting with a protocol for removing biofilm and maintaining the balance of the vaginal bacteria.

What Other Parts of the Body Are Self-Cleaning?

When we talk about hygiene, it is easy to believe that the more we clean and groom, the healthier we will be. However, at times, cleaning a body part can do more harm than good. Also, there are several self-cleaning body parts, which you do not need to clean that often. Some of them are:

  • Ear Canal– it is very fragile, and using a cotton swab can cause irritation, swelling, and small tears in the ear canal skin that can lead to infections.
  • Eyes– the lacrimal glands generate tears which assist to lubricate the eyes, function to cleanse and shield the eyes from debris and other irritants.
  • Nose– nose-picking can affect nosebleeds swelling in the nose, and crusting.
  • Colon– it cleanses are not needed and may develop some health risks as the digestive tract already supports eradicating waste from our system.

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Conclusion

Women need to understand their eating and lifestyle habits influence their vaginal health. So, if you believe that the vagina is a self-cleaning oven, you must control your stress level, eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated and practice some exercises daily.

Apart from this, you can consume herbal & natural supplements like Vayur and Probiotics formulated by OjusLife. It maintains the healthy pH that supports the vaginal ecology and provides the beneficial bacteria to balance yeast and bacteria. A healthy ecosystem in a vagina can help in the self-cleaning vagina.

vitamin-for-healthy-vagina

Healthy pH can reduce the risk of vaginal issues and supplements can balance yeast & bacteria and maintain vaginal flora in a normal range. Thus, the vagina clears itself!

The walls of the vagina should be pinkish. You may see it feels a little like the roof of your mouth. Then, if you push a little farther, you may feel your cervix area.

 

The vagina cleans itself inside your body with natural vaginal secretions or discharges. Furthermore, you can use plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the vagina gently every day.

 

Although the vagina is a self-cleaning organ for hygiene- you must clean your vagina every day with plain water. Avoid scented soaps, perfume or any other products as that can disturb your normal vagina balance.

 

The vagina discharges are common which helps the vagina clear itself. But constant wetness down there can be due to bacterial vaginosis, a mild vaginal infection.

 

You must wash your vagina daily with plain water for hygiene. You must avert yourself from using that scented soaps and perfumes down there as that can trigger infection leading to itching and other concerns.

 

The best natural way to clean the vagina is to wash it daily with water as it is a part of the self-cleaning vagina. Besides, for a healthy vagina- wipe your vagina from front and back after using the toilet & sex. You must pee before and after sex, avoid any kind of vaginal products, wear cotton underwear and change your wet swimsuit or sweaty gym pants as soon as you can.