Self

If You're Not Doing THIS, You Could Be Drying Out Your Vagina

Photo: weheartit 
woman crossing her legs

There are a lot of things I remember from high school health class, specifically the sex education portion because for years leading up to it I'd thirstily hoped to find a condom and a banana station set up at my desk. (Of course, it didn't actually go down like that but I'm not bitter — promise.)

However, the one thing I don't recall learning during sex ed or any other health class for that matter was that not drinking enough water could leave my with a dry vagina (read: dehydrated vagina). 

Yet, I guess in a lot of ways it totally makes sense.

Water is like thee cure for everything or so that's the way it seems. Want to lose weight? Water. Want better skin? Water. Want a wet vagina? Water. Drink it that is. It's a given that you should bathe with water.

But Glamour talked to author and Women's Health expert Sherry A. Ross, M.D. and here's the definitive deal ...

“A healthy vagina needs the same hygienic attention as any other part of the body, similar to the way we care for our face.” She went on to add, “The skin of the vagina is susceptible to dryness if not taken care of properly.” 

This applies to the inside and outside areas of your vagina (labia included) — a well-watered body means a wet vagina (er, lubricated if you want to be clinical).

If you regularly dehydrate your vagina you open the oven door to yeast infections because “Yeast and bacterial infections occur when there is a disruption of the normal pH balance caused by dehydrated skin in and around the inside of the vagina.”

So, my only question: do they make Gatorade for vaginas? Sounds like an easy enough fix.

OK, probably not happening so the next best thing is to just drink (at the very least) the universally recommended amount (eight 8 ounce glasses). 

 

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