Just take a minute and wreally think about it, vaginas are pretty impressive things. Not only can they withstand the trauma of childbirth, but they are also self-cleaning and have their own way of protecting you from nasty infections. The fact is, every vagina looks different – there is no right or wrong shape and size. Here’s 9 things you need to know about your vagina.
1. It’s location A surprising amount of people don’t know exactly where the vagina is. Many people assume the word vagina incorporates all of a woman’s private parts, but it doesn’t. The vagina is the muscular tube that runs between the vulva – the outside part of a woman’s genitalia – to the cervix. The other parts all have their own names such as the labia, which are the flesh lips that help stop unwanted things getting into the vagina. And the size of the vagina varies from woman to woman. The average size is about 2.7 to 3.1 inches, according to Medical News Today. During sexual arousal it extends to about 4.3 to 4.7 inches.
2. Work it, baby Just like any other muscle in your body, the vagina – more specifically the pelvic floor – needs exercise to stay strong. Training this key set of muscles will not only boost your sex life, it can prevent incontinence and makes life after childbirth an altogether more bearable time. Pelvic floor muscle exercises also help prevent the unthinkable – prolapse of a woman’s internal organs, that can happen after giving birth. The pelvic floor muscles are located between your legs, and run from the pubic bone at the front to the base of your spine. They are shaped like a sling and hold all your pelvic organs in place. In a woman, that includes the womb, vagina, bowel and bladder. To keep your pelvic floor muscles strong experts recommend you squeeze the muscles 10 to 15 times in a row, slowly increasing how long you hold the squeeze to a few seconds each time.
3. Sounds fishy Vaginas have something weirdly in common with sharks. A compound in the discharge produced by vaginas is also produced in the liver of sharks. The substance, called squalene, is also used in beauty products like moisturisers, sunscreen and hair products.
4. Squeaky clean It may be tempting to thoroughly wash your self down there, but the fact is you don’t need to. Vaginas are self-cleaning. It produces a discharge that is a form of mucus produced from the cervix, the opening of the womb. It is a completely normal part of female life and is the vagina’s way of keeping itself clean and healthy. And when it comes to washing, water and a mild soap is best. Dr Vanessa Mackay, a gynaecologist and spokeswomen for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, previously told The Sun Online: “Mild soap or a mild shower cream and water is all that you need to wash the outside of your bottom, front and back. And you don’t need to wash your vagina – it self-cleans. If you have any concerns about odour you need to contact your doctor.”
5. It can bleach your panties That’s right, your vagina has the power to change the colour of your knickers. It all comes down to its natural pH levels. A pH level is the marker for how acidic or alkaline something is. If anything has a pH level lower than seven it has acidic properties. And a healthy vagina has a pH value of somewhere between 3.8 and 4.5. Now, this might seem like it’s incredibly acidic but rest assured it’s for your own good. According to the NHS naturally occurring bacteria called lactobactilli keep the vagina’s pH at a normal level. The acidity of your vaginal discharge is what protects you from nasty infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis. If you vaginas natural levels of acidity is off balance it can also leave you more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections. It is this acidity that can change the colour of your pants.
6. There’s more than one pleasure spot That’s right, boys, there are several spots you could be hitting to take her to heady heights. By now it is safe to say that everyone knows about the G-spot. But there’s another spot you need to know about – the A-spot. The anterior fornix erogenous zone can be found deep inside the vagina between the cervix and the bladder. It was discovered by Malaysian research Dr Chua Chee Ann, who found that 10 to 15 minutes of A-spot stimulation let to orgasms and vaginal lubrication in 15 per cent of women. It was tested on women who suffered from vaginal dryness and therefore experienced pain and discomfort during sex, making a happy ending almost impossible to achieve.
7. They can’t fart You may have heard, or even been in a situation, where a vagina makes a farting noise. This is not flatulence. All that embarrassing noise is is trapped air being released from your vaginal canal, also called queefing. There are several ways air can get trapped now there, the most common being during sex. But since the farting sound isn’t being caused by waste gases and doesn’t smell, it is not actually a fart.8. Dietary problem Sometimes what you eat can affect how you smell down there. There is some evidence to suggest that some foods can affect our scent, but it is still anecdotal. Think garlic, onion, cheese and fish. All quite pungent smells that are thought to affect your downstairs odour. On the same note, eating pineapple is believed to give your lady garden a sweeter scent. If you are experiencing a particularly nasty smell it’s important you speak to your GP because it could be a sign of a nasty infection.9. Things can’t get lost At some point in your life you’ve probably heard a terrifying story of how tampons can get lost in the vagina. This isn’t true – the vagina isn’t a dark void where things can be easily misplaced. The opening at the top of your vagina is far too small for anything like a tampon to get through it. Tampons can get stuck though, which can be a cause for concern. If they are left in the vagina for too long they can cause a condition called toxic shock syndrome, which can prove fatal.Photo Credit: Getty
