Vaginal douche, what does it do and how is it used?

Basically, the vagina is a self-cleaning organ in the body. The cervix and the inner walls of the vagina will produce mucus which will dissolve, bringing the remaining menstrual blood, old tissue, and other foreign particles out of the vagina. But this does not mean you can miss cleaning the vagina. Keeping the vagina clean is important to avoid vaginal itching and odor problems. One way to care for cleanliness miss V is with a vaginal douche. But, how do you use it? Check out the following reviews.

What is vaginal douche?

Douche itself comes from French which means "to rinse" or "wash". Vaginal douche is a special vaginal antiseptic cleanser which is usually packaged in a bottle with a spray funnel to make it easier for the user to spray the contents of the solution into the vagina. Some other douches also include an intermittent pump that is separate from the liquid bottle to keep the contents of the solution sterile.

Douche fluids are usually water-based and can also contain the active ingredient Povidone Iodine. This substance kills bacteria, which helps relieve vaginal discharge, itching, or unpleasant odors. Vaginal douches may also contain a mixture of a solution of water and vinegar or water with baking soda.

How do I use vaginal douches?

Depending on the vaginal douche product you use, usually douching is done by spraying an antiseptic solution into the vagina via a special spray hose. You must first pour the contents of the bottle into the bag, which is usually included in the box. This method is believed to be able to reach all parts of the vagina to the deepest corners, to the neck of the vagina. This water solution then flows back out through your vagina.

Several other vaginal douche products function just like regular liquid soap. All you need to do is pour a little antiseptic solution on your hands and wash your vagina by hand.

Afterwards, then you dry the vaginal area and the surrounding area which is still damp. But be careful when you dry your vagina after douching. Do not dry the vagina by rubbing a towel or tissue from the back (buttocks) to the front (vagina). The correct direction is the opposite, from the front to the buttocks. This is to prevent the remains of feces and germs stuck in the rectum from moving to the vaginal opening. Instead of feeling cramped down there, you are prone to urinary tract infections.

How often should you use vaginal douches to clean your vagina?

According to many health experts, including experts from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologysts (ACOG), you should avoid using vaginal douches as much as possible. If possible, you should try not to use it at all.

There is no scientific evidence regarding the real benefits of douching for women's reproductive health. Douching can actually cause risks and dangers that are not worth the fresh taste effect. Doching can actually make you more susceptible to infections, such as bacterial vaginosis. Because, vaginal douche solution actually works to flush out the good bacteria colonies that live in the vagina.

Summarized from various scientific studies, frequent vaginal douching can also increase your risk of a number of chronic diseases, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, HPV, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, to fertility problems such as difficulty getting pregnant and ectopic pregnancy.

So, how do you clean a good vagina?

The vagina has its own way of cleaning itself by keeping pH levels and bacterial colonies in balance. Therefore, you can simply wash the vagina with lukewarm water one to two times a day.

To relieve symptoms of bad odor, itching, discharge, or to prevent infection in the vaginal area, you can use feminine antiseptic products. Especially when you menstruate, which is the time when the vagina is very susceptible to infection. A good feminine antiseptic cleanser usually contains the active ingredient Providone Iodine and does not contain fragrances, perfumes, or soap substances at all.

But using an antiseptic solution to clean the vagina is only limited to washing the outside of the vagina, not to the inside, so as not to kill good bacteria.