Normal and healthy vaginal shape, like what?

If you are a woman, you may have wondered what a normal vagina looks like. But maybe you are embarrassed to ask or confused about where to ask. In fact, it is not uncommon for women who do not know the shape of their own vagina. Like humans, the vagina is individualistic. No two vaginas are the same. Don't compare yourself to other people, because what looks like a normal vagina to someone is not necessarily to you. You are a unique individual. Yes, even your vagina.

Most likely, your vagina is fine. But, just to help give you peace of mind, here's a guide to various vaginal sizes and shapes (as well as some signs to watch out for if something is really wrong with your vagina).

Importance of vaginal self-examination

Self-examination of the vagina is a way for a woman to see her vagina and vulva. This self-examination can help you better understand your body, and any problems that may need medical attention.

The best time to have a vaginal self-examination is right in the middle of your two menstrual cycles. Of note, self-contained vaginal examinations do not mean you don't need to have routine pelvic exams by your gynecologist.

To do a vaginal self-examination, you will need:

A small flashlight or good lighting in the room
A handheld mirror with a long handle
Speculum (or, you can also use your hand)
Do not apply vaginal creams or douches (vaginal cleansing spray) prior to the test

Wash hands, and take off pants. Sit on a chair, bed, floor, or sofa and support your back with pillows. Bend your knees so that your feet are beside your buttocks. Lean back slightly, and spread your knees so that your genital area can be seen.

Hold or support a mirror in front of your genital area, and adjust the direction of the flashlight so that you can see inside.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

What are the characteristics and shape of a normal, healthy vagina?

1. Vulva

The vulva is the genital organ on the outside of the vagina that can be seen with the naked eye. The vulva includes the mons pubis (pubic hump), labia majora (outer lip), labia minora (inner lip), clitoris, and external openings of the urethra and vagina.

We often get confused between the vulva and the vagina. The vagina, aka the 8-centimeter birth canal, is inside the body. Only the vaginal opening (introitus) can be seen from the outside.

Normal vaginal walls are reddish in color (can be bright pink or brown) and have creases or wrinkles. The vulva can have wrinkles, which is normal. In fact, wrinkles on the vulva indicate elasticity, so don't feel like this makes you feel old or abnormal.

What is not normal: if the vulva is painful or there are strange bumps like vaginal warts - caused by a sexually transmitted virus.

2. Labia

The labia are the most visible parts of your vulva - the flap that splits in half at the mons pubis. These petals are called the labia majora, or often referred to as the "vaginal lips". If you open your labia majora, you will see smaller petals inside, on either side of your vaginal opening.

Many people believe that the lips of both labia are supposed to be a certain length, but this is not true. In more than half of women, the lips of the labia minora may be longer and protrude from the labia majora. Sometimes, the two pairs of labia can be long, thick, or even thin. Sometimes, the skin color of the labia can mimic the skin tone of the body, darker, or lighter. Some labia can have one side that is longer than the other. These are all different variations of the normal vagina.

What is not normal: Labia skin that changes color and has white patches can be a sign of lichen sclerosus disease, which is common in menopausal women. Itching, burning, and / or bleeding from the skin of the vulva can also be signs of health problems - from skin conditions to venereal diseases.

3. The clitoris

Just above, where the ends of the labia minora meet, is the clitoris. The sheet of skin where they meet, which partially covers the external clitoris, is known as a clitoral hood. According to layman opinion, the clitoris is a soft pink button, like an eraser on the tip of a pencil. But in reality, most of the clitoris (three quarters) is actually inside your body.

In general, the clitoris that is visible from the outside has a size of 0.5 cm to 1.3 cm. However, if your clitoris is bigger than the "standard", don't worry. Your vagina is still classified as normal, moreover, the size of the clitoris can still enlarge when the erectile tissue is stimulated. The outer part of the clitoris can also be smaller, even hidden. In addition, the clitoris in some women can also have a sagging fold of skin over the clitoris area. Having a hidden clitoris doesn't mean you don't have it at all, or that it can't be stimulated. All of these things are normal.

What is not normal: if the clitoral area is painful or sore, which could be related to overstimulation during sex or masturbation, or due to a build-up of smegma (white crust from deposits of urine, oil, and dead skin cells - non-spreading and dangerous, nor a cause of genital cancer) behind hood of your clitoris. You can clean Smegma with just water.

Also, pay attention to whether there is an itching sensation, which could indicate a yeast infection.

4. Vaginal fluids

Although many of us consider vaginal discharge to be abnormal, vaginal discharge is actually a natural part of the automatic cleansing mechanism that a healthy vagina performs.

Normal vaginal discharge has the characteristics of a light or transparent color and has a liquid, thick and sticky texture, milky white, or a paste-like texture. In addition, healthy vaginal discharge does not smell foul, does not contain blood and / or bleeds, and does not look like curds. Normal vaginal discharge is also not accompanied by itching.

What is not normal: The discharge you should watch out for is a lumpy gray, yellow, or greenish discharge, which is followed by a foul odor and can be accompanied by itching. This condition can signal a sexually transmitted infection, such as trichomoniasis or bacterial vaginosis. Whitish that looks like curd can mean vaginal yeast infection.

5. Vagina

What is called a vagina is actually a small opening under your urethra and clitoris. Even though very little of the vagina can be seen, if you put your finger in it, you will feel all kinds of indentations, such as "hills" and "valleys". This lump is called vaginal rugae, and it's normal - it helps the vagina expand during sex.

What distinguishes vaginal rugae from a lump that indicates an unhealthy vagina requires medical attention, is pain, a rough texture, a high lump, which indicates that the lump is genital warts.

At the back of your vagina is the cervix, which looks like a small donut with a very tiny hole right in the middle, called the ostium. You may notice a polyp (growth of flesh) that hangs down and protrudes through the ostium. These polyps bleed easily, but don't need to be removed unless they irritate you.

The cervix may have fluid-filled lumps that look like nodules. These nodules are not dangerous, they are called Nabothian cysts. Nabothian cysts are caused by mucus-producing glands from the uterus. These cysts can come and go, some can last a long time. These cysts do not require treatment.

Also pay attention to the walls of your vagina. In a healthy vagina, the conditions for the walls can vary - dry to very wet. The vagina tends to be dry before a woman reaches puberty, during breastfeeding, and after menopause, as well as before and shortly after menstruation. The vaginal wall ecosystem will become wetter during ovulation, during pregnancy, and during sexual stimulation.

What is not normal: Vaginal pain is not normal, even after sexual intercourse. If regular sex makes you feel sore or sore, or if you have vaginal pain that's not related to any activity, talk to your doctor.