Thought you knew your vagina well? We bet you don't know these 5 things about this unique female organ. Zoom in.
The vagina is one of those fascinating areas of the body. As well as being a female reproductive organ (granted, that's a lot), it has many hidden sides. And we'll be happy to tell you all about them. Here are 5 things you probably don't know about your vagina.
1/ The vagina must have a balanced pH
The ideal pH of a vagina is around 4 or 4.5. The right pH level keeps your vagina balanced and healthy. If the pH is different or changes, it may indicate an infection or health problem.
How do you maintain a balanced pH? By letting your vagina do its job and not washing your vagina with soap. Using soap beyond the outer lips of your vagina is not recommended and may even be dangerous.
2/ The vagina can change shape and size
The average size of a female genitalia is about 8cm deep. However, the size of the vagina varies from woman to woman.
The width of the vagina can increase by up to 10 cm, especially during childbirth. It should be noted that the size of the vagina can also change during sexual intercourse. The reason for this? Blood is concentrated in this area and the vagina dilates to fulfil its function, as reported by the Amelioretasanté.com website.
3/ The vagina cleans itself
Good news! You probably don't know it, but your vagina is self-cleaning. Yes, you read that right. So no, it doesn't mean you can stop washing it in the shower (you shouldn't overdo it), but its activity helps maintain the health of your vaginal flora by naturally eliminating bacteria, viruses and old cells that are retained there.
How do you know if your vagina is healthy? If your vaginal discharge is white/transparent, you're doing well! If in doubt, don't hesitate to consult a specialist.
4/ The vagina is not the vulva
As reported by Glamour.com, the term "vagina" refers to "the muscular, elastic channel that extends from your cervix to your hymen".
However, the term "vagina" is often used to encompass all parts of the female genitalia. Except that technically, if you are referring to everything you can see, including the clitoris, urethra, labia majora and minora and pubis; the correct term to use would be "vulva".
To be clear, the vagina is a woman's internal genitalia, and the vulva is a woman's external genitalia.
5/ The vagina can change color
As surprising as it may seem, the vagina can change color. How can it change color? During sexual intercourse or pregnancy, the blood flow can change and therefore the color of the skin changes.
