Vaginal Douche (Douching)

Find out about the pros and cons of vaginal douches and whether it is safe to get rid of vaginal odor via douching.

While vaginal douching is a common practice among women ages 15-44, with an estimated 20% - 40% of them using douches on a weekly basis, it is no longer a recommended way for cleaning the vagina. There are risks involved with douches, including the possibility of infections and pelvic inflammatory disease. There are many reasons why women choose to douche but in the end it is not worth the risks. Better to just let nature take its course and see a gynecologist if a vaginal odor does not clear up on its own.

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What is Vaginal Douching?

Douching involves forcing water or a cleaning agent in the vagina for the purpose of rinsing or flushing the vagina. It washes away any vaginal discharge and anything else the vagina may hold. Douches can be purchased at any local drug store. They are produced by multiple manufacturers and come in a sampling of scents. In some cases a doctor may prescribe a prescription strength douche to get a woman ready for a procedure or to treat a condition.

Why Do Women Douche?

There are many different reasons why women choose to douche. Most of the time it is because they are misinformed or are buying into one of the many myths about exactly what douches can do for them.

• It is used after every period to wash away any remaining menstruation blood but is not needed since the body cleanse itself naturally.
  
  
• Some women douche after sex to stop pregnancy or the contractions of a STD. In reality douching is not effective as a contraceptive or at preventing STDs.
  
  
• Women douche to stop vaginal odor. If there is a fishy vaginal odor present it is usually a sign of a infection and a gynecologist needs to be consulted. Douches may even lead to more complications and further infections.
  
  
• Many women claim that douching simply makes them feel cleaner but really the vagina is very good a cleaning itself so douches are not needed.
  
  
• There are some cases in which a doctor has advised the use of prescription douches to treat serial yeast or bacterial infections. Using a douche for this reason should only be done with close monitoring and only using what is prescribed as it is written.

Can Vaginal Douching Help Get Rid of Vaginal Odor?

While douching may seem to stop vaginal odor it is really just covering it up. Inevitably the odor will return and often will just get worse over time. Vaginal odor is our bodies way of telling you that there is a problem and you should consult a gynecologist immediately to rule out any serious infections or diseases.

Is Vaginal Douching Safe?

Ask any woman's health professional if vaginal douching is safe and you will get a resounding "NO". Using douches on a regular basis alters the pH balance within the vagina and can increase the chance of a woman getting infections. Douches introduce bacteria to the vagina that can quickly spread to the cervix, uterus and even up to the fallopian tubes.

Research proves that when a woman douches on a regular basis, she has more irritations of the vagina, infections and also more occurrences of STDs. Also she has a much greater chance of developing pelvic inflammatory disease which is a chronic condition that can cause serious infertility problems and, in the worse case scenarios, possible death if not treated. Along with bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause serious complications with pregnancy such as infections in the baby, problems during labor and early deliveries. Because of these reasons, it is no longer recommended that women douche unless prescribe by a gynecologist. The vagina's delicate pH balance can be easily disrupted and is very sensitive.

Important! Vaginal douching is neither an effective method of birth control nor STD or infection prevention.

What is the Best Way to Clean My Vagina And Eliminate Odor?

It is recommended by doctors that a woman simply let the vagina be in charge of cleaning itself once any bacterial infection is ruled out. A women body has developed its own safest way of rinsing the vagina of any semen, blood, discharge or other containments with its own mucous secretions. Simply washing the outside with a mild soap and water during bathing is sufficient enough to keep the vagina clean. It is also recommended that scented feminine hygiene products be avoided because they also increase the chances of infections just as vaginal douching does.