What is vaginal steaming? And should we be doing it? A deeper look into the wonderful world of vaginal processes.
It is the day after International Women’s Day as I am writing this. The warm spring (but technically still winter) sun, is beaming down through the window, warming my ankles which are near enough always sticking out the bottom of some sort of loungewear. I open up my phone to look through my favourite social media platform, Twitter, a platform that never ceases to amaze me and today, I am amazed yet again. Vaginal steaming. What on earth is that and should I be doing it?
Vaginal steaming involves exposing the vagina to steam to cleanse it and also enhance it. Enhance it? How can you possibly enhance your vagina, I sit thinking? The procedure gained a lot of celebrity attention a few years back (hello Chrissy Teigan) and is now re-appearing. A few of the benefits people are noticing include relief from period discomfort and improving fertility. But before we all start boiling the kettle or jumping on Amazon to purchase a steamer, it is important to note that there is no actual scientific evidence to prove that vaginal steaming works. There haven’t yet been any studies into this vaginal process. In fact, a lot of experts do not recommend it at all. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean it can’t work for some people.
The vagina is an incredible part of the human anatomy. Yes, there are still people who find it uncomfortable to talk about and there are still taboos around female genitals, but when you research and learn about this body part, the more you realise how amazing it actually is. The vagina is very much a sensitive body part: it has a perfectly balanced pH and has its own self-cleaning system. So is there a need for vaginal steaming and what is it really all about?
I spoke to a Cosmetic Doctor and Intimate Health Specialist, Dr Shirin Lakhani, of Elite Aesthetics, who educated me on the process a little bit more. “Vaginal steaming isn’t a new concept, it’s been around for a long time in the holistic health world but has recently been made more popular by celebrities having reportedly done it and hailing its benefits. Basically, it involves sitting over steam so that it goes up your vagina, similar to when you steam your face."
“Fans claim it cleans the uterus and detoxes the vagina, however, there is no scientific research to suggest that it is beneficial in any way. In fact, quite the contrary. There have been reports of women left with second-degree burns on their intimate area as a result of vaginal steaming.”
“Also, it’s worth remembering that the vagina does not need cleaning. Quite the opposite in fact. Naturally, it relies on the body to keep the pH balance of healthy bacteria which is essential for a healthy vagina. By altering this natural balance, then bacteria can grow making you more prone to infections such as Bacterial Vaginosis. Water or steam or any other liquids should not be put into the vagina and by doing so you cannot only disrupt the natural pH levels but also risk damaging the natural lubrication the body creates there.”
However, there are still people who praise vaginal steaming and frequently use the process. Carrie Eddins has been doing vaginal steaming for over a year now and she even highly recommends it. Carrie originally tried vaginal steaming to help her deal with painful haemorrhoids which she was struggling to improve and get rid of at the time. “I heard about it a few years ago through Goop, and I had always been curious. I felt massively relaxed the first time I did it! And I still do it pretty regularly, it feels very cleansing, soothing and calming.”
The vaginal steaming process, which is often described as the “facial” for vaginas, has been used in ancient medicine for centuries but re-emerged in spas in more recent years. Before reading into this, I didn’t really know what the process involved, was it just boiling water in a bowl? Is there a certain scent you need to add? But it turns out a lot of people add herbs of their choosing to aid the steaming process. Carrie says: “I started off using just dried herb from the kitchen, i.e. mixed Italian herbs and now I have motherwort herbs which are very powerful to steam with.”
The world never ceases to amaze me. For someone who didn't know much about vaginal steaming, I must say it is interesting to find out what it is all about and why some people enjoy the process. Of course, it is important to consider the risks and potential harm that it can potentially cause to your body, especially as there isn't a great deal of scientific evidence out there, but there will still be people who reap its benefits. Either way, if you were like me and had no clue about vaginal steaming before you read this article, I hope you have learnt a thing or two.
(Disclaimer: this article is not promoting the use or safety of vaginal steaming. It is merely interesting to hear different perspectives.)
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