So, Do You Actually Need To Douche Your Vagina?

The women’s health app for people with periods to track their cycle, Flo, has revealed a 100% increase in searches for ‘Is it necessary for a woman to douche?’, prompted by sexual health videos blowing up on TikTok.

Hashtags like #SexualHealth and #TikTokSexEducation have gathered a massive 1.9 billion and 527.8K views on the platform. 

But not all information is reliable, with trends such as ‘douche your vagina’ and ‘vaginal steaming’ quickly spreading and likely adding to the wave of disinformation. 

What is douching?

Douching refers to washing the inside of the vagina with water or other mixtures of fluids, and is a term more commonly used in the US.

A recent Flo study found that more than a third of women (36%) wrongly believe that you should regularly ‘douche’ your vagina. 

Dr Claudia Pastides, MBBS, general practitioner and director of medical accuracy at Flo, says there’s really no need to ‘douche’: “The vagina truly is a fascinating organ that cleanses itself. That’s why it is called a ’self-cleaning organ.”

She continues that the vagina naturally has good bacteria to protect itself from infections, and accomplishes this by maintaining a balanced, acidic pH within the vaginal canal. 

“Washing the inside of one’s vagina can introduce harmful bacteria, which can disrupt the natural pH and ultimately lead to vaginal infections and discomfort. Leave your vagina alone; it will clean itself,” she explains.

The do’s and don’t of keeping your vagina healthy, according to the NHS:

• Do just use simple, plain water to keep your genitals clean. Water’s fine to use on its own, but you can also use emollients such as aqueous cream which are available from pharmacies
• Don’t wear clothing that doesn’t let your area breathe. Let dress air to your genitals by wearing loose-fitting pyjamas and going underwear-free when you’re sleeping, especially in the winter when you’re more wrapped up all the time
• Do wear cotton underwear that allows your skin to breathe and can reduce irritation
• Don’t use soaps or shower gel, including feminine hygiene products to cleanse your genitals. These products are often the leading cause of genital dryness, itching and irritation.