I have my own personal stigma’s against vaginal douching and so do doctors and scientists. As an owner of a vagina, we should be aware that vaginas are a sensitive area. 

We each have something called a “Ph balance,” which is a term you’ll most often hear in chemistry classes. The “Ph balance” measures the level of acidity in our vaginas. 

This balance is between the good and natural bacteria that can be found down there. It can get thrown off if there is too much bad bacteria or too much good bacteria. “Good” bacteria, that is healthy for our Ph can be found in foods like yogurt, garlic, and foods that are usually fermented.  

The Ph measuring starts at 0 and goes up to 14. We want our lady parts to be between 3.8-4.5 acidity according to Dr. Deborah Witherspoon, a current university nursing educator. You can find out the level of acidity in your vagina at your local gynecologist or buy an at home testing kit.  

Moving on from the background of vaginal acidity, douching is known for being a risk to the body’s natural “Ph balance.” The act of douching is to spray a liquid into the vaginal canal for the purpose of cleaning it out. 

For example, Summer’s Eve makes a vinegar douche. This may sound like a good idea if you’re lady friend isn’t feeling too hot, but it is always best to check with a doctor first before thinking you’ve solved the problem yourself. When one douches, the bad bacteria gets flushed out, but some of the good bacteria comes out along with it.  

Flushing out too much of the good bacteria our vagina’s need is what leads to infections, higher risk for STI’s, and problematic pregnancies. Removing the good bacteria weakens our vagina’s natural ability to fight off infections such as the overgrowth of yeast (yeast infection) and sexually transmitted diseases. Douching also does not prevent pregnancy when done after sex.  

Douching is a large cause for being at risk for “BV.” “BV” is the abbreviation for Bacterial Vaginosis. This is one of the most common yeast infections a vagina can get. It is also a leading cause behind why some vaginas may have that certain fish-y odor. 

Other common symptoms are water-like discharge or yellow discharge and vaginal discomfort. I would like to also add that if you think vaginas are supposed to smell fish-like, that is a misconception and means an infection of some sort is present.           

On a different sexual aspect, douching can be more beneficial when it is used rectally. The most recommended liquid for anal douching is water. Water is best because it doesn’t have any chemicals that can be harsh to the anus, but just like douching a vagina, douching an anus can cause issues. 

Flushing out the anal cavity can irritate the intestinal walls and make you more susceptible to infections like HIV.   If you are going to douche your anus, the reason should technically only be used in preparation for anal sex. Squeezing water in the anal cavity can get rid of any icky reminisce of fecal matter and bacteria stuck to the intestinal walls. Doing this makes anal cleaner and less messy. 

In my opinion horny huskies, douche your butts, not your lady parts!   Be safe and stay horny, huskies.