With Philomena Salvemini Hilton, MD, FACOG, Tryon Medical Partners
Walk into any pharmacy and you’ll see hundreds of products that serve to clean and groom the pubic area. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what to do, what to use and when.
Tryon Medical Partners gynecology specialist Dr. Philomena Salvemini sees patients every day at Tryon Women’s Center for everything from menstruation to menopause. She polled her staff and patients about common questions they have, and how to clean and groom the pubic area came out on top. She provides some key answers about how we should think about cleaning and grooming, and busts some common myths.
1. Vaginas are self-cleaning – a little warm water and soap should do the trick.
There is societal pressure to have a perfectly clean “fresh linen” scented vagina, but that’s just not natural. Dr. Salvemini is quick to emphasize that most of what women experience every day with their vagina is totally normal – including discharge and most vaginal odors.
“The vagina is a self-cleaning oven,” Dr. Salvemini shares. “Your vagina is not supposed to smell like a mango. No matter how much you think it should. It’s important to be educated on this.”
In trying to fight natural odors and discharge, many women can actually disrupt their vaginal environment and make the problem worse. The vagina is a self-regulating part of the body that only requires a little bit of unscented soap and water to stay clean and healthy. With pubic hair, it is entirely up to your personal preference. The skin is delicate near your vagina, and the hair exists to protect it so some people may experience irritation from shaving or waxing. But there is no “best” way to groom your pubic hair.
2. Menstrual cups are a great option to promote vaginal hygiene and address sensitivity.
Dr. Salvemini shares that cleanliness can feel different depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. Tampons and pads can sometimes irritate vaginal tissue and cause discomfort.
She recommends menstrual cups as a solution that can help with hygiene and ease any vaginal sensitivity. As an added bonus, they can also help with menstrual cramping and are better for the environment!
For adolescents who don’t want to insert anything into their vagina, period panties can be a great alternative if pads are uncomfortable.
“If you feel like you can’t get clean, use two tablespoons of normal baking soda in the warm tub,” Dr. Salvemini advises. “Anti-inflammatory foods can also help, as well as staying away from refined sugar and alcohol.”
3. Hormonal changes can impact hygiene and grooming preferences.
Like menstruation, menopause can also impact preferences on vaginal hygiene and pubic grooming. When women enter perimenopause (often in their 40s), there is typically a depletion of estrogen and progesterone, which can change the vaginal environment and make it itchy, dry and uncomfortable. It’s also common to become more sensitive to lotion and perfumes as we age, so it’s important to listen to your body and adjust grooming preferences accordingly.
Although cleaning and grooming practices don’t need to change with menopause, gynecologists can prescribe hormone therapy, which will ease some of these symptoms and allow for a more comfortable vaginal environment.
“Just because menopause is natural doesn’t mean we can’t help patients through the transition,” Dr. Salvemini notes. “You should still be able to move about your day and have sexual intercourse without experiencing any pain.”
4. Visit your gynecologist if you think something might be wrong.
While most vaginal odors and discharge are normal, there are certain moments where visiting a gynecologist is best. Dr. Salvemini recommends making an appointment if you experience a foul or unusual odor, atypical discharge, consistently uncomfortable sex or debilitating menstrual symptoms.
Rather than turning to products at the pharmacy or online, turn to your gynecologist first and see what they recommend. If there is a disruption, it’s likely your body will balance it out naturally but your gynecologist can help you with medically guided next steps.
“A patient asked me about probiotics because she had gotten some from a social media influencer, one who doesn’t have a medical degree,” Dr. Salvemini shares. “She was using a cranberry pill to prevent UTIs but when I looked at the amount of cranberry extract in the influencer’s pill vs. what’s in the medical variety, it was like a drop in the ocean. It’s important to seek prescriptions from doctors when you’re looking to prevent infection.”
Visit the Tryon website today to learn more about gynecological care, and join Dr. Salvemini and the Tryon’s gynecology and sexual health team for a Tryon Women’s Center “Ask Me Anything” Open House on Tuesday, Mar. 7 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
‘Ask Me Anything’ Tryon Women’s Center Open House
Tuesday, Mar. 7, 2023
6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tryon Women’s Center
330 Billingsley Road, Suite 100,
Charlotte, NC 28211 (in Charlotte Medical Plaza II)
Free, open to the public
Learn more here, including how to submit questions for a special Q&A session with these experts.
Tryon Medical Partners is an independent medical practice dedicated to maintaining trusted patient-doctor relationships, providing excellent and personalized care, and giving you the choices in healthcare that you deserve. With eight convenient locations throughout Charlotte, Tryon Medical Partners specializes in primary care as well as cardiology, dermatology, gynecology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonary, rheumatology and sleep medicine.
