00:00Do the vagina and vulva need a kind of skin care?
00:03Have you ever thought that this area needs moisturizing creams?
00:06Anti-aging lotions, cleansers, or deodorants to prevent bad odors?
00:11On social media, primarily on TikTok,
00:14There is a trend that has been gaining strength
00:16and it consists of bringing the skin care routine to the genital area.
00:19It's called vulva care.
00:21Luz Amparo Díaz, gynecologist at the National University,
00:24He told us that this is part of the concept that
00:27If I take care of my facial skin,
00:28I'm also going to take care of the vagina and the vulva.
00:31The question is simple: do the vulva and vagina need all of this?
00:36Spoiler alert, almost never.
00:38And some products can be harmful.
00:40Because, as Andrea Plazas explained to us,
00:41Professor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics
00:44from Javeriana University,
00:45Most of them were not designed for that area.
00:49So, whether they are suitable for facial or body skin
00:51They can have a different effect on the genital area.
00:54Some soaps, cleansers, or creams, for example,
00:57They contain foam and components that irritate that skin,
01:00They cause chronic inflammation, producing burning or itching.
01:03and can lead to dermatitis or rashes.
01:06But before we continue, first a quick biology lesson.
01:10The vulva is what's on the outside, what you can see,
01:12the clitoris, the labia majora or minora,
01:14just to mention a few parts.
01:16The vagina is what's inside,
01:19the canal that begins at the vaginal opening.
01:21And be aware, many of these products treat them as if they were the same thing.
01:25They are not, and they don't take care of themselves the same way.
01:27While the vulva requires specific cleaning guided by professionals,
01:31The vagina is an internal cavity that has its own mechanisms
01:35to maintain balance.
01:37A review published in 2026 in Infection and Immunity
01:40This summarizes this defense mechanism very well.
01:44A microbiota lives inside it,
01:46which is a community of microorganisms.
01:47And there, the main players are the lactobacilli,
01:51because they maintain an acidic environment,
01:53They produce antimicrobial substances
01:55and they occupy the space so that harmful bacteria do not settle in.
01:59The problem is that this balance is not foolproof.
02:02And in fact, the researchers clarify,
02:05There are several factors that can destabilize it,
02:07such as the uncontrolled use of antibiotics,
02:09vaginal douches, perfumed soaps
02:12and even hormonal changes.
02:14When the pH is no longer acidic,
02:16This opens the door to infections such as bacterial vaginosis,
02:19candidiasis or, in some cases,
02:22recurrent urinary tract infections.
02:23And in the vulva, the skin is so sensitive
02:26that some creams and foams can cause burning,
02:28itching and dermatitis.
02:30That's precisely what happens with vaginal douches,
02:33one of the most traded products on the market
02:36and that can eliminate some of the bacteria
02:38that protect the vagina.
02:39This idealization of wanting to have a clean vagina,
02:43Odorless or flow-free, however, is not new
02:46And it wasn't invented by social media platforms like TikTok.
02:49For example, vaginal deodorants arrived in 1963.
02:53British pharmacies and quickly had
02:55a great reception among women.
02:57In fact, by 1970, 15% of women were using it.
03:01despite doctors warning of irritations or infections.
03:04The brands even reached more than 6,000 schools with kits
03:08until a group of feminist journalists
03:10She warned that some women could mask a bad smell.
03:12instead of going to the doctor.
03:14Science is only just beginning to piece together this puzzle,
03:18But there are already studies that provide concrete data.
03:21One of them, published in 2018 in the journal BMC Women's Health,
03:24surveyed 1,435 women and found that almost 95%
03:29had used any product in the genital area.
03:32Those who used these products reported
03:34three times more fungal or urinary tract infections
03:38and vaginal douching was associated with seven times more
03:41probability of vaginosis.
03:43The researchers, however, cautioned that this type of study
03:46compares data at a single moment and suggests that the ideal
03:50It is about having more evidence-based information,
03:52on safety and efficacy and increased oversight and regulation
03:56of these products.
03:58These warnings do not mean they will never be needed.
04:01products for the vulva or vagina.
04:03There are moisturizers, creams, and treatments that may be recommended.
04:07in certain circumstances and that must always be prescribed
04:10by doctors, because the difference is that it wouldn't be about
04:13not a beauty routine, but an intervention
04:16to treat a specific disease or infection.
04:19And be careful, because in recent years social networks have become
04:23in one of the main channels for inquiries about this type
04:26on health topics.
04:27On TikTok alone, 164 videos by a group of Harvard researchers
04:32reviewed on June 15, 2022, they were talking about vulvovaginal health.
04:36These videos, which accumulated more than 500 million views,
04:40They were analyzed using a medical tool called DICERN,
04:44which measures how reliable a health publication is.
04:47They got 1.6 out of 5, because 3 out of 4 people uploaded it.
04:51without medical training and many were disguised advertising.
04:56So, what should be done about vulvar and vaginal health care?
05:00Wash the vulva with water, using a mild, unscented cleanser.
05:02and whenever prescribed by a doctor, pat dry.
05:06Without rubbing, wear comfortable and breathable underwear.
05:09Avoid daily panty liners, perfumed panty liners, and vaginal douches.
05:12unless they are formulated by a specialist.
05:14And if the flow, odor, or burning sensation changes,
05:17The answer isn't in the latest trend or on TikTok.
05:20He is in a consultation with his doctor.
05:22If you want to learn more about this vulva care trend,
05:25Visit the full article in the health section of El Espectador
05:28And don't forget to follow us on all our social media channels.
05:44Thank you!
05:46Thank you!
05:47Thank you!
05:48Thank you!
