Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Taking Care of Your Vagina But Were Too Afraid to Ask

Have you ever wondered how exactly you’re supposed to clean your vulva? How does sex change the pH chemistry experiment going on down there? Why does everyone say you have to pee after sex? Does your diet really change how your vagina tastes?

For all the great strides we’ve made in decreasing stigma and learning to love our vaginas out loud and proud over the years, these might be just a few of the questions you never got around to asking about your vagina (beyond a few half-hearted Google searches). And by the time you looked up and realized you were a grown-ass adult, you might’ve been overcome with the worry and fear that it was too late to ask without feeling silly.

Though, to be fair, sometimes it feels like these things should come with a peer-reviewed, sex positive instruction manual. (Someone get on that.)

But don’t worry, this is a shame-free, vulva loving zone where every down-there health question is worthy of a thoughtful science-based answer. In this week’s Wine + Gyn, we’re joined by Dr. Jessica Shepherd, MD an OB/GYN and friend to vaginas everywhere to unpack just a few of these great yonic mysteries and leave you feeling like the vulva expert you were born to be. She may have left her vagina puppet (oh sorry, vulva puppet) at home, but she brought all the knowledge (and a high tolerance for questionable puns from our host).

Whether it’s the basics of where soap should and shouldn’t go (don’t put it in there — you’ll thank us!) or what a gyno really thinks of trends like vaginal steaming, exfoliation or face masks (Vajay-cials?), you’ll walk away from this vaginal health happy hour feeling a whole lot more knowledgeable about everything happening in, on and around your vulva.

Before you go, check out our favorite vagina-friendly wipes that won’t mess with your pH: