ered by a clinician during examination. Tis is why it is advisable to have regular check-ups. Tese lesions may contribute to discharges and bleeding too or they may be entirely asymptomatic. Non-infectious causes of discharge may be due to retained tampons or pessaries, cuts, cancer, atroph- ic vaginitis in postmenopausal women or side effects of radiation. In other words, differential diagnoses for a sim- ple vaginal discharge are numerous. Te best thing is to seek medical attention as soon as you notice it. Self-diagnosis is not advisable.
What about the smell? Some women wonder if they should use douches, wipes, or any of the other prod- ucts that claim to make women feel clean- er and fresher. Douching (the name comes from the French word for “wash”) refers to washing out the vagina, usually with a prepackaged mix of fluids. Unless a doc- tor tells you to, you should not douche. Douching can cause allergic reactions, irritation, and even infection. Your vagina has its own natural cleaning system that flushes out bacteria, so you don’t need to add any chemicals to help it. If a woman has an infection, such as bacterial vagi- nosis, she may notice an unpleasant fishy odour, in which case she should definitely see a doctor who will prescribe medication that treats the infection rather than cov- ering it up with a spray. As far as periods go, if you change your pads or tampons frequently, shower or bathe daily, and wear clean clothes. It’s easy to keep your vagina clean without making it smell like a flower shop. Washing every day with a mild soap and plenty of warm water will do the trick. Diet can also directly affect the smell of the vagina. Eating less meat products and more fruit and vegetables has a very good effect on vaginal odour. Also, drink plenty of water and eating yogurt helps maintain the proper pH of the vagina.
Making it tight
Childbirth also brings about some con- cerns. It has become a trend for many women to opt for Caesarian Section de- liveries because they are afraid that af- ter natural childbirth their vaginas will never be the same again, negatively af- fecting their sex life. Complications dur- ing natural delivery may lead to episi-
And that tampon...
Toxic Shock Syndrome was a com- mon condition that killed women in the 1970s and 1980s because they used tampons that were super- absorbent and made of rayon. Toxic Shock Syndrome never existed before feminine hygiene product companies started using super- absorbent cotton and added dioxin and bleaching agents. Do not keep tampons in for more
than eight hours. Some beginners in the tampon game often forget they are wearing one, only remember- ing when a bad stench emanates. If this happens, do not douche. The tampon will start degrading and disintegrating. Meanwhile, there are clumps of bacteria reproducing wildly. Douching will send the bacte- ria up higher and could end up caus- ing pelvic inflammatory disease. Wearing plain cotton underwear and sanitary pads is an alternative.
otomies or perinneal tears which lead to surgical stitching of the vaginal wall. But the ability of the vagina to heal and be both very flexible and tight by contracting its muscles is greatly ignored. Tere are many natural exercises and methods to develop the vagina’s flexibility and tight- ness through muscle control. Instead, however, many women look for quick-fix surgical solutions. Tese should be a last measure when all other natural alterna- tives have been tried. Discuss these with your doctor. Tere are also a number of homemade remedies, such as smartballs, which are excellent for getting pelvic muscles back into shape, and pelvic floor exercises to help keep the vagina walls tight.
Do the Pap Although not very common, cancer of the vagina can occur. Vaginal malignancy begins as vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia – VAIN – and oſten accompanies cervi- cal intraepithelial neoplasia. Terefore screening for cervical cancer is important to prevent vaginal malignancies too. Infec- tion with human papillomavirus (HPV) puts a woman at risk of developing this cancer. Te mechanism of entry of HPV into the vagina is through skin abrasions from sex or tampon use. As these abra- sions heal, with abnormal cells the HPV may begin its growth in a manner similar to that of in the cervix. VAIN lesions are asymptomatic but because they oſten ac- company HPV infection they can present with vulvar warts or smelly discharge from the vagina. Te bottom line is that cervical screening can prevent vaginal cancer. Get your Pap smear today! Kefilwe, 25, wanted to have a pap smear
Stay in the dry: don’t sit around in a wet costume after you’ve been for a swim
but did not know which gynaecologist or centre to go to. “I am a pharmacist and work in a hospital set up but I was con- cerned about privacy issues. In the end I called up a friend and we decided to go to a private clinic together. Te whole experience was great and going together calmed my nerves and I also got a chance to chat about the experience with someone I trusted. My initial fears about getting screened were dispelled and now I feel more confident about my health.” We urge every New African woman,
Don’t Get the Designer Vagina, Get your Pap Smear today!
AUTUMN 2011 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | 87
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