Vagina

Vagina

The vagina is a flexible passageway that leads from the uterus to the outside of a woman’s body.

Pleasure Physiology During arousal, the vagina lubricates, lengthens, gets wider and will darken in color. In terms of nerve endings, the outer one-third of the vagina is more nerve rich than the inner two-thirds. Although every person enjoys different types of stimulation, dexterous movements like licking, stroking, sucking, tugging, vibration, etc. are all generally effective types of stimulation for the outer one-third of the vagina. Stimulation including pressure, motion and the feeling of fullness are generally effective types of stimulation for the inner two-thirds of the vagina.

Vaginal Lubrication With the onset of arousal and/or erotic stimulation, the vagina will generally begin to lubricate. However, change in hormonal levels, being on low dose contraception, lactation, and high cholesterol may all serve as barriers to the vagina’s natural lubricating process. If lack of lubrication is causing pain or decrease in pleasure, water or silicone based lubricants can be used to help increase sensitivity and decrease pain levels. Female bodied people experiencing peri-menopause or menopause can consult a health-care practitioner about using a topical estrogen cream in conjunction with a lubricant to help with comfort during penetration.

Vaginal Orgasm Although most women require direct or indirect clitoral stimulation to experience genital orgasm, a small number of women are able to achieve orgasm through stimulation of the posterior cul-de-sac (the very back corner of the vagina).

Scent Every person’s vagina will have its own unique scent, with some scents being stronger than others. The only time to be concerned about scent is in the case where the odor is foul or fishy, as these may be signs of infection and a health-care practitioner should be seen for diagnosis and treatment.

Vaginal Secretions Throughout a person’s menstrual cycle, different types of cervical mucus will exit the body through the vagina. These secretions can range in color from clear to off-white, and can range in texture from watery to thick (almost like egg whites). If vaginal secretions are green, yellow, gray, chunky, frothy, or in any other way different than a person’s normal secretions, it is generally the sign of an infection and a health-care practitioner should be seen for diagnosis and treatment.

Hygiene The vagina is a self-cleansing organ designed to maintain a healthy equilibrium. For this reason, it isn’t necessary to clean inside the vagina with soaps, cleansers, or douches. Additionally, any product with a scent (tampons, douches, soaps, etc.) can disrupt the vagina’s natural equilibrium, putting the user at higher risk for common vaginal infections. When engaging in sexual play, infection can be prevented by not going directly from anal play to vaginal play, as bacteria from the anus can cause infection inside the vagina. Additionally, when engaging in any type of intercourse, condoms reduce the risk of STD’s.

Note: In some circumstances, health-care practitioners may recommend a vinegar douche to help with certain infections.