Vagina S For Everyone
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Vagina S For Everyone
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With the help of an expert, we're opening up the conversation about intimate health
What makes a normal vagina, or vulva for that matter, has been a topic of discussion for decades. Even though a huge proportion of the world's population has one, conversations about vaginas are often confined to doctors' offices and discreet groups of friends.
If you see a vagina or vulva that doesn't look like your own, or you feel that yours has changed in appearance recently, it may be concerning and you may start to wonder if your vagina is still normal. The good news is, even if it's changed or looks different to another one, is probably completely fine.
While the world has changed so much in the way we speak about intimate subjects, conversations around vaginal health - including topics like vaginal dryness and other vaginal discomfort issues - are still held in private. It's important to start demystifying our genitals for everyone's sake and have open and honest conversations about vaginal health with ourselves, our doctors, our friends, and partners.
First thing's first, there's no such thing as a normal vagina - or vulva for that matter. Much like every other part of the human body, everyone's genitalia looks different.
In general though, Ashfaq Khan, consultant gynaecologist at Harley Street Gynaecology (opens in new tab) says, "Both vagina and vulva should feel soft as vaginal skin is usually well moisterized. There shouldn't be any abnormal discoloration."
What's the difference between a vulva and vagina? "If you're wondering whether you have a normal vagina, you're probably thinking about the vulva, which is the correct name for the external genitalia," says Lynn Enright (opens in new tab) , author of Vagina: A Re-Education. "This includes the pubic mound, the inner and outer labia, clitoris, urethral opening and the vaginal opening."
Whereas, "our vagina is inside our bodies and it's the muscular tube that leads from the vulva to the uterus."
This confusion is very common, though, she says, despite efforts in the body and sex positivity movement to educate. "We're not comfortable with the word 'vulva'. It's not a word we hear very often and its lack of popular usage definitely relates to society's struggle to address female sexuality on the whole."
We instead use the word 'vagina', even though it's technically incorrect. "It's still such a taboo to say 'vulva' as we don't like to talk about female genitalia except in relation to male sexuality," Enright says. "The vagina is something that a penis can go into, and a baby can come out of, so we've become more comfortable with that word."
Diagram of the vulva, courtesy of Vagina: A re-education
Whether you're referring to the vulva or the vagina, everyone's looks different. "There is actually a great variation," Enright reveals, "The range of what vulvas look like is similar to what faces look like. Everyone looks slightly different. But we're just not told that. It's perfectly normal for your vulva to look different and there is a variation from woman to woman."
In fact, a 2019 project (opens in new tab) by photographer Laura Dodsworth for the BBC highlighted just how different vulvas are from woman to woman. The project showcased photos of 100 vulvas to show the range of 'normal' among women.
Aside from the advice offered by gynaecologist Dr Ashfaq Khan, there are some other things you should expect to see when looking at your vulva.
Diagram of the clitoris and surrounding vulva, courtesy of Vagina: A Re-education
Diagram of the hymen, courtesy of Vagina: A re-education
Yes, you may notice that your vulva looks different when you start to experience menopause symptoms . "Skin becomes thin due to lack of estrogen, as a result, the vulva can become sensitive, shrink and wrinkle. The vagina can also bleed easily during intercourse, causing pain during sex . In general, the skin can become sore, sometimes painful," Dr Khan says. "There may also be some skin color changes with pigmented spots on the vulva."
This happens because of the reduction in estrogen production, Enright explains. "Estrogen is quite essential for our skin and the tissues over our body," she says. "You make less estrogen when you're older, which means your skin becomes dryer all over."
It doesn't just affect the vulva and vagina, however. Even when you first start to experience symptoms of perimenopause , you may notice changes. "The skin around the urethra becomes thinner, meaning urinary stress incontinence can happen," Enright says. "We have to realize again that our vulva is just another part of our body. Like the rest of our body, the skin around the vulva ages."
Popular menopause treatments like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help relieve symptoms of vaginal atrophy and urinary incontinence. If this is something you're experiencing, visit your doctor.
And of course, there are the more visible, external differences when it comes to vulvas during menopause as well. "Hair might go white, and there might be less hair there the older we get. It's a completely natural part of aging," she says.
Vagina: A re-education by Lynn Enright: $16.81 (opens in new tab) / £7.79 (opens in new tab) | Amazon
Lynn Enright is a journalist and the author of the book, Vagina: A re-education. Lynn's book dispels common myths around vaginas and what a 'normal vagina' is.
While everyone's vulva and vagina is different, there are some red flags to look out for when it comes to intimate health. These are the major ones, according to consultant gynaecologist Dr Ashfaq Khan:
"Always visit your doctor if you are diagnosed with an HPV infection or have an abnormal cervical cancer test result, and if you notice any warts or other similar, visible infections," he adds.
Why have vaginas been such an out-of-bounds topic for so long? Male genitalia is well documented - in TV, books, and in our culture in general. Yet female genitalia is kept much more hush-hush, leaving many women wondering what really is normal.
"Ask the average woman to draw you a vulva and she'll more than likely struggle," says Enright. "Ask her to draw you a penis, and she'll sketch you a broadly accurate, if rudimentary, representation with minutes."
Enright has a theory as to why this is. "We live in a society where straight, cisgender men have more privilege, are more dominant, and have been the ones running the medical profession for centuries. That has made a difference."
She explains, "Medical diagrams [of vulvas and vaginas] are quite neat and symmetrical. And then, in porn, vulvas are quite neat and symmetrical. I think girls can get a shock when they really look at their own vulva for the first time and realize it looks different to the ones they see in porn - even porn for women - or medicine. That happens because they're not empowered with the information in the first place."
As with all aspects surrounding our vaginas and vulvas, the main way to tackle the stigma is to talk about them. This way we can make sure that younger generations understand what is normal. "Talk about it with whoever you can feel comfortable talking about it with. It might be a medical professional, it might be a friend, it might be a feminist group. Educating ourselves and eradicating shame are two ways we can tackle the lack of information or the misinformation that has surrounded the vulva," Enright says.
Amy Hunt is an experienced digital journalist specialising in homes, interiors and hobbies. She began her career working as the features assistant at woman&home magazine, before moving over to the digital side of the brand where she eventually became the Lifestyle Editor up until January 2022. Amy won the Digital Journalist of the Year award at the AOP Awards in 2019 for her work on womanandhome.com.
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While everyone's vulva and vagina is different, there are some red flags to look out for when it comes to intimate health. These are the major ones, according to consultant gynaecologist Dr Ashfaq Khan: Vaginal or vulval skin shows whitish, reddish or brownish discoloration You feel or notice any lump
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For starters, vagina and vulva aren't synonymous.
A healthy vagina is a happy vagina, and maintaining good vulva and vaginal health is easier than you think — that is, as long as you know what's going on down there. From how it looks, to how it smells, to how it functions, there are a few essential vagina facts that every person (whether they have a vagina or not) should know, especially if you've been too shy to ask or don't know where to look for information. For instance, "vagina" is not an all-encompassing term for everything between your legs, despite what you may have been told.
Instead, the vagina is a muscular, hollow organ that extends from the vaginal opening to the uterus. Because it has muscular walls, the vagina can expand and contract, allowing it to accommodate anything from a tampon, to a finger, to a penis, to a baby . The walls of the vagina are lined with mucous membranes, which keep it protected and moist, and contrary to popular belief, vaginas are mostly able to take care of themselves. They don't require much help to maintain their delicate microbiome, but there are still a few basic facts about the vagina that should be made common knowledge.
Not sure what you can expect to happen to your vagina size after childbirth? Curious to know what happens to your vagina during intercourse ? Worried that menopause means the end of your sex life? Read on to find out surprising facts that you may not know about the vagina.
Everyone's heard the myth that things can go missing in there. "The vagina is bounded at the inner end by the cervix and by the vagina's own tissue," nurse practitioner and Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access deputy director Lisa Stern , RN, MSN, MA, tells Woman's Day . In other words, your vagina is not connected to another area of your body, so don't worry about anything going missing.
However, Sterns says that sometimes a tampon can get lodged deep inside the vagina, like if it's accidentally left in place during intercourse. "If this happens, your healthcare provider should be able to remove it easily with a speculum and forceps," she says.
Yes, the appearance of your private parts may change with age. "The labia may become less plump as estrogen levels wane, fatty pads in the labia shrink, and less collagen can lead to more sagging," Lissa Rankin , MD, gynecologist and author of What's Up Down There?: Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend , tells Woman's Day . "The skin of the vulva may darken or lighten and the clitoris may shrink. It's normal either way."
Should you be concerned if the color or appearance of your vulva changes over time? Nope — it's totally normal. "These changes, which are often related to decreasing levels of estrogen, do not affect how much pleasure your parts can bring you," Rankin adds.
Many people use the term “vagina” in reference to all parts of the female genitalia, including both the internal and external components, but that's actually not accurate. "Vaginas are vaginas," Dr. Angela Jones , OB/GYN, tells Woman's Day . "They are not vulvas. A lot of folks aren’t aware of their basic anatomy and tend to use the terms synonymously."
As Dr. Mary Jane Minkin , OB/GYN at Yale-New Haven Hospital and clinical professor at Yale University School of Medicine, explains to Woman's Day , the vagina is like a "tube" that extends from your cervix to your hymen. Everything you can see — including the clitoris, urethra, labia, and pubis — is part of the vulva.
Like snowflakes, no two vulvas are the same, and though many people worry that their vulvas don't look "normal," there's really no such thing. The labia majora (outer lips) and labia minora (inner lips) look different on all types of bodies, and normal labia color ranges from pink to red to brown to purplish.
As Dr. Jones explains, "No vagina is the same, and vaginas are special, as there is no other organ that does what it does." So unless you notice a specific spot on your labia that's different in color from the surrounding skin, like a mole or swollen bump, then chances are your vulva is totally normal — special, even!
According to Janelle King , MPH, BSN, RN, having clear, white, mildly-scented discharge is (more often than not) total normal. However, the amount and consistency of discharge tends to vary from one person to another. "The color and thickness of your discharge will also vary throughout your menstrual cycle — more noticeable near ovulation and the week before your period," King tells Woman's Day .
But not all discharge is normal , so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any changes. "If your discharge is yellow/green, gray, has a bad smell, or you experience bothersome symptoms like itching or burning, you should follow up with your healthcare provider for testing," King says.
Step away from the soap and harsh cleansers, friends, because your vagina keeps itself clean all on its own. "The vagina is lined by a variety of glands that produce the fluids needed to both lubricate and cleanse the vaginal area," Stern explains. "The vast majority of vaginal infections I see in my office are self-induced — generally by those who think they're doing a good thing by washing their vagina with soap and water, or worse, with douche."
As Dr. Jones says, "Vaginas are like self-cleaning ovens, and guess what? They are supposed to smell like vaginas, not a bouquet of roses." Rather than throwing off your complex biome with floral-scented products, trust that your vagina is getting the job done on its own. And speaking of which...
Bath products, particularly those with chemical dyes or fragrances, can irritate the vagina and wash away the beneficial lubricants and flora (bacteria and yeast) that are normal and natural. When these beneficial compounds get washed away, anaerobic bacteria and yeast proliferate and can cause symptoms like discharge, odor and itching. Have you ever had a yeast infection ? Yeah, it's not a lot of fun.
"In general, the less you do to it, the better," Dr. Minkin says. While a little mild, hypoallergenic soap on the labia area is okay, trust that your body does a fine job of keeping the insides clean.
Second only to your intestines, your vagina contains more bacteria than anywhere else in your body, according to King. "The 'good' bacteria in your vagina help balance your pH," she says, noting that a healthy range of your vagina's pH is 3.8 to 4.5.
However, when the pH of your vagina is thrown off, it can lead to itching, burning, unpleasant odor, or unusual discharge, which is why it's so important not to wash any area other than your outermost labia, where your pubic hair grows. If you need to restore your vagina's pH levels, Dr. Minkin recommends using RepHresh probiotics .
Another way to keep the balance of your vaginal pH within the healthy range: eating foods associated with good vagina health, like yogurt. A study published in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics gave pregnant participants with yeast infections honey and yogurt, and they found that the mixture had similar effects to anti-fungal medications in treating yeast infections.
The vagina is nothing if not accommodating. According to Rankin, the average length of a vagina is three to four inches long, but it can double in size. After arousal, the upper portion of the vagina elongates, pushing the cervix and uterus slightly deeper into your body to make room for penetration. Your body's natural ability to self-lubricate helps make penetrative vaginal sex less uncomfortable and more enjoyable as well.
The color of your vulva may not be the same color as the rest of your skin — for many, it's darker. And according to Dr. Minkin, the color of your labia can temporarily become even darker during arousal as blood rushes to the area.
Just like penises, some vaginas ejaculate. Female ejaculation occurs when fluid (but not necessarily urine) is expelled from your urethra during arousal or orgasm , and it's commonly known as squirting (though some research suggests that ejaculating and squirting are two different things)."It definitely happens, and it's not uncommon," Rankin says. "It seems to be a learned skill
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