Vaginas For Everyone

Vaginas For Everyone

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12 Things Everyone Should Know About Vaginas

Topics:

female body
Sex
sexual health

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Few men would be brave enough to say they were experts when it comes to vagina. In truth, many women don’t know all that much about the topic either.
Given the role it plays in daily functioning, sex, and babymaking, it’s a body part worth understanding — whether you have one or not.
“The vagina is a very special place,” says Dr. Ja-Hong Kim associate professor in the division of Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at UCLA Urology. Regardless of what you’re curious about, this crash-course in vaginal knowledge is sure to answer some of your top queries.

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Short answer: a lot. Starting from the top, there is the much buzzed-about clitoris. This is a very sensitive pleasure center for many women. Below the clitoris is the opening of the urethra, where urine comes out. The vagina is below that. All of this is surrounded by the labia, which come in two sets, the minora and the majora. The average vagina is 3 to 4 inches deep but that can double when a woman is aroused.
It shouldn’t really be surprising that the clitoris actually develops from the same area of an embryo (called the genital tabernacle) as a man’s penis. If that isn’t enough to convince you how sexually significant this lady bit can be, you might also consider that has an estimated 8,000 sensory nerve endings, whereas the tip of the penis has about 4,000. Embryos also have areas called genital swellings. These develop into the scrotum in males and the labia majora in females.
There is a huge amount of variability in terms of what vaginas look like, contrary to what you may see in porn. “The fact is, that is a very small percent of the population and I think women should be happy with how they look,” says Kim. When it comes to vital organs — hearts, livers, brains — humans are pretty similar. The pelvic region, although important, isn’t needed for survival like these other parts, which is likely why it varies so much. In women, the size and colors of everything down there can vary, as can the amount of fat on the sides of vagina.
Facts about the menstrual cycle could fill an article all it’s own but here are some good basics to know. Most women have their period once a month for about three to seven days. During this time, their uterus contracts (often painfully) to shed the lining it had built up in case the woman got pregnant. An important note: women who have short cycles (around 21 to 24 days) have a greater chance of getting pregnant during their period than long cycle women. Sperm can live up to 5 days in the uterus, so women with short cycles (who ovulate about 4 to 5 days after their period) could potentially become pregnant if they had sex at the end of their time of the month.
The G-spot continues to be a contentious topic among experts. Those who believe it exists say that it is a small spot located on the front wall of the vagina, about 2 to 3 inches from the opening. Some researchers believe it’s an extension of the nerves of the clitoris, others think it’s a gland related to lubrication. What we do know is that it was named for German physician, Ernst Gräfenberg, who described the spot — and its significance to sex — in 1950.
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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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