We have often heard the vagina called something else (foof, flower, vajayjay, hoo-ha, anyone?). We also grow up learning a lot of myths about vaginas. So, what’s the truth?
Vagina myth
The vagina is the name for everything “down there.”
Vagina truth
The vagina is the name of the canal that goes from the vulva to the cervix - so from the outside of the body to the uterus.
Vagina myth
You need to clean the inside of your vagina.
Vagina truth
The vagina is very efficient at self-cleaning. It creates its own healthy environment that is protective. You can wash the outside (your vulva area and pubic hair) with mild soap and water.
Vagina myth
Vaginas get loose.
Vagina truth
The vagina is surrounded by muscle that is flexible enough to allow a baby through it at birth. Vaginal muscles tighten and relax depending on the circumstances. Like the muscle of your mouth, the vagina can open up and close infinite times without losing shape.
Vagina myth
Tampons get lost in the vagina.
Vagina truth
It is physically impossible for a tampon to disappear in a vagina, because the vagina ends at the cervix and is only around three to six inches long.
Vagina myth
Vaginal discharge is dirty.
Vagina truth
The vagina produces different kinds of discharge or fluid. While some kinds of discharge might indicate something like a yeast infection, many types of discharge are healthy and helpful. Cervical fluid tells you where you are in your menstrual cycle, and it can look watery and transparent or cloudy and stretchy like egg whites. You may see this in your underwear or when you wipe after using the toilet.
