Feminine hygiene products: are they actually good for me?

Many women use feminine hygiene products every day, from intimate wipes and washes to sprays and deodorants, hoping to feel extra fresh and clean. These products are sold all over the world and are worth millions of pounds every year. But do feminine hygiene products actually help, or could they be doing the opposite?

Can feminine hygiene products cause problems?

Many feminine hygiene products are labelled as safe for intimate areas. However, that does not mean they cannot upset the delicate balance of your vagina. When that balance is disturbed, you may be more likely to develop an infection.

Research published in 2018 found that women who used intimate gels had an eightfold increase in yeast infections, such as thrush. They were also nearly 20 times more likely to develop a bacterial infection. In other words, products marketed to keep you fresh may sometimes make things worse.

The vagina is often described as self-cleaning. It naturally produces discharge, which clears away dead cells and bacteria and keeps the area healthy. In most cases, it simply does not need extra help.

What is the difference between the vulva and the vagina?

These two words are often used as if they mean the same thing, but they describe different parts of the body:

• The vulva is the external part of the female genitals. It protects the sexual organs, the opening of the urethra (where urine comes out) and the vagina.
• The vagina is the internal, muscular passage that runs from the cervix to the vaginal opening.

Knowing the difference helps, because good care for one is not the same as good care for the other.

Good everyday care without feminine hygiene products

Many women worry about vaginal odour and buy feminine hygiene products to try to solve it. In fact, it is completely natural for your vagina to have its own scent. A healthy routine is much simpler than the shelves suggest:

• avoid putting anything inside the vagina to clean it
• wash the vulva once a day with plain water or a soap-free, fragrance-free product
• pat the area dry and wear breathable cotton underwear

This approach helps to keep your natural pH balanced, so that the healthy bacteria can do their job. As a result, your risk of yeast and bacterial infections is lower.

It is also worth knowing what to avoid. Douching, scented soaps, bubble baths, perfumed wipes and vaginal deodorants can all irritate delicate skin. If you use pads or panty liners every day, choose unscented ones and change them often. Small, simple habits like these protect your natural balance far better than any product on the shelf.

When to see a doctor instead

If something has changed, it is best to see your doctor rather than reach for more products. A strong or unusual smell, itching, a change in discharge, soreness or pain can all have a treatable cause. Likewise, a new lump or swelling should always be checked, as explained on our vulval and vaginal lumps page.

Bleeding that is new for you, such as bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex or bleeding after the menopause, also needs assessing. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publishes reliable patient information on gynaecological health, and Cancer Research UK lists the symptoms of vulval cancer that should always be checked.

Your doctor can give you accurate information and a treatment plan that suits you. If you have concerns about your vagina or vulva, you are welcome to book a consultation with Mr Jafaru Abu at The Park Hospital, Nottingham.