What douche do

Douching can cause side effects like burning and irritation, as well as several complications. Find out safe ways to get rid of vaginal odor. To perform a vaginal douche, a mixture of water and other ingredients is placed in a bottle or bag. The mixture is then sprayed or squirted upward into the vagina. The fluids then wash out of the vagina. Your vagina is designed to naturally maintain a healthy pH balance.

If you remove or greatly reduce the number of healthy bacteria in your vagina, problematic bacteria may flourish. That can lead to infections, irritations, and more serious complications. You could end up dealing with complications that can be quite severe. These include:. Women who douche regularly are more likely to experience early childbirth, miscarriage, and other pregnancy complications. Using a douche can also lead to an ectopic pregnancy, and women who use douches may have a difficult time getting pregnant.

A healthy balance of bacteria prevents vaginal yeast from overgrowing. Eliminating the natural balance may let yeast flourish. This can lead to a yeast infection. Some women use douches hoping that washing the vagina will eliminate a vaginal infection. Douching may make an infection worse. Douching while you have a vaginal infection may also spread the infection to other parts of your reproductive system. In the United States, almost one in five women 15 to 44 years old douche. Doctors recommend that you do not douche.

Douching can lead to many health problems, including problems getting pregnant. Douching is also linked to vaginal infections and sexually transmitted infections STIs. The word "douche" means to wash or soak. Douching is washing or cleaning out the inside of the vagina with water or other mixtures of fluids. Most douches are sold in stores as prepackaged mixes of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. The mixtures usually come in a bottle or bag. You squirt the douche upward through a tube or nozzle into your vagina.

The water mixture then comes back out through your vagina. Douching is different from washing the outside of your vagina during a bath or shower. Rinsing the outside of your vagina with warm water will not harm your vagina. But, douching can lead to many different health problems. More African-American and Hispanic women douche than white women. Studies have not found any health benefit to douching. But, studies have found that douching is linked to many health problems.

Most doctors recommend that women do not douche. Douching can change the necessary balance of vaginal flora bacteria that live in the vagina and natural acidity in a healthy vagina. A healthy vagina has good and harmful bacteria. The balance of bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment. The acidic environment protects the vagina from infections or irritation. Douching can cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria.

This can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. If you already have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus , fallopian tubes , and ovaries. This can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease , a serious health problem. Douching is also linked to other health problems. Researchers are studying whether douching causes these problems or whether women at higher risk for these health problems are more likely to douche.

You should not douche to try to get rid of vaginal odor or other vaginal problems like discharge, pain, itching, or burning. Douching will only cover up odor for a short time and will make other problems worse. Additionally, all douche formulations — save for the pure saline varieties — contain ingredients that could trigger an adverse or allergic reaction.

Rather than providing protection, douching sets up an environment that makes it easier for infections to develop. Douching can also lead to health problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and vaginal irritation too. Additionally, all douche formulations — except for the pure saline varieties — contain ingredients that could trigger an adverse or allergic reaction.

Once you stop consuming the food or other products, the odor usually goes away. Washing the outside area — the vulva — with deodorant soap can decrease the natural odor, but it may also dry out the sensitive tissue, so use those products with caution. Some odors may occur due to a health issue. These odors and accompanying symptoms can arise due to a serious infection like gonorrhea, trichomoniasis , or chlamydia. Bacterial vaginosis , an imbalance of the various kinds of bacteria found in the vagina, can cause discomfort and odor as well.

These myths include:. Remember that the vagina has built in, self-cleaning abilities. Experts agree that douching is unnecessary and in many cases, may even be harmful. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. Sexual Health. Reviewed: July 16, Medically Reviewed. But is it good for them? The Drawbacks of Douching The vagina is a self-cleaning organ.