Cold dry weather, tight clothes, hot water baths; these are some utterly non-favourable conditions for vaginal health. Smelly Vaginal discharge, coloured discharge, vaginal dryness are common concerns of women in most age groups. So let us understand few tips of maintaining vaginal health.

1. Avoid wearing tight clothes

Winter means layered clothing, wearing tights, leggings, jeggings, joggers to give you that warmth. Try wearing clothes that are not too fit and hence give your intimate parts some aeration.

2. Avoid wearing synthetic underwear

Cotton may not be a fancy fabric, but it is the best fabric your skin will thank you for. Synthetic garments are not good absorbents of sweat and other body fluids like vaginal fluid. Prefer wearing cotton undergarments especially if you have experienced any form of allergy, itching or constant wetness near your genitals while wearing synthetic ones.

3. Avoid long hot water bath

A long hot water shower in cold weather sounds tempting and feels pleasant. But bathing in hot water can contribute to skin dryness and hence vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness can disturb the vaginal flora (good bacteria) and can cause further issues like infection, smelly discharge.

4. Avoid using scented products and soaps near your genitals

A healthy vagina maintains its acidic pH with the help of good bacteria. Scented bath products, soaps are highly alkaline in nature and can disrupt the pH balance of your vagina. If you like using scenting agents during your bath, you may use essential oils, medical grade bath oils that work as soaping agents and are quite mild on your skin.

5. Stay hydrated and avoid excess sugar

Maintaining proper hydration is crucial if you experience vaginal problems, so make sure you’re consuming 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. During cold weather, one does not feel thirsty frequently and hence end up with dehydration at times. Your skin, including the skin in your vagina, may be susceptible to dryness in winters and this could cause itching if you don’t drink enough water. Excess sugar in your diet can nourish yeasts and germs in your system a

Replace sugary drinks, hot chocolate, artificially sweetened aerated drinks with herbal teas or home-made juices. Probiotic drinks can also prove helpful not only in enhancing your gut health but also vaginal health.