June 10, 2021 4 min read

A crucial part of having a healthy and happy sex life is knowing how to take care of your vagina before and after sex. This part of the body may be tougher than it looks – being a self-cleaning organ after all – but this doesn’t mean that the vagina doesn’t deserve its share of tender loving care. 

illum, a new brand created by the former hannahpad Canada team, is a company dedicated to providing natural, premium, and healthy options for vulvovaginal care. We are passionate about self care and women’s health. In line with this, we’ve put together this complete guide on practices that ensure vagina health before and after sex. 

Let’s begin! 

A cropped photo of a woman holding a small heart in front of the vaginal area

Taking Care of Your Vagina Before Sex 

Wash Your Hands and Encourage Your Partner to Do the Same 

As spontaneous as sexual encounters may be, it’s still important to maintain proper hygiene. Because sex involves touching each other in intimate places, both people should wash their hands before engaging in this activity. 

If your partner fails to wash his hands before sex and proceeds to touch your vagina or the areas near to it, you will become at risk for yeast infection.

Wash Your Vagina and Groom As Needed  

Even if the vagina is a self-cleaning organ, the area around it (the vulva), is not. This is the same reason why it is recommended for women to wash their vulvovaginal area regularly with a mild intimate wash that is free of harmful chemicals and is formulated to work well with the body’s natural pH level in that area. 

For an on-the-go option, you can also opt to use illum’s Vmist which is an all-natural refreshing spray with ingredients that help fight bad bacteria on the external surface of the vulva. 

Lastly, grooming is key to optimal vagina health. Though experts can cite benefits for each grooming option for hair down there, it all depends on what fits your lifestyle and hygiene habits the best. As a plus, good grooming down there helps to boost your confidence.

Tips for Sex-Positive Vagina Health During Intercourse 

Whatever Goes In The Rectum Cannot Go Into the Vagina 

This sex-positive tip is crucial to good vagina health. As spontaneous as sexual encounters can be, it is essential to establish boundaries on what enters or touches the vagina. 

The rule of thumb is after any object – a sex toy, finger, lips, or your partner’s penis – touches or goes into the rectum, it shouldn’t touch or go into the vagina (at least not without proper sanitation). 

This is because the rectum has its own set of natural flora (or bacteria) that thrives on its surfaces. If these bacteria were to be introduced to the vagina, there is a high likelihood that they might upset the balance of the good bacteria in the vagina. The end result: infection. 

Cropped photo of a woman in a towel putting foam on her hands  

How to Take Care of Your Vagina After Sex 

Wash Your Hands 

Sex involves touching your partner in intimate places. In some cases, you may unknowingly pick up pathogens along the way. Therefore, to help stop the spread of infections, it is always best to wash your hands after sex. 

Drink a Glass of Water and Pee After Sex 

This is yet another important part of post-sex-cleanup that will help you take care of your vagina health. The motions of sex can, at times, push bacteria into the urethra and cause urinary tract infections (UTI)

To minimize the chances of developing a UTI, one simple practice you can do is drink plenty of water right after sex. Not only will this help rehydrate you but it will also help to mechanically flush out bad bacteria in the urethra before an infection can develop. Emptying your bladder after sex is also a good practice to ensure optimal vagina health.

Clean the Vulvovaginal Area After Sex 

As we’ve established earlier, the vulvovaginal area is not synonymous with just the vagina. The vagina can clean itself through secretions, and therefore does not require any work on your end to keep it healthy and happy.

The vulvovaginal area, however, does not have this same capability and therefore needs proper cleaning after sex. Remember these two important points when using a mild intimate soap in the bath or shower: 

  • If you’re cleaning both the vaginal and the rectal areas, make sure you are keeping both areas separate. This applies to soaping as well as wiping the vagina dry.
  • Make sure to choose an intimate wash that is free of harsh chemicals. Harsh soaps can do more harm than good by drying the skin and disrupting the vagina’s pH level. A great choice would be a mild but effective all-natural intimate wash. This type of cleanser helps to fight bad bacteria using all-natural ingredients without disrupting the pH and natural flora of the vagina. 

Avoid Douching 

Douching is meant to “clean” the vagina directly. Apart from this being  completely unnecessary, it can also be harmful because douching can disrupt the vagina’s good bacteria and pH levels. It’s no surprise that health experts advise women to avoid this practice. Don’t think twice; DO NOT DOUCHE. 

Make Sure to Clean and Properly Store Your Sex Toys 

In the same way that you clean your hands and your vagina after sex, you should also clean up and properly store sex toys. This is so that any future use will not lead to an accidental infection due to the growth of bad bacteria.

Pre & Post-Sex Self Care With a Brand You Can Trust 

 illum is passionate about providing women with all-natural, safe, and beneficial products for maintaining good vagina health. Our intimate wash and vaginal mist are both equipped with ingredients that help fight bad bacteria, soothe skin irritations, moisturize the skin, and so much more. 

So before and after having fun with your partner, you can pamper yourself with our carefully formulated, all-natural vaginal care products. 

Check out our  online store for more exciting Vcare products!

 


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