There is so much we don’t know about our own bodies that we absolutely should. For instance, we bet you didn‘t know that vaginas and sharks have something in common?
For instance, “vagina” is probably the most misused word in the entire English language. Chalk it up to our terrible sex education system, but the vagina is actually the internal canal that reaches up to the cervix.
When it comes to the vagina, there are three basic things every woman probably knows: you don’t need to douche, every woman has vaginal discharge, and ultimately, it has muscles that can open it really wide.
Indeed, our lady parts have capabilities that are more than meets the eye, and can tell us a plethora about our sexual health.
Like any other body part, our vagina is just another part of us, so it seems logical to get well acquainted with it. It’s time to sit among your girlfriends over a glass of wine and talk about the 7 mind-boggling facts you may not know about your hoo-hahs. Keep reading to find them out.
#1 Vaginas make their own lubricant
We bet you didn‘t know that vaginas and sharks have something in common? The scientifically proven fact is that they both contain the substance called squalene. This exists in shark livers and is a natural vaginal lubricant.
Not many other body parts can say that. When you get aroused, more blood flows to your genitals, which cues you to get wet. That lubrication primarily comes through the vaginal walls, though you also get some wetness from the labia minora and from cervical discharge.
Keep in mind that lots of things can affect your ability to lubricate — like birth control, allergy medicines, breastfeeding, and menopause — so don't worry if you need to use store-bought lube, too. This is a totally normal thing to do.
#2 Your pubes have a purpose
Before you make the shave (or go full-on with laser hair removal or waxing), know that pubic hair has a job. Specifically, it serves as a protective barrier to genital tissues, particularly the sensitive vaginal opening.
As well as providing a protective barrier, it also acts as a buffer against friction. Shaving can leave tiny—and easily microscopic—wounds on the skin, temporarily rising one's risk of infection, doctors report. Hygienic waxing facilities are fine, and may be better than shaving.
However, be careful of waxing if you are on medications containing isotretinoin, like Accutane, because it can cause wax to burn the skin more easily.
By the way, that ingrown hair may not actually be an ingrown hair. If those painful bumps are what they look like, they'll probably go away on their own. But they could actually be a sign of something worse, sexologists say: herpes.
Though 73 % of women don't think you have to, you should probably go to the doctor if you see something that looks like an ingrown hair just to make sure it's nothing more serious.
#3 The vagina is a self-cleaning bodily system
The vagina is designed to keep itself clean with the help of natural secretions, or discharge. Think of it as a self-cleaning oven.
The vagina is an incredibly balanced ecosystem of bacteria, yeast, and secretions, gynecologists say. It's also acidic, with a regular vaginal pH level between 3.8 to 4.5 – which is ideal for keeping that balance of bacteria for good vaginal health. Vaginas have an acid environment which allows sperm to swim and survive once inside.
When washing your vagina, it’s best to avoid perfumed soaps, gels, and antiseptics, as this can affect the healthy balance of bacteria and even lead to irritation. Ironically, all those douches and scented wipes can actually throw off that pH balance and make you more prone to infections, too.
That does not mean you shouldn't keep the outside area — your vulva — clean, but all that takes is some water (if you must use soap, make sure it's a simple, unscented one with very few ingredients). And if you do notice an unusual odor or discharge or itching, check with your doctor to rule out an infection.
#4 It’s impossible to lose anything in your vagina
Contrary to what you may have heard around, absolutely nothing can get lost in down there. Your vagina just won‘t let you!
At the very back of your vagina is the cervix, which is basically like the doorman at an exclusive club that doesn't let just anybody in. The size of this cervical opening is very tiny. You even have to dilate your cervix to insert a contraceptive coil, and those things are small.
Before puberty, the uterus is about 3.5 centimeters (cm) in length with an average thickness of 1 cm. After puberty, its normal length is about 7.6 cm, and width is 4.5 cm, with a normal thickness of 3.0 cm.
So what about that search-and-rescue mission you went on for a rogue condom or tampon? Think about it: the vagina can expand when aroused, so it's certainly possible that something can get pushed a little out of reach. But with time and patience, you'll get it out in any case. If you're ever worried, your doc can help.
The opening of the uterus is too small for anything to go through it – unless you’re giving birth, of course.
#5 The vagina is incredibly strong
It may be soft and hidden away inside out bodies, but our vaginas are powerful and strong. Better and more frequent orgasms, an improved sex life, and prevention of back pain are all results of optimal pelvic floor strength.
Kegel exercises are a popularized technique to strengthen the pelvic floor, but can actually cause worsening of problems due to not addressing all the muscle groups that are involved in pelvic health, including the glutes, and actually causing over-tightening of the pelvic floor.
Rings of muscle ridges surround the vagina; these muscles allow the vagina to stretch at least 200% during things like childbirth. Those muscles have some serious potential too.
The vagina, when aroused, can grow length-wise by almost 200%, too! Pretty impressive, huh? Thankfully, women do not have to worry about pitching a tent at an embarrassing time like men.
The gymnast Tatyiana Kozevnikova currently holds the record for strongest vaginal muscles, being able to pull objects weighing up to 30 pounds – just by flexing.
#6 Vaginas Are Flexible
We all probably had a female friend mention that she couldn’t figure out how to fit a tampon in her vagina, let alone imagine how it could ever someday fit a penis.
In the same fashion, many women wonder how it’s possible for a baby to actually exit their body through the birth process. Truthfully, women’s bodies are AMAZING and the vagina can actually expand quite extensively when relaxed and the hormonal orchestra is right, such as during arousal or childbirth.
Unfortunately, many women are told in pregnancy that they are too small to give birth vaginally, and are coerced into c-sections. This is just not true, as women’s bodies expand during childbirth and it’s not possible to look at a women’s vagina and say whether or not she is capable of birthing her baby vaginally or not beforehand. During the time of labor and birth, the main issue preventing women from birthing vaginally is stress.
It’s because we need to relax deeply and have privacy to open up so vulnerably. Vaginas are not ever just one size. The inner lining folds in upon itself, collapsing the internal space, only to expand with relaxation, arousal and lubrication. This incredible ability of the vagina to expand when needed seems to continue to boggle the minds of mothers-to-be and doctors.
#7 Vaginas Are Like Fingerprints
Each vagina is different and uniquely you. Like your fingerprint, it is your body’s individual design and not like anyone else’s. There is no standard-issue model and there is no “normal” vagina. Your vagina IS beautiful and fabulous just the way it is. Like a unique snowflake or flower, your vagina is the fingerprint to your erotic self.
Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t even know what a healthy normal vagina or vulva looks like, so they are fearful that they might be different.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a report in 2007 warning that most female genital cosmetic surgery was not ethical, acceptable, standardized or medically warranted.
Your body is designed the way it is for to support you to have outstanding orgasms, health, and protection of your lady parts. Getting to know your vulva and vagina will help you to love and appreciate the incredible female body you are blessed with. Your vagina and vulva are perfect just the way they are!
