It's totally normal for a woman groom her pubic hair or even shave or wax it all off. But Khloé Kardashian revealed that Kim has had all of her down-there hair removed permanently.
“I know Kim is completely bare, and now she says she wishes she still had a lil’ somethin’ going on but she lasered it all off,” Khloé shared a couple of years ago on her app and website. “But I like that if I ever want to go bare, I can just shave it and change my mind later.” (Khloé wrote in the same blog post that her preferred style is a landing strip.)
Is it healthy? Having some hair down below may help protect the sensitive skin of your private parts from irritation, like rubbing against your jeans or yoga pants. And while some gynos say that the healthiest pubic hair style is going natural, scientific evidence is scant as to how much of an advantage there is to a full bush, if any.
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“Medically speaking, there is no harm to being completely bare, versus kind of bare, versus being super hairy down there, or anywhere in between,” says Fahimeh Sasan, DO, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
If you remove any pubic hair, always use clean, sterile products and tools to reduce risk of infection or irritation, like in-grown hairs, says Dr. Sasan. And if you plan to get it all lasered off a la Kim K., do your homework and make sure you find a licensed salon or medical practice.
The Divergent actress said she likes to “give my vagina a little vitamin D.” In an interview with Into the Gloss, Woodley went on to explain her reasoning:
“I was reading an article written by an herbalist I studied about yeast infections and other genital issues. She said there’s nothing better than vitamin D. If you’re feeling depleted, go in the sun for an hour and see how much energy you get. Or, if you live in a place that has heavy winters, when the sun finally comes out, spread your legs and get some sunshine."
Is it healthy? Sunning spread-eagle won’t prevent yeast infections, nor will it provide any other health benefits to your nether regions, says Dr. Sasan.
Also keep in mind the sunburn and skin cancer risks of getting UV rays without any protection from bikini briefs. “Certainly if someone wants to sunbathe in the nude and spread her legs while she does it, she can,” Dr. Sasan says, “but you’d want to wear sunscreen on the external parts of the genital area and also realize that the skin down there can be quite sensitive.”
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On her app and website, the reality TV star raved that vitamin E oil has done wonders down there.
“No joke: Vitamin E may strengthen vaginal lining!!!” Kardashian wrote, according to People. “Moisturize your labia and vagina with vitamin E oil to combat dryness and soothe irritation.”
Actress Emma Watson is also a fan of hoo-ha moisturizing. Watson told Into the Gloss that she uses Fur Oil, which also contains vitamin E, "anywhere from the ends of my hair to my eyebrows to my pubic hair."
Is it healthy? Using vitamin E oil, or any moisturizer, on the skin of your vulva (as long as you stay outside of the actual vagina) is fine. In fact, it may provide relief and hydration if you shave or wax, both of which can cause the skin to become dry or irritated, Dr. Sasan says. Topical skin care products containing vitamin E are often recommended to treat scaly skin and combat signs of aging in general.
“Just keep in mind that the skin down there is sensitive,” Dr. Sasan points out, “so you may want to stick to unscented lotions and soaps and spot-test products on your arm.”
Should you rub vitamin E oil all over the vaginal walls? No way. “We don’t recommend putting any lotions or oils inside the actual vagina because that can change the pH of the vagina,” Dr. Sasan says. Plus, there is no scientific evidence that topical vitamin E oil has any positive effect on the vaginal lining.
In her book The Day I Shot Cupid, the actress admitted that she bedazzles her hoo-ha all the time by putting little adhesive jewel stickers along her genital area.
“It’s like having a sparkly secret in your pants,” she said. “It makes you feel saucy. It’s kind of fun to walk around and think nobody has any idea how shiny it is down there.”
Is it healthy? Making the skin sparkle below the belt with stickers isn’t a horrible health offense. “I’m assuming she’s not putting any stickers inside the vagina, and if they stay external, that’s okay,” Dr. Sasan says. “It’d be the same as if someone wants to wear a certain outfit that you might not consider your style. It’s personal preference and taste.”
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One sparkly body-part practice to avoid, however, is piercing, Dr. Sasan warns. Genital piercing is not widely regulated, so you put yourself at risk of infection and scarring depending on the hygiene and sterilization methods of the salon or individual doing the piercing.
Khloé reportedly dished on an episode of her now-cancelled show Kocktails with Khloé that all of her sisters who have had children "talk about this vagina laser" called ThermiVa that helps tighten the vagina.
Is it healthy? These laser-like devices aren't bogus, but they are expensive. "There are a bunch of different companies who make similar lasers that are inserted into the vaginal canal," explains Alexes Hazen, MD, associate professor in the Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone Health. "When the vagina atrophies, it loses it's bounce essentially. So the laser stimulates and increases collagen, just like laser treatments some women get for their face. It can have a tightening effect, help with incontinence, and it can also improve lubrication and make sex more comfortable."
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It's definitely safe, Dr. Hazen says, but it could be painful. "I wouldn't say it's pleasant, but it's tolerable," she explains. "Generally numbing cream will be used to make it more comfortable. But you do need to get typically three treatments, separated by about four weeks, and the cost could range anywhere from $700 to $1,500 for a single treatment."
The former Hills star launched a line of feminine hygiene products last year designed to give more TLC to the genital region. “There’s no reason why you should have 15 products for your face and zero products for your vagina,” she told The Cut. Her line includes various probiotic and vitamin supplements, wipes, and cleansers touted to help maintain a balanced vaginal environment and even relieve yeast infection symptoms.
Is it healthy? No—there is no product that will balance the pH of the vagina, and there's no need for one, Dr. Sasan says, as your vagina is capable of maintaining that itself. There is also no hard evidence that taking a probiotic can prevent or treat a yeast infection.
"From the perspective of a gynecologist, women do not need to put anything in their vaginas except for maybe a penis, a tampon, or a clean vibrator," Dr. Sasan says. "Period. End of story."
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Paltrow previously sung the praises of the Tikkun Spaas Mugwort V-Steam in a since-deleted Goop article, writing: "You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al ... It is an energetic release—not just a steam douche—that balances female hormone levels." She later received heat (pun intended) for the controversial health recommendation.
Is it healthy? Nah. First, the steam can't actually reach the uterus in order to "cleanse" it, Taraneh Shirazian, MD, an ob-gyn at Mount Sinai in New York City, previously told Health. In addition, the steam can increase moisture in your genital area, and in turn encourage bacteria to breed and make you more susceptible to a yeast infection. You also put yourself at risk of burns between your legs from the steam (ouch!). Think of the vagina as a self-cleaning oven—it can take care of itself.
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A separate article on Goop claims that inserting a special jade egg into your vagina for hours could make sex better and do away with "negative energy." The article also states that using your pelvic muscles to hold in the jade egg is similar to doing Kegel exercises, which strengthen the pelvic floor.
Is it healthy? Skip this. Serious risks are associated with leaving a foreign object in the vagina for long periods; experts worry the stone could get stuck, or that it could collect bacteria and be difficult to clean properly between uses.
As far as using a jade egg for pelvic floor strengthening? It's unnecessary. "Kegel exercises—where you tighten and relax the pelvic muscles for several minutes a day—are great for strengthening the pelvic floor if it is weak, particularly after childbirth or with age," Dr. Sasan says. "Most women do not need any extra gadgets; the exercises alone are effective." (Here are instructions for how to do Kegel exercises correctly.)
Some women who have experienced weakening of the pelvic floor might need pelvic floor therapy, which may involve placing a ball in the vagina and you tighten the muscles around it. But that's not to say a jade egg is the same thing. "There's absolutely nothing special about jade—it doesn't have any special powers," Dr. Sasan says.
Pelvic floor therapy balls, which are generally rubber or plastic, are uniquely made for this purpose and prescribed by a physician. "You would see your gynecologist, who would refer you to a pelvic floor therapy specialist to give you guidance," she explains. "You don't just go to CVS or Amazon and buy a random ball or crystal and try to do it yourself."
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star discussed how putting actual sugar in the vagina help makes it "sticky" and "sweet." Her co-star NeNe Leakes then told the audience that’s “crazy.”
“I would never put Kool-Aid, peppermint candy, syrup, none of that in my va-jay-jay,” Leakes replied, looking dumbfounded.
Is it healthy? Dr. Sasan would have to take Leakes side on this one. "I'll say it again, do not put any substances directly in the vagina. Nothing inside. It can make you more prone to infection," she says. "And sugar? That just seems incredibly gross and messy."
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