Body

7 Reasons Your New Vaginal Care Regimen Is Dangerously Nuts

Further proof you should never detox your vagina (No. 4 will make you shudder)

by Katie McCarthy | COMMENT

PHOTO 6/8

No. 6: Your Vagina's Scent and Secretions Are Probably Normal Why do so many vaginal cleansing and vaginal "detoxing" products exist if they're so risky? Because there's a market for them. Some women feel insecure about whether their vagina is sufficiently clean and fresh.

And why would the companies that sell them want you to think any differently? They've got skin in the game. The feminine hygiene market has lately exhibited steady growth; by 2020, it's projected to reach $6.2 billion in the U.S. and $40 billion globally.

"There is definitely a big market for [these products]," says DePree. "In my opinion, there is an incredible amount of money spent for no good reason. And if you are unfortunate enough to have an adverse reaction to these products, you only create new issues."

And if you've ever worried about your vagina's smell, you probably don't need to.

"After 38 years in gynecological practice, I can say that women are much more attuned to their own scents than other folks are," Minkin assures. "The majority of times that a woman comes in complaining of a significant odor, I really don't smell much of anything."

Image via Getty

SEE NEXT PAGE: No. 7: If Something Is Awry Downstairs, There's Someone Who Can Help (Not Gwyneth Paltrow)

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