An unexpected place you might be putting your vaginal health at risk is the cycling studio. If you’re a frequent rider, you could be at risk for private part numbness, pain, and tingling (not in a good way) while cycling. In fact, a study of female cyclists in the Journal of s*xual Medicine found that a majority experienced these symptoms. If you love to hit up cycling studios, try wearing padded shorts.
Another threat to your nether region’s good bacteria are antibiotics. Those pills can kill off some of that wonderful lactobacilli that keep your v**ina healthy, says Minkin. Obviously, if you have to take an antibiotic to fight infection, you shouldn’t pass up the prescription, just load up on probiotic Greek yogurt to reduce the damage, she says.
That scented body wash may be awesome, but it doesn’t belong anywhere near your private parts, says Minkin. Soap can be really drying to the sensitive skin around your vulva, and you really only need to rinse with warm water to keep things clean down there. But if you just don’t feel right about going soap-free, stick with a plain, gentle, unscented soap, she says.
