Keeping Your Vulva & Vagina Healthy

What You Can Do To Support Health Below The Waistline

Know Your Parts!

^{Let’s be honest—many of us never really look at our vulva. But just like a breast self-exam, a vulva self-exam is a powerful tool for your health. Few women actually know the anatomy of their vulva and vagina let alone the details of what theirs looks like. We have been trained that good girls do not play with themselves, when in fact, it is vital for your health.}

What is a Vulva Self-Exam?

It’s simply taking a few minutes to look at your vulva in a mirror to check for changes, irritation, or anything unusual. It’s not about judgment—it's about knowing what’s normal for you so you can spot what’s not.

💡 Why It Matters:

• Catches changes early: Lumps, bumps, color changes, or lesions could signal skin conditions, infections, or even vulvar cancer.

• Builds awareness: Many women don’t know what their vulva normally looks or feels like—which can delay getting help.

• Empowers you: Understanding your body gives you the language and confidence to talk to your provider.

• Supports aging vulvas: During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can cause thinning, dryness, and irritation. A self-exam helps you stay on top of it.

✅ What to Look For:

• New lumps, bumps, or sores

• Color changes or patches

• Persistent itching or irritation

• Unusual discharge or odor

• Skin tears, thinning, or pain

✨ Bottom line: You check your skin, your breasts, your teeth—why not your vulva?

🧡 Knowledge is power. Grab a mirror and get familiar. You deserve to understand, protect, and care for every part of your body—especially your vulva.

Hygiene

The first line of defense is hygiene. This means selecting cleansers and moisturizers for prevention.  Be picky in your selection to help prevent irritation and dryness. Look for mild cleansers without:

• Fragrance-can be a ‘catch all’ for harmful chemicals

• Parabens- can influence hormone fluctuations

• Phtalates

• Siloxanes

• Bisephenol A (BPA)

The fewer the ingredients that you can’t pronounce, the better. Think of how you select products for your face cleansing and moisturizing and apply the same rigor to your vaginal area. While we love great branded products, ingredients matter, and if you want to double the purpose (cooking and protection), coconut oil is an amazing moisturizer, it is rich in fatty acids and is an anti-inflammatory, and it smells like a tropical vacation in your pants! We like Honey Pot’s vaginal cleanser as well as Vella Bioscience, Kindra, The Pleasure Pod, and FemmeSense. There are a lot on the market, be careful!

PAUZ has a curated marketplace of trusted products to support you.

The vaginal area is healthiest when moist so do not wait until it is dry to start moisturizing! Dryness leads to itchiness which leads to irritation, no one wants to fight the urge to scratch because they are in a room of executives or at lunch with their girlfriends! Stay tuned for our blog on moisturizers and lubricants. 

‘Play’

For some women, dryness may sneak up gradually and go unnoticed, in particularly if they are not sexually active. Playing with your self through masturbation or using sexual toys that are silicone-based can help you monitor moisture, increase blood flow to the area and help support a healthy vaginal area. 

Pelvic Floor Exercises

Performing Kegel exercises routinely can help promote strong pelvic floor muscles. While some women are unaware of these, more risky are women doing them incorrectly! Watch our video with Sarah Marshall, pelvic floor physiotherapist to learn how to know you are doing them right. There are a lot of free resources out there, and a pelvic floor physiotherapist can help. Here are some simple Kegel exercise instructions:

1. Identify the Right Muscles:

   • The easiest way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to stop urinating midstream. The muscles you use to do this are your pelvic floor muscles.

   • Another way is to imagine you are trying to stop passing gas. The muscles you squeeze are your pelvic floor muscles.

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2. Get Comfortable:

   • You can do Kegel exercises while sitting, standing, or lying down. Choose a position that is comfortable for you.

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3. Perform the Exercises:

   • Contract: Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold the contraction for 3-5 seconds. Try not to squeeze the muscles in your abdomen, thighs, or buttocks.

   • Relax: Release the contraction and relax your muscles for 3-5 seconds.

   • Repeat: Aim to do 10-15 repetitions per session.

   •  

4. Consistency is Key:

   • Perform Kegel exercises at least 3 times a day. You can integrate them into your daily routine, such as while brushing your teeth, sitting at your desk, or watching TV.

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5. Increase Duration Gradually:

   • As your muscles get stronger, try holding the contractions for longer, up to 10 seconds at a time, and then relaxing for 10 seconds.

Tips:

• Don't Overdo It: Start slowly and gradually increase the number and duration of contractions.

• Breathe Normally: Remember to breathe in and out while doing the exercises. Do not hold your breath.

• Consistency Matters: Make Kegels a regular part of your daily routine for the best results.

Regular Kegel exercises can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can improve bladder control and pelvic health

It is important to know pelvic floor muscles that weaken can promote a pelvic prolapse however, women can also suffer from muscles that are too tight. This creates pain during intercourse. For these women, pelvic floor physiotherapists are a great source to help assist in exercises, guide you to tools, and provide support. Functional exercise like yoga, Pilates, and stretching can also help. 

Treatments

Local vaginal estrogen is the gold standard treatment for genitourinary syndrome of menopause, fewer than 8% of women are receiving treatment despite research showing it is 80 to 90% effective in the form of creams, inserts, and rings.  Applied topically, prescription estrogen can amp up the vaginal walls’ lubrication and elasticity. When you are reading about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they are not talking about local vaginal estrogen. This is a separate treatment. HRT typically is not sufficient to reach the vaginal and vulvar tissues. If you start with HRT, you might wait and see if it effective for GSM first. 

 DHEA (Intrarosa) is a hormone involved in the process of converting cholesterol to estradiol (a type of estrogen). It is newer hormone to be prescribed by physicians taken as a one dose inserted in the vagina, typically once daily at bedtime. Vaginal estrogen and DHEA both increase blood flow, reverse tissue frailty, restore lubrication, repopulate vaginal microbiome with beneficial bacteria, treat vaginal dryness, itching, pain with sex, and may improve odour issues. Unlike traditional hormone replacement therapies, Intrarosa is considered a local treatment with minimal systemic absorption, making it a preferable option for women who cannot or do not want to use systemic estrogen therapy. 

Review the rest of this section for more information!

Advocate

A study in the Journal of Women's Health indicated that around 70% of postmenopausal women experiencing these symptoms did not discuss them with their doctors. Even more worrisome, doctors are unlikely to raise the topic to women patients. 

Key take-home: Pulling it ALL Together!

Your vaginal health is about so much more than hygiene—especially during perimenopause and menopause. From hormones to microbiome to muscle tone, here’s what really matters for keeping things healthy, functional, and comfortable.

1️⃣ Know Your Normal with a Vulvar Self-Exam

Don’t wait for a doctor to spot something. Regularly check your vulva in a mirror:

• Look for changes in color, texture, lumps, or lesions

• Notice sensitivity, pain, or itching

• It’s empowering—not weird—to know your own body
  🪞Make this part of your wellness routine (just like brushing your teeth)

2️⃣ Support Estrogen (When Needed)

With menopause, estrogen declines—and that affects vaginal tissue, pH, and comfort.

• Vaginal estrogen (cream, tablet, ring) is the most effective treatment for vaginal atrophy/GSM

• DHEA, testosterone, and other options may also help—speak with a menopause-informed clinician

3️⃣ Use Lubricants & Moisturizers

Comfort matters—even if you’re not sexually active.

• Look for pH-balanced, glycerin-free, and paraben-free options

• Natural ingredients like aloe, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E can soothe and hydrate
  🛍 Browse trusted options at www.pauzhealth.shop

4️⃣ Eat to Feed Your Vagina

Yes, really. A healthy gut supports a healthy vagina.

• Prioritize fiber, fermented foods, and plant estrogens (like flaxseed or soy)

• Reduce sugar and ultra-processed foods that feed bad bacteria or yeast

5️⃣ Move Your Pelvic Floor

Strength matters.

• Do Kegels to improve sensation and reduce leaks

• Consider a pelvic floor physiotherapist if you have discomfort, pressure, or bladder issues

6️⃣ Skip the Scented Stuff

• No douching. Ever.

• Skip scented soaps, wipes, or sprays

• Use warm water or a gentle wash externally only

✨ At PAUZ Health, we combine evidence-based medical care with personalized support from menopause-certified practitioners, pelvic floor physiotherapists, and health coaches. Because informed women make powerful health decisions — and it’s time for that to be the norm.

Empower Your Menopause Journey Today!