Put the cranberry juice away because all of your best vagina hoe tips just got busted by an expert

Everyone has their own advice for self-care or as we like to call them, hoe tips. Your friends, your mama, the internet, other hoes: all sources flowing with hoe tip gold. But just how true are even the best hoe tips?

babe talked to OBGYN Dr. Ronald D. Blatt at the Manhattan Center for Women’s Health in search of the truth behind all the women’s health myths floating around on the internet.

These are your best hoe tips, busted.

There is a right way to shave your pubes

No one wants ingrown hairs, razor bumps or cuts on their bikini line. They look horrible and are painful as fuck, so is there an ideal way to shave that won’t make you look like you have vaginal chicken pox? The answer is yes.

Dr. Blatt says that shaving pubic hair from side to side is the most effective way to avoid razor bumps. “Shave horizontally, from the outside to the inside of the upper thigh and groin area, using smooth even strokes and without too much pressure on the blade,” he said.

He also advised to shave with the grain first to get rid of the bulk of hair, and then again to get a closer shave once the majority of hair has been cleared away.

Special vagina soaps do more bad than good

Naturally, you would think that hygiene products marketed to “keep you fresh” and “just for women” are bottled gold for your vagina. But most doctors actually don’t recommend regular use of brands like Summer’s Eve and Vagisil. Why? Because they mess with your vagina’s natural pH balance.

“A healthy vagina is acidic with beneficial bacteria that helps fend off infections and maintain a normal pH level. A healthy vagina cleans itself,” Dr. Blatt said. “Any extra interference with these normal conditions may cause irritation or infection.”

Your vagina and surrounding area can become irritated by the use of soaps, moisturizers, lubricants, fragrances and other additives. So the truth is, you don’t need any extra product to take care of your vagina, she can do that all on her own.

Keeping your kitty clean is easier than you think

In the end, you don’t need to invest in special soaps to keep your vagina clean and healthy. In fact, all you need is water.

Dr. Blatt told babe that all women need to wash their vaginas is warm water in the shower or bath. This is because the vagina is one of the only two self-cleaning organs the human body possesses. The other is the eye.

What you eat actually makes your vagina smell (or taste) better

Vagina’s will never smell like roses and lavender, it’s going to smell like a vagina. And the common myth that consuming certain foods will make your vagina smell and taste like anything but vagina, is completely false.

“According to some women, the sweetness of the high-sugar fruit or fruit juice makes vaginal odor sweeter,” Dr. Blatt said, “But there is no real corresponding scientific research to back up the idea that foods change vaginal odor.”

“Foods with very strong odors like asparagus can make urine smell, which women often translate to mean vaginal odor. “In terms of negatively affecting vaginal smell, there is some evidence that consuming large amounts of red meat will do this, but no foods will ultimately make a vagina smell better.”

Your panties could be causing problems for you

You probably wouldn’t think that wearing underwear is unhealthy, but think about it. Bacteria thrives in warm and moist places, which is the literal definition of a vagina, and the next best thing to that are your panties.

Dr. Blatt says that as long as your underwear isn’t too tight and you change it regularly, wearing underwear doesn’t pose any major health risks. However, he does advise staying away from thongs if you’re prone to infections.

On the contrary, no underwear at all isn’t any better

Dr. Blatt says that going commando isn’t a healthy alternative by any means.

“No underwear causes a whole host of problems, like vulva irritation due to pant seams,” he said. “Your vaginal moisture must go somewhere, so best that it goes on the proper type panties instead of clothing bottoms for good vaginal health.”

It is, however, OK to not wear panties at night while you sleep

Dr. Blatt says sleeping without underwear or in loose-fitting underwear is a healthy habit because it allows the vagina to “breathe” after a long day of being pent up in clothing that provides little to no ventilation.

Whatever you choose to wear at bedtime, Dr. Blatt recommends a fresh pair of panties, not the same ones you’ve had on all day.

Illustration by Daisy Bernard Art.

@TheTab