If you have a vagina, you have probably heard about the importance of keeping your pH balanced. Perhaps you’ve wondered “What is my pH?” and “What travesty occurs when it goes off kilter?”
Well, we were also wondering, which is why we decided to reach out to Dr. Pat Carroll, chief medical officer of Hers to finally get to the bottom of the eighth wonder of the world: vaginal pH.
Below, Dr. Carroll breaks down everything you could possibly want to know and more.
WTF is pH, and why is it important?
“The pH scale measures the acidity of a substance. The pH balance of different parts of your body is important for reasons such as fighting off infection. Vaginal pH is an indicator of overall vaginal health,” he explains. “A balanced pH is usually between 3.8 and 4.5 (5.0 for perimenopause/menopause women), but it can vary by age and your menstrual cycle.
Wait—what happens to it when I’m on my period?
“Vaginal pH values fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, due to the higher pH level of menstrual blood,” Dr. Carroll says. “In addition, vaginal pH can be affected by yeast and bacteria coming from other irritants such as tampons, sanitary napkins, lubes, or semen.
“Good hygiene is the first step toward maintaining a healthy vaginal pH level during the menstrual cycle. Changing sanitary napkins and tampons regularly helps avoid bacteria growth.”
What other things can cause an imbalance?
“A variety of factors can cause your vaginal pH to be affected such as age, diet, taking antibiotics, and engaging in unprotected sex.”
So what even happens when my pH is imbalanced?
“Vaginal health is critically important to overall health, and vaginal pH plays a significant role for women,” says Dr. Carroll. “When vaginal pH increases, yeasts and bacteria can overrun your vagina, leading to two common infections:
- Yeast infections: Usually indicated by an itching and burning sensation around the vaginal area and can be treated with over the counter treatments.
- Bacterial Vaginosis (BV): Typically indicated by a fishy odor and discharge that will need to be treated with antibiotics.”
Since the symptoms of pH imbalance are similar to a lot of other things, are there certain symptoms that are specific to it?
“If you experience gray discharge with a fishy odor, it may be due to unwanted yeast and bacterial growth that may indicate a vaginal pH imbalance,” he notes. “Other symptoms can include an itching and burning sensation around the vaginal area.”
How can I keep my pH in check at home?
“Some at-home, natural remedies include incorporating more probiotics into your diet, good vaginal hygiene, wearing underwear that is made from natural, breathable fabrics, and/or considering going pantie-free at night,” he recommends. “If your symptoms are more severe or they don’t go away with natural remedies, it’s important to follow up with your doctor.”
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