Vaginas and vulvas. Even though every woman’s got them, roughly 73 percent of women can’t even tell you where they are, let alone know what they need! The Magic School Bus took us through noses and ears and mouths to show us the body. Why not the landscape down below, too?
Okay, so maybe Ms. Frizzle taking her students through the vulva and vagina wouldn’t have gone over super well with viewers, but wouldn’t it have been nice if we had been given a little heads up about what’s going on down there way before the years of self-subjected torment and torture, all because we just didn’t know any better? *Que dramatic music*
Well, we’re here to right this wrong with our own little field trip through the divine layout of the parts down south. We’ll share the differences between the vagina anatomy and vulva anatomy and help answer once and for all questions like “where is the vulva?” and “what is the labia?” Plus, we’ll dive into the common habits many of us do every day that peeve our parts off and how we can all improve our Feminine Hygiene and protect from vulva villains known to wreak havoc in our secret garden. Everybody on? Let’s go!
Let’s Take a Trip Through The Lady Landscape
Vulva Anatomy What is the Vulva, and Where is the Vulva?
The vulva is the all-inclusive term for the external female reproductive system and includes the mons pubis, labia majora, and labia minora, and help from pubic hair. Together, these various parts of your vulva anatomy protect your internal sexual organs, urinary opening, vaginal opening, and entire vagina from bacteria and germs. You can think of your vulva as the bouncer at the club, tasked with the job of keeping any hooligans or troublemakers out so everyone inside can have a good time.
Vulva skin is thin, sensitive, and prefers a pH level between 3.5 to 4.8 during its reproductive years. Because it is hormone-responsive, the vulva tends to be even more sensitive than normal during pregnancy, periods, and menopause. Dry or weakened vulva skin has a difficult time fighting irritation or infection, which is why tending to her with the right products is so important, but we’ll get to that later. For now, let’s take a closer look at the parts that make up your vulva anatomy.
Pubic Hair
Pubic hair protects the vulva against germs and helps reduce friction during intercourse. When we groom pubic hair away, it can leave our sensitive vulva skin more susceptible to razor burn, irritation, ingrown hairs, bacteria, and dryness.
Related: How to Prevent Razor Burn on Vag
Mons Pubis
Just below the pubic hair is a mound of fatty tissue known as the mons pubis. This is the part of your vulva that is shaped like an upside-down triangle from the top of your pubic hairline (or would-be pubic hairline if you ladyscape everything) to the labia majora (the outer lips leading to your vagina). The job of the mons pubis is to cover the pubic bone and act as a cushion during intercourse. Now, onto labias.
FUN FACT!: Glands on the mons pubis actually secrete pheromones, which are important for sexual attraction (ooh la la).
What is a Labia?
A labia is a set of skin folds designed by Mother Nature herself to protect the birth canal. Women have two sets of labias, the labia majora, and labia minora.
Labia Majora
At the tip of your mons pubis is the first pair of skin folds known as the labia majora. These “outer lips” surround the vaginal orifice, protect the vagina, and can vary in shape, size, and color from one female to the next. Pubic hair also grows here to protect against unwanted bacteria.
Labia Minora
Just past the labia majora are the second set of skin folds known as the labia minora. The labia minora is responsible for protecting the vaginal opening, clitoris, and urinary orifice, and instead of pubic hair, is lined with a mucous membrane that provides both sensation and lubrication during sex. The labia minora folds have a creviced structure that traps debris from entering the vaginal opening. They are rarely symmetrical or even the same length and can even stick out of the labia majora and vary in color from one female to another.
Fend Off Vulva Villains with Lady Suite Beauty pH Balanced Products
Together, these parts that make up your vulva protect your urinary and reproductive systems from bacteria and infection caused by the dozens of sweaty, dirty (public restrooms, anyone?) and irritating occurrences we subject our lady parts to daily. You know, things like wearing restricting underwear, rubbing during sex or exercise, routine grooming, conventional skincare products, feminine washes, and lubricants.
That’s why proper feminine hygiene and pH-balanced products are crucial to overall feminine wellness, and why Lady Suite takes the task of creating clean and feminine botanical oil, exfoliating spray, and probiotic cleanser so seriously. For instance, our Three-Step Skin Care Down There System is like a breath of fresh air for down there. This 3-step system cleanses, exfoliates, and hydrates your external lady parts using clean ingredients to gently fight off odor-causing bacteria, ingrown hairs, dark spots, dryness, and irritation for a happier, healthy lady garden.
Next stop, the vagina!
Vagina Anatomy | What is the Vagina?
The vagina is the soft, muscular internal passageway that connects your cervix and uterus to the vulva. This is also where you place adult toys or a penis during intercourse, where your menstrual blood exits your body and the last pit stop a baby makes on its way into the world. Vaginas have different pH levels than vulvas, and these pH levels vary based on a woman’s age and reproductive state.
For instance, a child or pre-teen who has yet to get her period will likely have a vaginal pH around 7 (neutral), while a woman in her reproductive years likely has a vaginal pH of 3.8 to 4.4. Menopause causes another change in vaginal pH, this time ranging between 4.5 to 7, depending on whether or not they have undergone hormone replacement therapy or not. These differences in levels show us just How pH Balance Affects Women of All Ages.
Unlike your vulva anatomy which is composed of several parts, your vagina anatomy is composed of the vaginal tube only, and is what connects the other parts of the female reproductive system together. Some things that disrupt natural vaginal pH and an otherwise healthy vaginal ecosystem and cause irritation are douching (can this be banned already?), period products, stress, pH imbalances, and natural hormonal changes.
When it comes to supporting your vagina’s sensitive ecosystem, we like to use the phrase “less is more.” Avoid using feminine hygiene products like douches, body washes (she cleans herself, she doesn’t need any help!), intimate sprays, steam, vaseline, hair removal cream, home yeast infection remedies (girl, call your gyno), scrubs, the list goes on. If there’s a funky smell, colored discharge, itching, or general irritation, call your doctor right away and get to the root of the problem.
To clarify, even clean and pH-balanced product like Lady Suite cleanser, probiotics and exfoliants should not go into the vagina because that’s just not where they belong! Of course, who can blame any female that’s ever made this mistake, unaware that their vagina anatomy and vulva anatomy were different things with different needs!
Now that you know your lady landscape a little better, it’s time to pamper her in the beneficial botanical oil and probiotic cleanser designed to help her live her best life. Shop Lady Suite today to learn even more about the common feminine struggles, stay in the loop on the latest gossip, and discover your next favorite clean beauty product that your whole body will thank you for!