Vaginal Steaming: Benefits, Risks, and What Doctors Actually Say

Trendy and perhaps a little insane “health” practices are all over the internet. As we all strive to thrive in our ~wellness era~, it can be challenging to distinguish between self-care practices that are genuinely beneficial and those that are more doubtful.

Vaginal steaming, which is also known as yoni steaming, has become popular as a natural method of “cleansing” and healing the body, thanks to social media and spa menus.

Celebrities and wellness influencers have lauded it for enhancing fertility and hormone balance, among other benefits. However, it’s worth asking if it works before trying it.

When it comes to your vaginal health, “less is more,” says Dr. Kristen Venuti, an OB-GYN at Northwestern Medicine.

However, this practice is not a new one. Some people claim that women have used vaginal steaming for millennia to balance hormones, boost energy, and lower stress. The key question, therefore, becomes: should you steam your vagina?

This article will discuss the definition of vaginal steaming, the advantages that advocates claim, and the opinions of medical and scientific professionals about its safety.

Read More: Vaginal Dryness in Your 30s and 40s: Causes and Remedies

What Is Vaginal Steaming?

“Also known as ‘V-steaming’ or ‘yoni steaming,’ vaginal steaming involves squatting or sitting over a pot of hot, steaming water that is infused with herbs,” explains Dr. Ob/Gyn Talia Crawford, MD. “A blanket is often wrapped around the lower body to prevent the steam from escaping.”

You crouch or sit over a bowl of heated water infused with herbs such as rosemary, wormwood, mugwort, and basil.

People believe the steam’s warmth softens and opens the vaginal skin pores, allowing the herbs to be absorbed into the skin, affect the vagina and the reproductive organs such as the uterus, tubes, and ovaries, and provide therapeutic benefits like cleansing and revitalizing.

Central American and Mayan cultures have documented this centuries-old practice, and over the past decade, spas have revived it, with some celebrities endorsing it.

No data support the benefits of vaginal steaming. Practices that “cleanse” the vagina are generally discouraged by gynecologists because they may upset the vagina’s natural bacterial balance and immune system.

Claimed Benefits of Vaginal Steaming

The alleged advantages of vaginal steaming are unsupported by scientific research. However, many people have continued to attempt the well-liked holistic treatment despite this. Advocates assert that the treatment rebalances hormone levels, cleanses the vagina, and alleviates period discomfort. The following are some potential advantages of vaginal steaming:

• Causes the vagina to become “fresher,” cleaner
• Eliminates disagreeable vaginal smells
• Removes any leftover menstrual blood
• Removes lochia, or postpartum discharge, and revitalizes the vagina following childbirth
• Enhances the vulva and vagina’s physical beauty
• Makes sex more enjoyable
• Makes the vagina tight
• Makes the pelvic floor stronger and more flexible
• Detoxes the vagina
• Eases the pain of menstrual cramps
• Cures bladder infections
• Addresses renal problems
• Helps with issues related to fertility

Read More: 7 Best pH-Balanced Feminine Washes for Vaginal Health

What Science and Doctors Say

The majority of medical professionals are unambiguous when answering the question of whether vaginal steaming is safe: it is not required and may even be dangerous. As a self-cleaning organ, the vagina is made to eliminate bacteria and keep a healthy balance on its own. It implies that methods such as steaming are not required for “detox” or purification.

It is also possible vaginal steaming could be very harmful, according to Dr. Crawford. It is because the vulva’s skin is extremely sensitive, and it is also prone to burns. Additionally, according to her, exposing the vagina to steam and aromatic herbs may change its pH and result in yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.

“The vagina is a self-cleansing organ, so the use of steaming, douching, or other cleansing agents is not necessary or recommended as it disrupts the natural bacterial balance,” cautions Dr. Crawford.

The equipment used could cause problems as well.

“Additionally, vaginal steaming seats or other equipment may introduce harmful bacteria that could result in a vaginal infection if it has not been properly cleaned,” she says.

Risks of Vaginal Steaming

There are several potential hazards and safety issues with vaginal steaming.

Burning the skin is a problem when using heat and steam close to delicate parts, such as the genitalia. Specific case studies link vaginal steaming activities to second-degree vaginal burns. If you utilize really hot steam or approach the heat source too closely, this is more likely to occur.

The practice of vaginal steaming may raise your risk of vaginal infections in addition to burns. One study examined whether vaginal steaming increased the risk of chlamydia infections and whether women in Suriname used herbal vaginal steam baths.

Despite the lack of a direct link between vaginal steaming and chlamydia, the researchers pointed out that vaginal steaming and similar behaviors are known to raise the risk of contracting STIs such as trichomoniasis, HIV, and HPV.

Practices that involve vaginal steaming may be harmful to the vagina because they can:

• Disrupt the microbiota in the vagina.
• Disrupt the typical acidity of the vagina.
• Cause infections.
• Causes inflammation of the vagina.
• Causes infections with yeast.
• Bacteria cause vaginosis.
• Causes inflammatory illness of the pelvis.
• Dry out the natural and essential fluids and mucus in the vagina.

Read More: Top Vaginal Health Supplements You Can Buy Online (Probiotics, Prebiotics & More)

Safer Alternatives for Vaginal Health

Your general health includes your vaginal health. In addition to affecting your sexual life, persistent vaginal issues can also affect your relationships, stress levels, fertility, and self-confidence. But with the wide variety of hygienic products and supplements on the market today, maintaining the health of your vagina is not always simple.

A Healthy Diet supports a Healthy Vagina: One of the greatest methods is to maintain the health of your vagina is to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nutritious grains, lean proteins, and lots of water. Additionally, it’s critical to support the natural immune system of your vagina with beneficial microorganisms. Eating meals that contain probiotics and prebiotics can help achieve this.

Supplements Can Support Vaginal Health: Although diet can provide a good number of nutrients, taking supplements is an additional way to maintain ideal vaginal health. Choose the best probiotic supplement labeled ‘cold chain,’ which means it must be kept in a refrigerator.

Safe Sex Is Always Vital: To preserve both your general and vaginal health, you should always engage in safe sex. Asking partners if they have had a sexually transmitted infection test is part of this, as is getting tested yourself if you are unsure of your own or their status.

Read More: Best Underwear for Vaginal Health: What Gynecologists Recommend

Conclusion

Although vaginal (or yoni) steaming is trendy in today’s wellness culture, it is not evidence-based. While it may have cultural and historical significance in some practices, modern healthcare professionals agree that it presents real harms, if not outright myths, with no positive health outcomes.

In fact, the potential harms (ranging from burns to disruption of vaginal microbiota) far outweigh any unsubstantiated suggestions related to detoxification, increased fertility, and menstrual comfort.

The most important takeaway? While this more evidence-based approach helps to provide safer and more effective alternatives to similar practices for vaginal and reproductive health, it is crucial to acknowledge the origins of these practices. Your body does not need steaming to keep itself healthy; it already has a built-in detoxification system.