Sports vagina, what is it?
Exercise has so many benefits for your body. It prevents many disorders,helps you maintain a healthy weight, boosts your mood, and makes you energized.
Still, many women face a negative side effect of exercise called vaginal discomfort, also known as “sportsvagina”.
What is sports vagina?
Sports vagina is a term for vaginal discomfort that occurs with exercise. Your vulvar and vaginal areas produce sweat, which may lead to vaginal discomfort when you hit the gym, especially if you don’t wear proper clothing. The symptoms may be mild or severe, depending on the type of exercise and intensity of the exercise. Symptoms may include:
- vaginal itching
- vaginal redness
- vaginal irritation
- vaginal chafing
- strong vaginal odor
Infections caused by sports vagina
Sports vagina may cause a yeast infection, which is an overgrowth of the Candida fungus. Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments and symptoms of a yeast infection may include:
- a thick, white discharge
- that resembles cottage cheese
- vaginal itching, which may be intense
- vaginal burning, especially when in contact with urine
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- vaginal redness
Most yeast infections won’t go away on their own. There are different treatment methods for this problem and we recommend discussing the symptoms with your doctor.
Another infection that thrives in warm, sweaty environments is bacterial vaginosis (BV). It’s caused when the natural vaginal bacterial flora is disrupted. BV may cause a "fishy" vaginal odor and grey discharge. Not everyone with BV experiences symptoms.
Read more about Bacterial vaginosis.
What can I do to prevent?
Many women don't think about their vaginal health until they notice symptoms. Here are some routines to avoid health-related issues in your intimate area:
- Stay away from sweat-soaked panties and pants after a workout.
- Avoid tight yoga pants that don't breathe or that cause friction during exercise.
- Wear cotton underwear.
- Never ignore symptoms. You may have an infection.
Don´t use regular soap for your intimate parts. Use a gentle cleanser that is not harming your pH value. We recommend V-Cleanser based on VagiVital active gel and botanic oil.