'Vaginal wellness' has officially exploded. Here's what you need to know.

Take a leisurely scroll through your Instagram or TikTok feed and we guarantee you'll come across with a supplement or some kind of vagina product. They're everywhere right now.

The vagina wellness industry is booming. There are washes, serums, masks, steamers, jade eggs (??), moisturisers, special wipes — and now, of course, vitamins and supplements. To supposedly 'balance' pH and make them... smell better.

In fact, even the Kardashians are in on it. (Surprise).

Earlier this year, Kourtney Kardashian launched a range of vagina gummies with her brand, Lemme.

She encouraged her followers to "Give your vagina the sweet treat it deserves (and turn it into a sweet treat)."  

Watch: Nobody speaks to women like Mamamia. Story continues after video. 

Yes. This is a thing. And the comment section was understandably... concerned.

So, what's going on? Are vagina products and supplements ever really necessary? Or is this whole market essentially just capitalising on selling women stuff they don't actually... need?

Here's exactly what you need to know about supplements and your vaginal health.

Are vagina products a scam?

Let's get straight into it, shall we? 

Ask any medical professional and most of them will call out supplements and products marketed to vaginal health as a straight up scam.

I recently spoke to Dr Imaan Joshi, an accredited GP, who did just that.

Speaking to Mamamia, she said that a lot of what's out there is simply "marketing to target vulnerable women," adding to the "continued perpetuation that there’s something inherently wrong with vaginas."

With things like vitamins and probiotics in particular she said: "Evidence is lacking that probiotics and other supplements make any positive difference at best — and risk harm at worst." 

She went on to confirm suspicions that there's no evidence that supplements can actually... reach your vagina.

Gynaecologist Dr Jen Gunter, author of the bestselling book The Vagina Bible, has called out vaginal supplement brands on social media numerous times. 

In an Instagram post citing Kourtney Kardashian's latest launch, she wrote: "Anyone who suggests that your vagina isn’t fresh or needs an improved taste is a misogynist and awful person."

"Weaponising the patriarchy for profit is misogyny. Your vagina is terrific. If you think you have a health condition, consult an expert not a Kardashian." 

Truth.

She also said, "And that pineapple myth needs to die. It’s a myth and one of the reasons I had to include a chapter on food in The Vagina Bible."

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A post shared by Jen Gunter (@drjengunter)

Just for the record, having a scent is actually pretty normal. Different smells will actually appear during different parts of your menstrual cycle, so there's a wide range of 'normal' odours. And most of the time it's no big deal.

Another of Dr Gunter's posts read: "Vaginas don’t smell. If you think you have an odour, see an expert do not take a supplement from a company that is basically using the same tropes as douches."

"Also, they have zero data to back up their claims. So it’s all marketing, or as we like to call it in my house, a lie."

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A post shared by Jen Gunter (@drjengunter)

So what happens if you take vagina vitamins?

"At best nothing. At worst... probably nothing," said Dr Joshi. "Except you’ve wasted one dollar a day that you could’ve spent on something else."

Meaning? With things like vaginal vitamins and probiotics, you'll pretty much just... pee them right out. 

We... we just

One study published in the medical journal Cell actually found that for people taking vitamin probiotic, natural gut bacteria actually took longer to recover than the gut bacteria of people who didn’t take the probiotic.

So... yeah. Overall, vaginal supplements just sound like a giant waste of money, with very little proven benefits.

Do I need vagina supplements?

In case you've been skimming and didn't read any of the above (you guys!), I really need you to know that you don't need to spend your money on vagina supplements. 

Or those crazy products that claim to get rid of 'vagina odours'.

Or specific skincare products for your vagina.

You really don't.

In fact, you don't need to use any of this s**t on your vagina. Because she's just fine, thanks.

The entire market for vaginal products comes from the problematic misconception that the vagina is 'dirty'. Which is, of course, total BS.

Your vagina is self-cleaning. It knows what to do. And you should never feel insecure about it.

And if you think you may have a health condition, consult an expert for medicated treatments — they'll be able to tell you exactly what's up. 

What do you think of products for your vulva? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Feature image: Getty + Canva.

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