Vagina pH levels help keep infection-causing pathogens away. Pexels / Viktoria Slowikowska
When it comes to recovering from a heavy workout, some swear by the benefits of salt and muscle soak baths, which are believed to reduce muscle soreness, inflammation and swelling.
But these products are often filled with fragrances and ingredients that can harm your vagina health. It’s no secret, your privates don’t really want to be over-cleaned, and they certainly don’t want to be invaded with a load of soapy, perfumed or chemical products.
The idea of relaxing and soothing yourself in products that aid relaxation is good, but these kinds of baths leave your vagina and vulva a bit unhappy.
They are often chemically filled with fragrances and toxins, which means that the sensitive mucus membrane of your vulva is left vulnerable to infection.
Let’s take, for example, how bath salts work when in water bath salts break down into magnesium and sulfate.
The idea behind it is that once the salt has dissolved in water, you soak your body in the water, and it will start to absorb the magnesium through the skin, which allows your muscles to relax and reduces inflammation. This is because magnesium is an essential mineral in our diets and is known to play a huge role in muscle contraction and immune system function.
Bath salts and muscle soaking products can disrupt the delicate balance of your vaginal pH levels. By altering this natural balance, bacteria can grow, making you more prone to infections, resulting in infections and irritations such as a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.
“Vagina pH levels help keep infection-causing pathogens away. A healthy and normal vaginal pH level is typically between 3.8 and 4.5, and the chemicals used to make bath salts and muscle soaks look and smell nice can upset the balance of bacteria used to keep the vagina pH levels on the scale.
“So, these products can throw off the pH of your vagina, often leading to an overgrowth of bacteria and yeast, which can lead to irritation. This is, however, just a risk, and not everyone who uses muscle soaking products will be affected. Some women will experience negative side effects, while others won’t. That’s why it's important to test them and see how you get on,” notes the team at WeThrift, a health hub that provides health products.
Some of the common symptoms of infection include,
Lay off the baths until things are feeling back to usual. If there’s any possibility of infection or the skin is sore and broken, avoiding sex is advisable too and only clean the outside of your vulva with water. Wearing loose, breathable clothing may also help. However, always check with a pharmacist and/or your GP before using any creams, oils or medicated products on your intimate skin.
If you experience muscle aches and pains and you want to keep your vagina happy, here are five alternatives to using bath salts and muscle soak products from We Thrift: