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Avatar universal

Is it harmful to check your vagina everyday???????

Ok, this is weird.....please tell me if this is harmful.  Every single day, sometimes twice a day, I stick my finger in my vagina and push around and dig out any vaginal discharge that may be in there.  I do this because i am paranoid about having an infection.  I have long acrylic nails; sometimes this irritates my vagina.  I seriously will stick my middle finger up my vagina and "dig" around up there to monitor my discharge every single day.  I do it in the shower in the morning just to clean it out and then once or twice in the afternoon/evening to monitor everything just to see if it's up to par.  Am I crazy?  Is this harmful to my vagina?  Please let me know
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Avatar universal
I think this is just a safer way to clean the vagina out as opposed to douching which cleans all the bacteria out, good and bad. nothing to do with being ocd. I believe bacteria forms also according to what you eat, certain foods may cause your body to make yeast in large quantities. I don't have that lol.. but your not supposed to douche. its just an alternative to douching, I believe her question was because she does this as opposed to douching is it safe. Yes it is safe as long as your hands and nails are clean and your just swiping and not scraping. Swipe a couple of times and rinse with warm soapy water inbetween each time. My sister is a registered nurse and told me about this, so I may douche once or twice a year, but I finger swipe 1-3 times a week just to clean out anything like bacteria, or anything my husband left (lol) that a shower wont get to (the inside of my vagina) without having to douche. My sister is my doctor and I know she wouldn't tell me anything that would harm me! Drink MORE water! and just make sure your hands and nails are clean and gently swipe or dig out what looks like cottage cheese. It may smell, it may not. but if you don't pull it out it will come out on your panties or liner..
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Avatar universal
I don't think so...I check mine but make sure my hands are properly sanitized with hand sanitizer & soap....I am a heavy discharger & I scrape (& even have a table) to examine what the discharge   looks & smells like because I want to know what's coming out of me....I was shock to actually see others who do this as well. I think it's consider a little OCD but I feel it's nothing wrong with self examination....I especially do this if I have a yeast infection or not feeling well down there.... Also I check a smell because sometimes I wonder why it smells vinegary or has that twang to it...I know others have that smell because I have smelled it on a few....Tart....similar.... Then I read that vinegar is made from bacteria so it made sense since bacteria grows done there as well...Ijs
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Dinosaur
Lori_RaptorExternal User
I think the reason this is considered odd behavior is the OP says she is paranoid about infection and then the issue about the nails that others have addressed.  I think the OP should try to stop the behavior and see how much anxiety it causes.  If the behavior is obsessive, in that, it is intrusive and causes mental distress, then I would recommend the OP seek some professional help.  I would also recommend that the OP use some kind of glove or clean instrument that won't harm her if the checking is just a habit.  My doc has always told me to leave my vagina alone because it is self cleaning and some of the mucus up there does serve a valuable purpose of protecting tissue.  
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9475619 tn?1404003893
I do the same thing! That's how I found this forum. I was curious how many other people did it.

Anyway, sometimes after having sex, some ejaculation remains inside me. In the shower I clean it out. One time I didn't clean it out and this horrrrible smell was on my underwear. It was unlike anything I ever smelled coming from myself. I rode it out for a day and a half and finally decided to clean. That was the first time I did it and I've been doing it ever since. It's true you know, we stick plastic tampon applicators, penises (some with piercings), our fingers, our partners fingers, dildos, all kinds of stuff goes in there. So what's the big deal about cleaning? God. I don't think it's OCD at all. It's a weird circumstance that the OP had acrylic nails, and that does in deed sound like you're just asking for scratches and bacteria.

I think it's a good idea. I don't dig too deep, but I, too, have a history of yeast infections and BV. It has helped me monitor that, also.

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Avatar universal
I have short nails and try to keep them clean always. But.....I do exactly what this lady does. I stick my middle finger in up there and try to gently scrape out whatever discharge might be hanging onto the vaginal walls.

I mean honestly, you stick a penis up there, and all sorts of things for pleasure - which I truly do not get - why not stick a finger up to scrape out a vaginal discharge? to check color and odor or for whatever hygienic reason.

By the way I am not sexually active and don't masturbate. But I have one daughter and had a history of VB/yeast infection which had been treated with medication. however this has recently encouraged me to stick my finger in, poke around and gently remove discharge from the vaginal walls. I don't douche.

In general my vagina has - I think - a normal smell. I am pleased with the smell because I heard of and read of some women who had really bad smells. But I have white discharge that always makes me paranoid.

So thanks to the girl who asked this question, and yeah there are other girls who do this, so please more feedback and answers please!!! thanks a lot
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Avatar universal
I was just wondering why you would need to check your vagina everyday for cm.  I'm just curios, I have never heard of anyone doing that unless they were in labor and checking to see if the were ready to give birth.  Are you afraid you are too big?  I was just wondering.  Michelle
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Avatar universal
Sticking anything in there is asking for trouble! or infection

crazy!
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Avatar universal
This is what happens when you don't stay on board & ck. email
when signaled. Yes, this IS the Womans Forum. No wonder all
the female questions. I came here from other forum to read something someone asked abt. However, my response still is the
same.
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Avatar universal
Well, to be honest, this one leaves me a tad squeamish.  I can't stop thinking about all the women I know with acrylic fingernails, and whether or not they washed their hands recently.

So I decided to let it be.
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Avatar universal
Now I'll be looking at everyones nails, including the cafeteria lady's.  Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Maybe we should give her the rubber ducky.  It would certainly be better than acrylic nails, huh!!
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134578 tn?1693250592
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, the only reason I made that suggestion is that this poster was clearly going to be putting something up her vagina, probably still her fingernail, almost no matter what anyone said because the activity was a little compulsive.  Cleaning the lips with Betadine before inserting a swab (and I don't mean poking violently around, but it sounds like she is a pro by now and wouldn't do that anyway if she has the hand motion down enough to do it with fingernails) is preferable to the sharp and not clean fingernail.  Ideally, sure, she wouldn't put anything up there.  But if she is doing it 2x daily even though it has given her an infection in the past, just saying "don't do it" is going to be an unhelpful answer.  I was trying to help her make the whole process so burdensome that she would get bored with it after a while.  Compulsions are only do-able when they are easy.
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Avatar universal
well I'd say she asked a good question. I'm sure she's not the only girl that does it, and I appreciate the informative answers that it may be OCD related.
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Avatar universal
Maybe if she wore a rubber over her finger...ok, I'm sorry, I couldn't help it.  It was the other peoples fault in the rubber thread, they made me do it.  

To the OP:  I truly hope you get help for this.  Soon.
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Avatar universal
Totally disagree with AnnieBrooke.
The worst thing this woman could do is get some cotton swabs and start poking around her genitals.  You could do some real damage, precisely why the package says for "external use only".  And Betadine??? My goodness, this is going a little far.

Your vagina has natural bacteria and yeast that live in that area for a purpose.  If you upset the balance of those bacteria/yeast, you run the risk of getting an infection.  What if one of those acrylic nails pops off as you're scratching around inside?  Sounds unreasonable, but anything is possible.  
You need to leave the investigating to the doctor.  Also, because I have children, I know that a multitude of organisms live underneath the fingernails...you are introducing them into the normal flora of the vagina everytime you put your hands up there.  

If you have pain, or itching, and that is why you are searching around, please go to the doc.
Manually stimulation for pleasure is perfectly normal behavior.  Searching around inside for secretions and discharge is another thing entirely.  You need to be careful.  If you're concerned about what you may find, you need to consult a doctor.
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130384 tn?1221593027
If she can get a tire in there, then......whoa!
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Avatar universal
THANK YOU LADIES........I WILL LEAVE IT ALONE
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108334 tn?1253644395
I am ttc, so everyday in the am I check cp and cm, and then check cm throughout the day. I also have acrylic nails, however they aren't that long, and I'm not "digging". "Digging" around up there isn't a good idea, you could scratch yourself and cause an infection. I would talk to your dr about it. If you continue to check cm and stuff, MAKE SURE YOU WASH YOUR HANDS before and after of course. Good Luck!
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Avatar universal
yea I will admit I check my cm almost everyday. I make sure I soap my hands and under my nails really well beforehand.
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Avatar universal
Can't believe you haven't chimed in on this one.
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134578 tn?1693250592
COMMUNITY LEADER
Now I have to read the rubber thread (LOL).
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134578 tn?1693250592
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, what jen was doing was essentially focusing on what her vaginal secretions look like, to the point of "cleaning out" the vagina with her fingernail.  As another poster said, probably she's not the only person to do this, so it's a good thing to have a discussion on the boards of at least being able to keep from infecting oneself, given that compulsive habits are hard to break.  (I wouldn't mind being able to break myself of the habit of scratching at the scaly spot on my scalp, but at least I've worked out to put antibiotic cream on it if I do. LOL)  It's funny, every time we reveal something embarassing on these boards, someone else writes with almost the same thing. :)  I live in Oregon, maybe there is a West Coast mindset that you are recognizing.  Have you always lived in California?

Annie
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Avatar universal
what is it exactly that you are looking for? if your discharge is creamy? lumpy? clear? stretchy? milky? whitish? yellowish? grayish? smelly? sweet? no odor?
as soon as i read your post i also thought OCD.
as everyone else has stated, inserting those long nails can put bacteria in your vagina and also the nails can cut you. your whole point of checking yourself, as you stated, is because you are paranoid about having an infection. well.....you may actually cause yourself to have an infection by doing what you are doing.
why dont you just let nature take its course??? let your body cleanse itself (as all of our bodies do naturally)? that is why we have the discharge. our discharge varies throughout the month. sometimes there is little, and sometimes a lot. during ovulation, the discharge is different too. wear a pantiliner and then inspect your discharge ON the pantiliner if you feel you must but again, i am not sure of what you are looking for? would you know it if you saw it?
IF you had an infection (like, yeast or BV for instance) your body would tell you without digging around up there. you would itch, burn, and the discharge would already be "sitting" at the opening of your vagina. BV..you would have an unusual odor.
leave the digging around to your OBGYN. that's why they make the big bucks.
just try VERY hard to keep your nails out of there. again,i think you may have some symptoms of OCD.
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139902 tn?1189755822
Oh no...not the duck! :)
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