These 5 Things Can Actually Age Your Vagina Faster

Ready to confront a seriously awkward reality? A host of seemingly small life decisions could be forcing your vagina to age way faster than it should. Yep, we weren’t being overly-dramatic when we used the phrase “seriously awkward reality,” huh?

But, it’s important to note that you can actually STOP your vagina from aging as fast as it is, using/doing–or not using/doing, for that matter–five common things that most ladies are probably guilty of partaking in.

Now, before we dive TOO deep into the subject, let us first clarify what we mean by “aging” in terms of the vagina. In this instance, the word “aging” is used to describe the depletion of muscle elasticity and tone. Of course, a similar thing happens to the rest of the body when we add candles to the birthday cake, but we all know there are ways to stay healthy and slow the process down a bit.

The following 5 points were outlined by Prudence Hall, MD, founder and medical director of the Hall Center in Santa Monica, California in a piece published by Health. Here’s what the good doc has to say about what causes premature aging in the vaginal area:

  1. Not getting enough exercise

    Remember when we told you that an “aging” vagina can be defined as one that is losing muscle tone? With that in mind, it makes sense that lack of exercise can cause serious weakness, even in the nether regions. This lifestyle flub can even end up leading to something that we ALL definitely don’t want–urinary incontinence!

    So, how much exercise do you need to get to stay strong down there? Dr. Hall recommends consistent, regular exercises, like running, walking, yoga, or weights. Easy enough!

  2. Enduring a “dry spell”

    Want to hear a prime example of “adding insult to injury?” According to science, lack of sex could end up aging the vagina in ways that could affect overall tone and lubrication production.

    With that said, if you are, in fact, going through a dry spell (don’t worry, we’ve all been there!), don’t fret because there are things that you can do to remedy the situation. Dr. Hall says that masturbation is key: “Give yourself permission to have orgasms–and to have great ones,” she asserts. How’s that’s for an interesting prescription!

  3. Having a baby

    We’re guessing that most of you mommas out there saw this one coming, right? While we’re confident that all would say that they have no regrets when it comes to bringing a kiddo into this world, the loss of vaginal elasticity that comes with delivering a baby naturally is a rough reality. This can be felt through the aforementioned urinary incontinence or even less stimulating sex.

    Luckily, Dr. Hall says that new moms can regain their firmness through simple at-home rehab exercises, like Kegels, squats, yoga, and even planks!

  4. Being on certain medications

    And, we’re not just talking about heavy-duty prescription drugs here. Believe it or not, even OTC medications formulated for allergies are known to affect the vagina, which can, over time, lead to dryness and loss of firmness. Of course, this also goes for a random handful of other ones such as steroids.

    If this issue rings true for you, be sure to talk to your doctor so that they can come up with a plan to counteract the annoying symptoms.

  5. Using over-the-counter feminine hygiene products

    This goes for sprays, wipes, powders, douches, and even anti-itch creams. Dr. Hall says that the vagina doesn’t need any of these extraneous products. And, if you feel like yours does because of odor, itchiness, pain, etc., you should never attempt to self-treat as these products could thin or break down the vaginal lining prematurely. Good to know!

Now that you know how you may–or may not be–speeding up the aging process of your vagina, it’s time for you to give us your take on the subject! Are you guilty of making any of these mistakes? Do you know of any others? Do you have any tightening exercises that you would like to recommend?