https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-07-09 https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/faking-orgasms monthly 0.5 2025-07-09 https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/feeling-sexy-as-we-age monthly 0.5 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d8b4a57a-abd5-4b8c-9421-1d5265154cd8/heart+hands+saiph-muhammad-JLNiQNntX4s-unsplash.jpg Blog - Feeling Sexy As We Age - And the second approach – work on loving your body regardless! We can ALL do better here! We are absolutely our worst critics, but our negative self-talk really has to stop. It’s not healthy for us to be so critical and for those of us with kids, this can translate into body image issues for them too. So while we work on the things we can control, we simultaneously have to work on accepting the things we can’t control. Aging is reality. Period https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/7d8064a1-3774-4d3d-a0e1-3b773e686ed6/Samantha.jpg Blog - Feeling Sexy As We Age - A small but significant aspect of this episode has to do with Samantha. On one of her many hot dates - this time with a hot shot attorney who specializes in sexual harassment – he offhandedly calls her “an older woman”. This sets her into a tailspin which ends with a visit to a plastic surgeon and many tears. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/communication-and-sex monthly 0.5 2025-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/2be0fa38-2ee9-4efa-b34e-e6e2ff4dba3a/IMG_4567.jpg Blog - Communication and Sex - Sex and the City Season 2 Episode 2 - The Awful Truth At the heart of this episode, the question is: Are there still certain things during a relationship that you shouldn’t say? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/78222e3c-0aa3-40f8-b296-cdd0bfe747ca/IMG_4569.JPG Blog - Communication and Sex - The most interesting anecdote here is Miranda’s. She is dating / sleeping with a dermatologist who loves to talk dirty during sex. First scene: a non-stop stream during sex and wants her to join in. She squeaks out “uh huh” and “yep” in a high-pitched, self-conscious tone when he asks her to join in. After talking it over with friends, she decides she needs to try it if she wants to keep him. Next scene: She’s into it – sees it turns them both on. Next scene (and the last we hear about him, ever): as they’re lying in bed, he’s encouraging her sex talk … but then shuts it all down when she says “you like it when I put my finger in your ass”. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/ballpark-hotdog monthly 0.5 2025-05-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a7bf8c0b-ac99-41ac-b38a-7cdf5854c838/IMG_4481.jpg Blog - Ballpark hotdog - Moving on to the sophomore season of Sex and the City - this season is when the series truly solidified its status as something special. Episode 1: Take Me Out to The Ballgame https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e5424743-6124-4fdf-9123-b0d47a92aa89/IMG_4483.JPG Blog - Ballpark hotdog - But the real sexual lesson here is Samantha’s “tragedy” – dating a man with an incredibly small penis. She takes a few centimeters of her ball park hot dog to demonstrate. We’ve already discussed the average penis size in this post. But what about data on sex / sexual pleasure / sexual satisfaction and penis size? https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/4-steps-to-find-a-therapist-thats-right-for-you monthly 0.5 2025-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/28cb5092-3f65-4177-b39a-367a3589f3fd/therapist+annie-spratt-PL0dlsf2D-0-unsplash.jpg Blog - 4 Steps to Find a Therapist that’s Right for YOU! - If you’ve been following our blog for awhile now, you know how much we LOVE therapy! I often say “Therapy is good for everyone” and I truly believe that. I think therapy can be especially beneficial when you go in with a specific issue you need help unpacking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/4ac3d95f-b1f5-4736-9bc7-1854d75e3028/world+is+better+tim-mossholder-xj_X81RAxAk-unsplash.jpg Blog - 4 Steps to Find a Therapist that’s Right for YOU! - Ok…I hope this leaves you armed with lots of resources to help you find the therapist that’s right for you. And if you’re someone who’s been thinking about therapy for a while – take this as your sign that it’s time to finally do something about it! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/oh-come-all-ye-faithful-the-intersection-of-sex-and-religion monthly 0.5 2025-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/60fc7ca9-9bc6-4b1f-8a12-114dbf347c22/religion.jpg Blog - Oh Come All Ye Faithful – the intersection of Sex and Religion - Which brings us to the topic of today’s post – sex and religion! Religion can contribute to people’s lives in powerful ways. It gives a sense of purpose and belonging and can help us see beyond ourselves. For many, it’s an important aspect of community. But generally speaking, religion has not done sex any favors over the years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d5508556-12c8-40c0-ae9b-0e3a2197ebc5/ohcome+sex+n+city.jpg Blog - Oh Come All Ye Faithful – the intersection of Sex and Religion - Miranda is dating a hot new playwright and having amazing sex. The only problem is he has a strange obsession with showering immediately after orgasm. After she confronts him about this, she finds out this practice goes back to his Catholic roots. He’s clearly embarrassed and rudely kicks her out of his apartment – ending the relationship. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/how-much-sex-is-normal monthly 0.5 2025-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6ce615e1-9e77-419d-9a66-41413ad92566/IMG_3812.JPG Blog - How much sex is normal? - Sex and the City Season 1, episode 11 Carrie and Big are settling down, having routine sleepovers and great sex every night … And then she farts. And then they have their first sleepovers and he doesn’t want to have sex. Miranda is going on 3 months without sex and tells the cat-calling construction workers she needs to get laid. Charlotte’s dating a guy who never wants to have sex because Prozac squashed his libido - and he’s totally fine with it. Samantha dates a yogi who practices celibacy and wants Samantha to try it. She fails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/b9f1d046-072f-441f-a557-d3ae31362c2c/IMG_3813.JPG Blog - How much sex is normal? - Guess who is right? Miranda again. The answer is – there is no normal. This answer is frustrating, I know, because we all like to see numbers, to see answers in black and white. But sex has too many variables at play to be able to compare yourself / your relationship to anyone else. Every single person has different needs and wants and every relationship has different needs and wants. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/pregnancy-scares monthly 0.5 2025-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0585b41e-caaf-4d77-9ba1-69c6ab8715d0/IMG_3777.jpg Blog - Pregnancy Scares - Sex and the City Season 1, episode 10 The crew ends up in Connecticut for the baby shower of one of their old friends – an ex-party girl who they never imagined as a suburban mom. In the midst of all this baby and mom talk, Carrie misses her period. She starts wondering if she’s next, if the party was a preview into a life she wasn’t sure wanted. Samantha, in all her wisdom: “Oh honey, gray area. Sure, you are in front of the firing squad. But you haven’t been shot.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/2671fc32-8a60-4707-bf4d-5540189653a4/IMG_3780.JPG Blog - Pregnancy Scares - The concern for an unplanned, undesired pregnancy can lead to a type of fear mongering for younger women – I get this, because responsibility that comes with sex is huge, needs to be taken seriously, and the trauma / life altering impact of an undesired pregnancy (regardless of the outcome) can be avoided. But the medical inaccuracy of this message leads to a distortion of trying to conceive later in life. I can’t tell you how many times patients have come to me worried they are infertile because they never accidentally got pregnant. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/the-turtle-and-the-hare monthly 0.5 2025-03-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/bd0510c9-9812-442f-8b08-e3cfd56610fe/rabbit+sex+and+city+mqdefault.jpg Blog - The Turtle and the Hare - aka “Can a vibrator break my vagina??” - In this episode, after Miranda introduces her new favorite vibrator – they take a trip to their local sex shop to take a look themselves. Buttoned-up Charlotte is the most skeptical but when she sees the toy in real life, she is immediately intrigued by it. “Oh, it’s so cute! I thought it would be scary and weird, but it isn’t. It’s pink! For girls!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d10b97fe-e950-4c27-961b-f9bf5aed2424/vibrators+ifonnx-toys-ck1ZlJbXrlg-unsplash.jpg Blog - The Turtle and the Hare - aka “Can a vibrator break my vagina??” - And as for “breaking” your vagina – it is possible is to desensitize the nerve endings around the clitoris so that more stimulation is needed (ie you rely on your vibrator) for orgasm. If this doesn’t bother you and you’re happy to keep using your vibrator for orgasm - it’s not a problem. But if it does bother you (and especially if it’s interfering with your partner sex) then it may be worth exploring solutions to this. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/threes-a-crowd monthly 0.5 2025-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0af96ac7-ed75-47b2-85cd-da9c58d0f8cf/sex+and+the+city+group+e7c4974c8c8eacb4270062de9dc7b48d.jpg Blog - Three’s a Crowd - According to Sex and the City’s Samantha “Threesomes are the new sexual frontier – in the 90s it was blow jobs, in the 80s it was anal sex”. Makes me wonder what they will say the next “sexual frontier” is?? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d831e4d7-6cbc-44bd-b104-9641f0a04102/three+people+the-phope-Oh029rfI2Mg-unsplash.jpg Blog - Three’s a Crowd - And here in lies the problem with the three-way. It’s very difficult to not have someone’s ego get hurt and for the sexual connection to feel equal. This is the same reason it’s often difficult for three girls to be friends. Someone usually ends up feeling left out. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/the-monogamists-and-being-attached monthly 0.5 2025-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0ca85413-1b75-42ea-b367-46af29d5f11f/IMG_3595.jpg Blog - The Monogamists and Being Attached - Sex and the City to Season 1: Episode 7: The Monogamists Carrie grapples with the idea of monogamy. She wonders: “do men have an innate aversion to monogamy? Or is it more than that? In a city like New York with its infinite possibilities, has monogamy come too much to expect?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e52445ac-fddb-45ee-8b1c-815487854d5b/sex+and+the+city+7-2.JPG Blog - The Monogamists and Being Attached - ATTACHMENT The common thread here is attachment and the desire or fear of showing it and acting on it. Carries desires it, feels a deep attachment to Big, wants to secure this attachment. Same with Skipper to Miranda. Miranda is not feeling it with Skipper. She wants attachment on her terms only, and they are not the same as Skipper’s. Big seems … ambivalent at best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1e0b7af8-119f-4c6a-aebc-c7a719718b73/sex+and+the+city+7-1.JPG Blog - The Monogamists and Being Attached - What’s going on with our main character? Carrie becomes essentially desperate for monogamy with Big. She spirals about interpreting his words and intentions, catches him on a date with another woman, has to watch as other women kiss him on the lips and fawn over him at his friend’s party. And when she gets pissed (because, yes, when you’re dating someone this intensely, you deserve more respect than that) he has the gall to ask her: “what do you want from me?” In the end though, we’re left with them standing together at 3am, agreeing to date monogamously. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/secret-sex monthly 0.5 2025-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/3173bbd4-70f6-49df-b799-4ffc6ab29aad/IMG_3559.JPG Blog - Secret sex and standing up for yourself - Carrie gets into her head that Mr. Big is keeping her a secret too. And, throughout, Carrie is contemplating whether secrete sex is good or bad. The good: exempts you from judgments of the world. It’s just you and the other person, for that moment at least. The bad: it’s just another way to compartmentalize our lives and emotions; not letting someone fully into your sphere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/b15d341b-9095-4117-9a28-a1c3286dc154/IMG_3558.jpg Blog - Secret sex and standing up for yourself - Secret Sex is the sexual anthropologic topic in Sex and the City to Season 1: Episode 6. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/the-power-of-female-sex monthly 0.5 2025-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/b3070005-7c3a-4341-96a7-3017b9445752/be+strong.jpg Blog - The Power of Female Sex - So what does this have to do with your sexual wellness?? I’m certainly not suggesting you leave your partner to become a kept woman. But I would encourage you to look deeper into your sex life and think about the power dynamic that’s there. Have you used your sexual power now or in the past and if so, how has it made you feel? Does feeling powerful make sex more enjoyable – because for most women it does. And if so, think about ways you can bring more of this to your life. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/valley-of-the-twenty-something-guys monthly 0.5 2025-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/19b9f7c7-1b4f-4b09-9e64-a1f1538d648c/sexandthecitycrew.jpg Blog - Valley of the Twenty-Something Guys - So what can we learn from the Dear Carrie and her crew?? What is the intrigue behind sex with younger men and how can we get some of this intrigue in our own sex lives? https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/research-about-big-peppermill-dick-peter monthly 0.5 2024-12-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c8bd2512-b1e1-4d59-83e9-984f98d19c47/penis+girth.png Blog - Research about Big Peppermill Dick Peter - Average penis girth (circumference): Flaccid penis: 50th percentile (average): 3.64 inches (9.25 cm) <10th percentile: 3.22 inches (8.2 cm) >90th percentile: 4.13 inches (10.15 cm) Erect penis: 50th percentile (average): 4.56 inches (11.6 cm) <10th percentile: 4.01 inches (10.2 cm) >90th percentile: 5.16 inches (13.1 cm) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/7260ba6e-b143-4334-9e8b-e4d9f94d5b77/IMG_3414.JPG Blog - Research about Big Peppermill Dick Peter - Next scene: Carrie (of course) tells her girlfriends, and when asked how big the penis was she refers to the peppermill being offered for their salads. And later, when Samantha - drunk and being Samantha - meets Peter, she shrieks: “oh I’ve heard of you – big peppermill dick. Bahahaha” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/52fa7e39-87e8-4885-ab02-10cd94cc67d3/penis+length.png Blog - Research about Big Peppermill Dick Peter - Average penis length: Flaccid penis: 50th percentile (average): 3.6 inches ( 9.2 cm) <10th percentile: 2.8 inches (7.1 cm) >90th percentile: 4.4 inches (11.2 cm) Erect penis: (The stretched and erect penis graphs are so so close that I’m including the erect penis measurements here only.) 50th percentile (average): 5.2 inches (13.1 cm) <10th percentile: 4.3 inches (11 cm) >90th percentile: 6 inches (15.25 cm) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1ed5df04-9085-41c9-a4ce-4af70c0efec0/IMG_3413.JPG Blog - Research about Big Peppermill Dick Peter - But really, the best part of this episode isn’t about being single or being married. The best part is about seeing a friend’s husband’s penis. Carrie is staying at at a friend’s house in the Hamptons when the husband greets Carrie in the morning wearing only a t-shirt. No underwear, full frontal. Penis out for her viewing. It’s not erect, it’s not sexual, it’s just there. She discloses this to her friend: “I ran into Peter in the hallway without his underwear on. And P.S. … congratulations.” https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/consent-and-sex-and-the-city monthly 0.5 2024-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a135dafb-2d7f-4dd1-af29-69b4032fd5ff/IMG_3354.JPG Blog - Consent and Sex (and the City) - What’s problematic? This is the episode where Carrie’s friend Barkley records himself having sex with models. He’s an artist living in a high ceilinged, Soho loft, creating huge pieces of art that rival what my kids did in preschool. He shows Carrie his tapes and says “this is my real art. Although I can’t really show it to the public …. Well, not yet at least”. When Carrie asks “do they … do they know about this?” (ie do the people he is having sex with and recording know he’s recording) he replies “maybe”. And then she lights a cigarette and watches away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e762af49-9d18-46f3-896b-47b771f0f6af/models+and+mortals.jpg Blog - Consent and Sex (and the City) - Remember when we talked about how not all topics in Sex and the City have aged well? This is one of them. Season 1: Episode 2: Models and Mortals Core topic: Men who are obsessed with sleeping with models https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/faeb7d0f-3620-4b16-af79-c65c26ec7ce8/IMG_3352.JPG Blog - Consent and Sex (and the City) - Impossible standards of beauty exist. This show is before filters were widely available and used indiscriminately. Today we still have impossible standards of beauty – we are just aware that they are impossible because they are faked. Back then we were tricked into thinking they are real. A subtle difference but we’re on the right track. Feeling invisible when surrounded by beautiful people is common. Everyone sometimes feels invisible in a crowded room. It’s a good reminder that even Carrie Bradshaw felt that way. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/sex-and-the-city-and-what-it-teaches-us monthly 0.5 2024-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/51f1af3b-46bd-497e-b006-a2bf8798bdb0/IMG_3238.JPG Blog - Sex and the City and what it teaches us - 1. Does having sex like a man mean a one-sided orgasm? Stereotypical sex, at least as portrayed in TV and movies, was (and still usually is) about heterosexual penetrative sex, also called penile vaginal intercourse. If this is the kind of sex being talked about then yes, it’s centered around male orgasm. Almost 100% of males can orgasm from penile-vaginal sex. But only 30% of females can. The vast majority of female orgasms happen with clitoral stimulation, and penetrative sex does not do a great job of stimulating the clitoris. Remember, the penis and the clitoris are analogous organs – they come from the same early embryologic origins and then differentiate into either the penis or the clitoris once biological sex is established. From a crude anatomic perspective: stimulation of penis = stimulation of clitoris = easiest path to orgasm. In this episode, when Carrie has sex “like a man” she received oral sex as a means to get her orgasm. Kudos for this portrayal - oral sex is a great way to focus on clitoral stimulation if the partner knows what we’re preaching. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/cc5309a8-fb7c-4d0f-971b-bde52410ffd1/IMG_3242.jpg Blog - Sex and the City and what it teaches us - Season 1; Episode 1: Sex and the City Core topic: women having sex like men How it’s demonstrated: Carrie, our sexual anthropologist, investigates what it feels like to “have sex like a man”. She has sex with an acquaintance, is the only one to orgasm, then leaves the encounter without having feelings of attachment. She sums it up with: “I realized I had done it – I had just had sex like a man.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/09ac6f3f-b166-47b0-b997-13af6d870e70/IMG_3239.JPG Blog - Sex and the City and what it teaches us - When Sex and The City debuted in 1998 it was a power house – a series too risqué for the regular cable crowd. It made a subscription to HBO so desirable. For the millennials and Gen Z (and eventually the Gen Alphas out there) – I don’t know how to describe what this series truly meant at the time. The fashion, the friendships, the sex. All of it. The icing on the cake? The content is real. This comes from a good friend of mine who has sat in writers’ rooms: every idea brought to the room had to be based on a real-life situation. It had to involve the writer personally or a personal contact. Nothing was made up. As we go through these episodes to dissect and discuss the sex related content in each one, remember this! We will see the depth and breadth of the sociology and physicality of sex and sexual-related content that Sex and the City addressed over time. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/sex-ed-books monthly 0.5 2024-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1687be11-2dbe-4042-a120-09c492f68277/body+book+1+715eDA4iOJL._AC_UY218_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Great book written by one of my favorite authors. Age appropriate for preschool and focuses on differences between male and female anatomy. Good way to practice using correct terminology! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/bf486efb-db5c-47e1-8dfd-44f89e9e4b3d/book+parents+1+81BTiVZ-B9L._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - LOVE this book by the well known sex educator Al Vernacchio! Gives parents a different perspective on how to talk to your kids about sex and sexuality. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/10dd9cba-e336-405c-b1f6-b9af65b3b9ae/book+elementary+3+71inRku0oVL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Great book with details on procreation geared for late elementary to middle school age. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d954b4a9-94d2-4779-a86f-919ccb451902/preschool+book+2+81zM1nB8vJL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Believe it or not, this was actually my FAVORITE book as a child. So yes, it is quite old. But still stands up as a great book for preschool age kids. Also, perhaps interesting foreshadowing that I would become an Ob/Gyn! Way to influence me at an early age Mom :) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/357f988a-955e-47d0-a0b5-2cc6d18e6ef0/book+elementary+2+41MEGHD1iJL._SY445_SX342_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Puberty book for boys from the same author of Care and Keeping of YOU! The Boy version of “Care and Keeping of YOU”. Great info on boys and puberty! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/7a6a30a9-79a2-4de1-86e8-043fea927833/parent+book+2+61EEBHRJ%2BcL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Good review on topics to cover when talking to your kids about sex. Also includes sample conversation starters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8832bf19-093f-4c54-a298-e4c3fc2c605a/parent+book+3+713Cwn6zyyL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - This book covers how to talk to your middle school age kid as they prepare to enter high school. Topics reviewed include: healthy relationships, self-care, technology, impulsivity, and money. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1931a688-74e4-46d0-9209-7f6c69338976/book+elementary+1+71p0i5DMIHL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Wonderful book all about puberty, periods and caring for the female body. There is another version for younger girls (may be more appropriate for earlier elementary) as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/4530eca8-647f-4332-8630-1648b3df0cdf/middle+school+1+81MFRoG10tL._SY385_.jpg Blog - Sex Ed Books for Kids (and parents!) - Another book by the same author but geared toward older middle school age kids. Has more information about sex and sexual health topics. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/sex-positive-parenting-what-why-how monthly 0.5 2024-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0e10725d-b9a0-4baf-80fc-5c8758b756c4/PXL_20241110_192205389.jpg Blog - Sex Positive Parenting - the WHAT, WHY and HOW - My talk was all about sex positive parenting – the importance of this and the positive impact it can have on our kids. So for those of you who missed it…here are the highlights! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/sex-positive-parenting monthly 0.5 2024-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/710df227-1d79-4d47-a269-8fbc1a8a59f6/mom+and+teen+artem-maltsev-unsplash.jpg Blog - How Sex Positive Parenting can actually help YOUR sex life - If you haven’t heard of the term “Sex positive parenting”- let me introduce you. It’s a concept of teaching children about their bodies and sexuality in a way that is open, accepting, and non-shaming. Sex positive parenting engages in healthy conversations about sex while celebrating individual differences. It supports children’s sexuality and sexual identity and acknowledges that we are all sexual beings and it is normal to be curious about sexuality. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1cb56655-3c59-4d07-a70a-a511518c2f14/unsplash+-+pain+women.jpg Blog - How Sex Positive Parenting can actually help YOUR sex life - For many people, talking about sex or using correct anatomical terms can feel awkward. And the way to work on making this less awkward is through practice. The more you do it the more normalized it becomes. And yes, of course I realize that the communication about sex and sexuality with your kids will be very different from the conversations you have with your partner – but the general topic is still the same. And the more comfortable you get talking to your kids about sex and their bodies, the more comfortable you will eventually be talking to your partner about what feels good and what doesn’t and what your needs are surrounding sex. We’ve talked in previous posts about the importance of communication surrounding sex - and this is just another example of this. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/arousal-non-concordance-putting-a-name-to-the-feeling monthly 0.5 2024-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/88927caa-c073-4f7f-9349-66d2eacc6214/designecologist-hvgd0ygXuQQ-unsplash.jpg Blog - Arousal non-concordance … putting a name to the feeling - This is why communication during sex is so important! If you’re the quiet, non-communicative type when it comes to being turned on, your partner only has the physical changes - natural lubrication, engorgement and swelling of the genitals, and movements - to know if and when you are turned on. You know what’s easier, clear, and more direct? Tell them! Tell them you’re turned on with your words and noises. They’ll get the message you are sexually aroused even if they aren’t noticing a lot of natural lubrication. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6612359e-3e9a-4519-acbf-78d3c6288ba3/cdd20-HQH-GOZ6K2c-unsplash.jpg Blog - Arousal non-concordance … putting a name to the feeling - Arousal non-concordance comes up in 2 ways: #1 : Natural lubrication is amped up but the sexual brain is not feeling it. This is: “why is my body reacting this way?” Or a partner says “you’re so wet” and takes it as a sign they’re doing everything right … when they’re really not. There is also a more in depth, sensitive, gender neutral discussion about sexual assault and this type of non-concordance. For example: a perpetrator using a victim’s physical response to defend their behavior or “evidence” that the assault was actually consensual. I am not going to address this in more detail today but know there is medical literature diving into this topic if you’re inclined to read it. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/natural-lubrication-and-getting-wet monthly 0.5 2024-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d5439c9d-db7c-4ac2-bd36-1b41cec982b5/jan-kopriva-AVlOmTRe9mY-unsplash.jpg Blog - Natural lubrication and getting “wet” - This natural lubrication creates the feeling of getting “wet” The extra blood flow to the genitals is key to this natural lubrication. During genital arousal, the blood vessels become more dilated to increase blood flow. Some of these blood vessels become leaky because of the pressure that has built up and this fluid transfers into the cells of the vagina, creating increased fluid that we call lubrication. The medical jargon for this lubrication is transudate and the process is called transudation. But it’s an actual turn off to say “I feel a lot of transudate” so the terms lubrication and even the slang “wet” are here to stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/116d5815-006d-4b71-8359-294d862a717b/Screen+Shot+2024-10-18+at+11.38.48+AM.png Blog - Natural lubrication and getting “wet” - In their groundbreaking sexual research in the 1960s, Masters and Johnsons studied female anatomy and changes that occurred during sexual arousal. Not surprising, there are loads of physiologic changes that occur with sexual arousal and sexual stimuli. The most common non-genital changes: The “sex flush” – this could look like an overall healthy, illuminating pink glow … or blotchy red patches on the chest. No one said sex was glamorous! Fast heart rate Increased blood pressure Breathing faster (increased respiratory rate) Sweating Swollen breasts Erect nipples https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/erotic-brain monthly 0.5 2024-10-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/41a41306-5b31-4ec8-90be-348e90c959c9/woman+reading+david-lezcano-1xzSAlZUVSc-unsplash.jpg Blog - Why your EROTIC brain misses you and how to get it back… - No, I’m not talking about the cheesy romance novels with Fabio on the cover. Though, if that works to get you aroused, no judgement! But there are lots of more tasteful and well written racy books out there that are worth exploring and will absolutely help you tap into your erotic brain – even if it’s for 10 minutes before you go to bed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/44f936d7-463b-46f2-aede-f2c0286e6659/brain+gaspar-uhas-Cs4PdadZg6k-unsplash+%281%29.jpg Blog - Why your EROTIC brain misses you and how to get it back… - For MANY women, including the many many women who come to my office with the complaint of low libido – part of the issue is we are no longer connected to our erotic brain. Instead, our brains are filled with our to do lists, the stress of life and jobs and caring for kids, juggling all the events and wearing all the hats. And because of all this, we forget about that tiny little part of our brain that is our erotic side. It gets overrun with all the other things. So not surprisingly, one of the ways we improve libido is to take some of those stressors off our plate and at the same time, reawaken our erotic side – even just a little. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/844cf1b4-20b3-45ec-8412-a6d71554fdb1/TV+ajeet-mestry-UBhpOIHnazM-unsplash.jpg Blog - Why your EROTIC brain misses you and how to get it back… - Here are a few options to consider: Yes, God, Yes – the story of sexual awakening at a Catholic school The Art of Loving: Story of Michalina Wislocka – based on the life of a Polish gynecologist and sexologist in Communist Poland Queen Charlotte: a Bridgerton Story – prequel to Bridgerton that explores female desire Sex/Life – story of a surburban mom who daydreams about her sexy ex Sex Lives of College Girls – another Mindy Kaling gem Minx – the story of an erotic women’s magazine https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/pornandsex monthly 0.5 2024-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e4d3e3c9-83b2-4bcd-8cf1-9a57226f8581/alexandra-gorn-woman.jpg Blog - Surprising Statistics about Women who watch PORN! - It’s almost like women’s brains are able to better distinguish that porn is not reality. And instead, the visual stimuli of porn allows them to be more connected to the erotic part of their brain. This in turn boosts libido, allows them enjoy sex more and possibly even encourages them to be more adventurous sexual partners. I often recommend that for women with low libido, they work on getting in tune with the erotic aspects of their brain. As clearly proven by this study, porn can actually be a great way to accomplish this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e3941da6-4176-41b5-9403-c5a30247b5bc/hannah-busing-teen+boy+texting.jpg Blog - Surprising Statistics about Women who watch PORN! - And what the study found was this – not surprisingly, men tended to watch more porn, started watching porn at an earlier age, and prefer hard core over soft core porn. But was WAS surprising was that higher frequency of porn use for male participants was associated with lower levels of sexual self-competence, impaired sexual functioning, and decreased partner reported sexual satisfaction. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/buy-your-first-or-another-vibrator monthly 0.5 2024-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6e4adbb0-c4fa-4ae8-b0a4-9a27532dbfc3/Screen+Shot+2024-09-25+at+10.19.50+AM.png Blog - Everything you need to know to buy your first (or another) vibrator - If local to LA: The Pleasure Chest. The people who are work here are knowledgeable, non-judgmental, and just plain helpful. They see it all and will ignore any red cheeks or signs of embarrassment. Highly recommend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0d405883-d67a-410c-8aa2-d6b1aa7824d4/cara+house.jpg Blog - Everything you need to know to buy your first (or another) vibrator - If you feel like vibrators are showing up everywhere you’re right TVs shows, Instagram everywhere, even making it slyly into Architectural Digest. (see Cara Delevingne’s photoshoot a few years back – check out what’s conspicuously “hiding” in the cabinet) What’s our main point here? Vibrators are nothing to be embarrassed or shy about! They’re everywhere and have been for a while. Convince you to try a vibrator – either solo or with partnered sex! There’s lots of benefits. Don’t know where to start? Want some tips to buying your first, or another, vibrator? There are SO. MANY. OPTIONS. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/72b28ccc-e027-4547-a282-12447ca711e7/Screen+Shot+2024-09-25+at+10.21.31+AM.png Blog - Everything you need to know to buy your first (or another) vibrator - Online: Good vibes. So many options and tons of information and tips on their blog and scattered throughout. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/vibrators-main-stream-and-beyond monthly 0.5 2024-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6fc49bfb-796b-4091-8ee6-8be511062bda/Screen+Shot+2024-09-18+at+1.59.54+PM.jpg Blog - Vibrators Main Stream and Beyond … - 2000s: GOOP. Say what you will about the faux-spirituality fake news of this company … they have some real good stuff too. Their vibrator is one of them. It was impossible to ignore the topic when a billion dollar making, Oscar winning, original nepo baby made and promoted her vibrator with ease and pride. Thanks Gwyneth! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0e49cf5b-215d-4d2e-916b-d1ba9d28dda0/Screen+Shot+2024-09-18+at+2.16.38+PM.png Blog - Vibrators Main Stream and Beyond … - 2010/2020s: Vibrators make their move from the “entertainment industry” into the medical literature. My female urology colleagues at Cedars published an article just recently about “The Role of Vibrators in Women’s Pelvic Health”. The study? They recruited (mostly via social media) a group of women interested in using vibrators for this study. These women used the vibrator for 5-10 min, 2-3x per week for 3 months. Questionnaires and physical exams were done before and after the vibrator use to look for changes to sexual health and dysfunction, mental health, and other gynecologic concerns (pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal atrophy, vulvar disorders). Their findings? An improvement of sexual function and a decrease in prolapse symptoms and pain. Rates of depression were also decreased too! The primary conclusion? “Vibrator use was associated with improved sexual, genitourinary, and mental health”. And this is not the only study in the medical literature that shows vibrators can be helpful for pelvic floor and vulvar issues. Other studies have shown similar benefits! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/849ab524-42d8-40eb-9eff-1eb731a56607/Screen+Shot+2024-09-18+at+1.58.31+PM.png Blog - Vibrators Main Stream and Beyond … - Early 1960s: Hitachi Wand is brought to market. It’s the first “sports massager” widely available and was widely embraced as a vibrator in the 1970s, much to the company’s chagrin. They stopped production under the Hitachi name, but “The Original Magic Wand” is still available and is marketed for what it is – an excellent vibrator! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f9603a99-b218-4b19-bd7b-62785b17c1e1/Screen+Shot+2024-09-18+at+1.56.00+PM.png Blog - Vibrators Main Stream and Beyond … - 1990s: Sex and The City. The truly groundbreaking show where all things sex came to the small screen (in addition to Manolo Blahnik becoming a household name). My favorite piece of gossip about this show is the writer’s room rule – any idea brought forth had to be based on a lived experience, known personally to the writer or someone they knew. That’s why the show felt so real – it actually was. There are 3 specific episodes that I think of when it comes to vibrators; if you’re a fan (like me) or not (I get it too!) please go watch. Season 1 Episode 9 : After another break up, Charlotte is introduced to “The Rabbit” vibrator and becomes so obsessed with it she stops going out and seeing her friends. Friends stage an intervention to get her out of the house. Season 5, Episode 6 : Samantha’s vibrator breaks and she goes back to Sharper Image for … you guessed it … the Hitachi Wand. Lots of women are sheepishly shopping for “back massagers” and Samantha, as a pro, helps them pick out the best. Season 3 Episode 13 : Samantha meets the dildo model of her favorite vibrator. Turns out she doesn’t actually like the emotions and attachment that comes with the real thing. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/medical-problems-that-can-squash-your-libido monthly 0.5 2024-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e036b4fa-1ddc-43b2-9a23-831ee9ac8cfa/arrow+up+thomas-le-yoPOtxc0s6c-unsplash.jpg Blog - MEDICAL PROBLEMS that can SQUASH your libido… - A medical condition we see often with high blood pressure is high cholesterol. And unfortunately, treatment for this can have the side effect of decreased libido as well. Cholesterol is a building block for most hormones tied to sexual function so by decreasing our cholesterol, in theory we can cause a decrease in both estrogen and testosterone levels. This is one the theories behind why statins like Zocor, Lipitor, etc can decrease sex drive. A 2009 NIH funded study looked at cholesterol medication and it’s impact on libido and found that as cholesterol levels improved on treatment, sex side effects worsened. This was more profound for men in the study but the side effect was also seen in women. And just like for hypertension medication, thankfully there are alternatives to treatment. So if you’re concerned your medication is impacting your sex drive, talk to your doctor about alternatives before you stop cold turkey! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/baf5a902-b0e8-4075-b235-5e78da0bd952/blood+pressure+mockup-graphics-i1iqQRLULlg-unsplash.jpg Blog - MEDICAL PROBLEMS that can SQUASH your libido… - Let’s start with high blood pressure also known as hypertension. Hypertension, especially over time, can damage our blood vessels and cause narrowing and even scarring. When blood vessels are narrowed, they decrease blood flow which can result specifically in decreased blood flow to our pelvic organs. Lower blood flow to our pelvis means more difficulty becoming aroused, less intense orgasms, or difficulty achieving orgasm at all. And if it’s harder to become aroused and your orgasms aren’t as good as they once were – guess what?! It’s going to lead to a drop in your sex drive! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/medications-that-harm-libido1 monthly 0.5 2024-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/5594c057-fc09-4f73-9882-48bc4dd3c958/vitamins+in+spoon+candace-mathers.jpg Blog - 3 Common Medications that can harm your SEX LIFE! - Thankfully for many of us, we don’t have to take medication regularly – or try to avoid doing so. But for those with medical conditions (even common things like asthma, allergies, and depression and anxiety) medications can make a world of difference! And while these medications can have a very positive impact on parts of our health, they can also cause challenges in others. Spoiler alert – today we’re going to talk about how common medications can negatively impact our sex lives. Especially if you are someone who previously had a robust sex life that has lessened over time, it’s really important to examine your medications to see if they are playing a role. For other tips on figuring out what’s going on with your libido, check out some of our previous posts here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/68886c22-f05e-4904-9eeb-2a88c7b4715b/pills-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Common Medications that can harm your SEX LIFE! - So my suggestion if you are someone who is struggling with low libido and are on birth control pills is – do not stop your pill cold turkey! Instead, schedule an appointment with your doctor so they can discuss other options – sometimes it can be as simple as changing to another pill. But if you stop mid pack, not only can this impact your protection against pregnancy, it can also impact your mood and your period – things you don’t want to mess with! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c3e99cb9-3039-45ac-867f-dfbf5ba99b43/meds+towfiqu-barbhuiya-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Common Medications that can harm your SEX LIFE! - And I know I sound like a broken record here – but I’ll say it again. DO NOT STOP your medications cold turkey. I am really hopeful that this information is helpful to at least some of you out there. But that instead of encouraging you to stop your meds, you are encouraged to talk to your doctor about some alternatives that may have less sexual side effects. Because as I said, often this switch can be very simple but has the potential to make a dramatic difference. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/labiaplasty-medical-and-cosmetic-indications monthly 0.5 2024-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/22733a3a-c2b9-414e-bd2b-81ae524d1379/samuel-regan-asante-unsplash.jpg Blog - Labiaplasty – Medical and Cosmetic Indications - A few of my patients have had these concerns too: Complaining that their labia minora is long enough to sneak outside or get caught on their underwear. You can see how this would be really uncomfortable and distracting. Interfering with sex is another one –the longer labia minora gets pulled or tethered. I once had a patient with a very thin skin tag hanging from her labia minora, about 1 centimeter long. It had grown over the course of a few months, likely an inflammatory response to injury of the tissue. It was getting caught when she wiped herself after peeing, during sex, and sometimes just putting on underwear, causing pain and even more inflammation and irritation. I removed it with a quick office procedure. The pathology? Labia minora hypertrophy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c9e58849-2284-41c8-a9a0-8963ade93cb3/joeyy-lee--unsplash.jpg Blog - Labiaplasty – Medical and Cosmetic Indications - Cosmetic procedures is a layered topic in general. The goal with procedures solely on the focus of cosmetics – what something looks like - is to make the individual person undergoing the procedure feel better about their appearance. Sometimes fixing the one feature that is causing someone distress – be it their nose, boobs, labia, or whatever – really, truly fixes the problem. Sometimes, however, that feature was a temporary focus of that person’s dissatisfaction with themselves and when it’s cosmetically altered, the fixation turns to some other body part. Over and over again. The root of the problem is their view on their body as whole, not just that one specific body part. They need to work on their body image and their brain. In this population, the wrong body part is being worked on. In a culture with a heavy emphasis on appearance AND where porn is widely available, the appearance of a hairless, small vulva and labia is often thought of as the ideal appearance, especially for heterosexual men. Females are then pressured, either overtly or discretely, to obtain this “ideal”. This is where cosmetic requests for labiaplasty come in. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/labia-and-labiaplasty monthly 0.5 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1b1000e9-304a-4293-85f7-c44f9b80329a/03+Female+Anatomy_External.jpg Blog - Labia and Labiaplasty - The vulva is the external part of female genitals. Here’s an illustration to help identify the various components and organs that make up the vulva. The mons pubis is the top, somewhat fatty part on top of the pubic bone (covered with pubic hair). There are 2 sets of “lips” of the vulva – the labia majora and labia minora. The labia majora is the set that grows pubic hair, the most visible. The labia minora is the set of lips inside the labia majora – these are smaller, more sensitive, delicate tissue and do not grow pubic hair. The vulva also includes: Clitoral hood and clitoris (the most important organ of female genitalia for sex but not one we will be discussing today) Urethral opening Vaginal opening called the introitus Vaginal vestibule - the entry into the vagina, just inside the introitus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/426fd292-9c56-4cac-9779-090466d34df2/owen-beard-OK+xray.jpg Blog - Labia and Labiaplasty - Medical indications: The primary medical diagnosis for labiaplasty is “labia minora hypertrophy” which means enlargement of the labia minora. It often means that one or both of the labia minora extend past the labia majora, although there are studies that show this is normal and I can tell you from the gazillion pelvic exams I’ve done in my career, there is vast variation in appearance and size of the labia majora and minora. When labia minora extend past the protective labia majora, however, there is the possibility of irritation, pain, even infection of that delicate tissue. The pain and irritation are typically with exercise, when the friction of the labia against underwear and clothing is excessive. These symptoms would be considered an indication for labiaplasty. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/how-young-women-think-about-sex monthly 0.5 2024-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f0628dfb-3937-4889-ba76-d66d9d311fb8/unsplash+ava-sol.jpg Blog - How young women think about SEX - What a sad state that our teens are still buying into the negative messages surrounding female genitalia! So how do we fix this? First by referring to our genitalia by their proper names (vulva, vagina, etc) and encouraging our daughters to do so as well. By using phrases like “down there” or other pet names, we send the message that these are secret or inappropriate words. When instead we should be in awe of the vagina for all its amazingness and celebrating what it means to be female. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/ee336ffe-55f0-4530-beb0-8d664ff0f449/81RvSw133yL._SL1500_.jpg Blog - How young women think about SEX - If you haven’t heard of Peggy Ornstein – let me introduce you. She’s a wonderful author who devoted several years of her life to interviewing girls 15 to 20 about their experience with sex. She wrote the very well-known book Girls and Sex. And then went on to write Boys and Sex among others. Her TED talk, “What young women believe about their own sexual pleasure” has been viewed over 6 million times! It’s excellent and will serve as the framework for our discussion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f41027fb-4d72-428f-a87a-236dc61c6b94/a39c7-mishaal-zahed-htqfns0e5lm-unsplash.jpg Blog - How young women think about SEX - When asked how to gage if sex was good, most young women responded that if their partner orgasmed, then they were satisfied. Another determination of sex being good was if it didn’t hurt. Unfortunately 30% or more teens/young people have pain with sex, but sex without pain is a pretty low bar for sexual satisfaction. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/3-damaging-messages-society-teaches-us-about-sex monthly 0.5 2024-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8dd72b9b-04b9-4bb6-a2a8-ea435f739b0f/TV+ajeet-mestry-UBhpOIHnazM-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Damaging Messages Society Teaches us about SEX! - So how do we fight against this message? Here are a few ideas... First is by adding more self-love to your life. This can be through daily affirmations, a positive thoughts journal, or therapy to unpack where these negative messages are coming from. Another important way to do this is by taking a break from media that makes you feel less than. Look through the accounts you follow and delete anything that contributes to negative feelings about yourself. Even silly things like “that person’s house is more organized than mine, that person’s kids are always perfectly dressed”. Whatever it is, or how trivial it seems, these little messages add up over time to make us feel less than our best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/dfc7cc95-f316-4419-a14c-8f2b71fa9ec6/meds+towfiqu-barbhuiya-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Damaging Messages Society Teaches us about SEX! - The best way to fight the medical message is through facts. Remind yourself that this version of sex you learned about as a teen is not reality. Not to say that safe sex still isn’t important, but sex doesn’t have to be scary. Sex can be beautiful, powerful, joyful, amazing – you name it. And you have the power to change the narrative to one that instead makes you feel empowered and positive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a1dec445-a0f8-4550-afe1-5b493e91516f/bible+priscilla-du-preez-BQXOcE3ZM9c-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Damaging Messages Society Teaches us about SEX! - So how do we combat the moral message?? Most of the time introspection through therapy is your best and most efficient tool. It’s about diving in to these beliefs, recognizing that they aren’t your own, and retraining your brain to think about sex in a positive affirming way. Just like our FemEd mantra – tell yourself “you deserve better sex”. Sex is for pleasure and connection to yourself and another human. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be messy. And its messy imperfection is part of what can make it fun. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/top-tips-to-make-sex-more-pleasurable monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/adf938c4-7db6-4f63-8995-64ceac99c0b6/tips.png Blog - Top tips to make sex more pleasurable - I bet. Here they are: 1. Change positions Really listen and feel your body to see what position is the best for you. Take into account how the traditional sex positions feel (such as missionary, cowgirl, doggy style) in addition to other positional and movement techniques. OMGYES (a website with tons of sex positive information) did a research study that I discussed in another post. The consensus from this research is that movements like rocking, angling the hips higher, shallowing (having the toy / finger / penis thrust shallow instead of deep), and clitoral stimulation with a finger or toy during vaginal penetration can all maximize sexual pleasure. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/discovery-made-vaginal-penetration-more-pleasurable-for-you monthly 0.5 2024-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/ecdda3ed-2a51-4117-a6e7-ad1edfaafabf/angling.png Blog - “What discovery have you made that really made vaginal penetration more pleasurable for you?” - Researchers identified “four previous unnamed, but distinct, techniques women use to make vaginal penetration more pleasurable: Angling, Rocking, Shallowing and Pairing” Angling is “rotating, raising, or lowering the pelvis / hips during penetration to adjust where inside the vagina and toy or penis rubs and what it feels like” Rocking is “the base of a penis or sex toy rubbing against the clitoris constantly during penetration, by staying all the way inside the vagina rather than thrusting in and out.” Shallowing : penetrative touch just inside the entrance of the vagina – not the outside, but not deep inside. This can be done with a penis, finger, sex toy, tongue (anything). Pairing is touching the clitoris with a finger or sex toy at the same time as vaginal penetration. “Solo pairing” is when the woman does this herself; “partner pairing” is when the partner does this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0e8ec012-8475-497c-915d-ec1774896ce9/magnify.png Blog - “What discovery have you made that really made vaginal penetration more pleasurable for you?” - What’s even more admirable is that they did a research study and asked females the question: “What discovery have you made that really made vaginal penetration more pleasurable for you?” How did they study this? Through social media ads, they found more than 4000 females who answered a series of questions about women’s discoveries and experiences with genital stimulation and sexual pleasure. Of these 4000+ women, 1000 were invited to do a longer open interview with the researchers. These interviews were then analyzed to look for trends. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/stress-relief-to-improve-sex monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1b6b68aa-4ce6-46d1-9f95-90857556377a/to+do+list+glenn-carstens-peters-RLw-UC03Gwc-unsplash.jpg Blog - 3 Stress Relief Strategies for the Sexual Win! - When we have 1000 to dos rolling around in our head it can feel extremely unmanageable. But there is something about the act of writing with pen on paper that is not only very cathartic, it also helps you to feel a bit more organized and therefor in control. I usually follow this up with a mantra the Dear Dr. Twogood likes to remind me of which is “one thing at a time”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6afbe84b-3dd5-4dfb-af3a-e7226bd80773/meditation+jared-rice-NTyBbu66_SI-unsplash+%281%29.jpg Blog - 3 Stress Relief Strategies for the Sexual Win! - Meditation can take many forms. For some, it’s focused movement through yoga. For some, it’s sitting quietly focusing on their breath. For some, it’s focusing on a mantra for their day. Whatever it is for you – or whatever you feel like trying – there are incredible benefits to be had by adding this practice to your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/ea951464-3067-463b-b9fe-a0dc532986f2/exercise+fitsum-admasu-oGv9xIl7DkY-unsplash+%281%29.jpg Blog - 3 Stress Relief Strategies for the Sexual Win! - Exercise is just good for us. We all know it. But did you also know it’s a great libido booster?! Whatever the exercise, though a sweaty cardio in the form of a run is particularly my jam, it’s also a great stress reliver. Exercise can help us get out of our head or help us process all the things on our plate to better prioritize. It can give us clarity. And by helping with stress relief, we in turn help our libido, as we discussed last week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/87512369-3816-4a40-ab98-de79196390c6/sad+woman+anthony-tran-i-ePv9Dxg7U-unsplash+%281%29.jpg Blog - 3 Stress Relief Strategies for the Sexual Win! - We all have stress in our lives and unfortunately, especially as women, it’s almost impossible to have life stress not impact our desire for sex. Getting rid of all stressors, while that sounds lovely, isn’t particularly practical. Especially when those stressors come in the form of work, kids, and family responsibilities. But what we can do is to learn to manage our stress better. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/stress-and-libido monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/2954d106-6084-403e-a056-56229a1a00f5/1b06d-simran-sood-orqviv34pu-unsplash.jpg Blog - 4 Facts about Stress and Libido - These systems are in direct competition. So during times of stress, when our sympathetic nervous system is activated, it is nearly impossible for the parasympathetic nervous system to function (or at the very least to function well). This in turn leads to difficulty with arousal and orgasm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/83bead80-36ae-4f2a-ae75-f7d8e9195156/meditation+jared-rice-NTyBbu66_SI-unsplash+%281%29.jpg Blog - 4 Facts about Stress and Libido - This is also why stress reduction – while extremely helpful and important - won’t suddenly fix your libido either. With time, by coming up with healthier ways to manage your stress and taking some things off your plate you’ll find your libido will resurface as well. And perhaps even more importantly – you’ll be a happier and more satisfied person. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/441a4d79-6df8-4c87-9424-1f4018ffc838/stress+luis-villasmil-mlVbMbxfWI4-unsplash.jpg Blog - 4 Facts about Stress and Libido - This may seem super obvious to many of you reading this, but your stress levels MAJORLY impact your sex drive for 90% of people. There is a small 10% (mostly males) that have a boost in their sex drive during times of stress, but for the majority of us, this is not the case. Today we’ll talk about how stress impacts our libido in 4 important ways and next week we’ll talk about ways we can combat this! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/patient-message-about-water-based-lube monthly 0.5 2024-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8c444c17-78c2-4dab-bf34-a3db0f194f93/coconut+oil.png Blog - A patient message about water-based lube - “You and I discussed coconut oil but I think oils may be too messy.” I like coconut oil as a vaginal moisturizer and sexual lubricant. For this patient in particular it was a good option – but yes, any of these oils can be messy and stain clothes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/2f7af279-a4ac-480a-8ee2-51b5c09d2f2b/KY+jelly.png Blog - A patient message about water-based lube - “How about something water based like KY Jelly classic? But I also read that water based lubricants may cause infections more than silicone or oil based, and that water based lubricants actually require reapplication and can dry out tissues.” Check the packaging to know what “type” of lubricant you’re buying – for this specific KY Jelly, it says right there: water-based. And water-based lubricants are great! The pros: Water based lubricants tend to feel more natural and light weight. They wash off quickly and easily with water (so not the best option for shower or water-based sex!). Being able to wash off quickly after sex may help decrease irritation if the skin is very sensitive. However, certain ingredients in water-based lubes (in all lubes, really) can increase the risk of infections: Glycerin is a vaginal moisturizer and often a primary ingredient in lubes – using glycerin in the vagina has been shown to increase the risk of yeast infections, especially when someone is prone to them in the first place. There are many glycerin-free options, but you have to check the ingredient label! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/92201216-3a3b-4242-b8b1-459363e6f20b/baby+oil.png Blog - A patient message about water-based lube - “I have heard that baby oil may cause infections.” Baby oil typically contains mineral oil plus perfume (which gives it that particular “baby oil” smell). Mineral oil coats the cells with a barrier. Placed inside the vagina means it coats the vaginal cells. It’s also very difficult to wash off completely. For most people mineral oil is a great choice and will not cause irritation or infection. However, for people who are prone to vaginal infections like BV, any lubricant can increase the chance of an infection. And one that does not wash off easily so lingers? Even more so. However, the main issue I have with baby oil is the perfume. The chemicals in perfumes are a huge cause of vulvar and vaginal irritation and inflammation. Perfumes may disrupt the vaginal pH and microbiome, causing symptoms like abnormal discharge, dermatitis, and generalized inflammation, and infections like yeast and BV. We can’t say this enough – don’t put perfumed products inside the vagina! Bottom line: if basic mineral oil works for you, great! But don’t use mineral oil with additives like perfumes. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/how-to-keep-desire-in-your-long-term-relationship monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/9d55753e-a6a2-46e7-b2c8-70ffe6822eaf/heart+hands+saiph-muhammad-JLNiQNntX4s-unsplash.jpg Blog - How to keep desire in your long-term relationship - And the last strategy I’d like you to consider is this – let go of the myth of spontaneity as Perel calls it. Good sex and a healthy sex life take work. And it’s ok for your sex life to not be amazing all the time. But the important part is that it’s a work in progress for both partners. When you feel on the same page with your partner surrounding sex – even if it’s just on the page that you want it to be better than it is, this a great start to making meaningful change. This idea that good sex will spontaneously happen is BS. Desire will not spontaneously continue in long-term relationships. You have to work on it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d88eee59-4ca6-41ac-9754-396e75e9a796/couple+caleb-ekeroth-wSBQFWF77lI-unsplash.jpg Blog - How to keep desire in your long-term relationship - Another strategy is to bring more “wanting” into your everyday life. One of the times couples report having more desire for their partner is when they are away and are then reunited. This can help you appreciate all the things they do or the ways they contribute to your family that you miss. This also gives you more to talk about and discuss beyond the daily transactional conversations most of us have (did you pay the credit card bill?, who is picking up the dog from the groomer?, when are we going to see your parents next month?). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f7886fc2-e21c-4c55-a1be-a9b23be5cba2/matthew-sleeper-Spdu7YT1O00-unsplash.jpg Blog - How to keep desire in your long-term relationship - Desire is such an interesting thing. Esther Perel – a Belgium-American psychotherapist and author of the well-known book Mating in Captivity did a TED talk on this very subject. If you haven’t seen it, I’d highly suggest checking it out. She aptly calls desire the exact opposite of love in many ways. Love is comfort, security, reliability. Love is home. Vs Desire – this is adventure, surprise, intrigue, wanting. Which brings us to the challenge of desire in a long-term relationship. Or the “crisis of desire” as Perel refers to it. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/over-the-counter-treatments-for-vaginal-dryness monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/b77b47bb-fadf-4883-af36-e68eacac68a3/Screen+Shot+2024-06-14+at+3.53.46+PM.png Blog - Over The Counter Treatments for Vaginal Dryness - CBD (a popular brand: Foria) CBD has been touted as a magical elixir – and I don’t want to burst your bubble … but there is no such thing. While CBD is being studied pretty extensively for skin disorders there were no studies I could find that showed it worked when used vaginally. Most of the data is anecdotal. However, when used topically, it’s been shown to decrease inflammatory markers that get in the way of cellular function. Theoretically it could also decrease the inflammatory markers that cause itching, pain, irritation when used vaginally too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d14ee8c9-9df6-48bc-a1bf-5bc1789e5b3c/Screen+Shot+2024-06-14+at+3.49.45+PM.png Blog - Over The Counter Treatments for Vaginal Dryness - Hyaluronic acid (one common brand name: Revaree) You may be familiar with hyaluronic acid because it is in many moisturizing products, especially for the face. It’s a lubricant with ionic properties that attracts water (if you’re into chemistry, this helps explain ionic bonds better: LINK https://www.thoughtco.com/ionic-compound-properties-608497). Attracting water into the cells increases tissue volume and the integrity of the superficial vaginal cells (called the vaginal epithelial cells) – this helps restore some of the cellular function that is lost with low estrogen. Studies show it helps optimize vaginal pH and improves symptoms of GSM and pain with sex. Details: it usually comes in pre-formed capsules that are placed inside the vagina, where they are warmed up (due to internal body temperature) causing the hyaluronic acid to come out and coat the vaginal walls. How to use it: similar to other vaginal moisturizers, it’s recommended to use every 2-3 days, depending on symptoms, but this can be adjusted more or less frequently depending on symptoms. Other tips: Many generics are on the market with slightly different formulations. Try a few and if you’re not crazy about them, try a different brand! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/653b480b-7f57-40c7-a572-f8733be16f57/Screen+Shot+2024-06-14+at+3.51.16+PM.png Blog - Over The Counter Treatments for Vaginal Dryness - Polycarbophil based vaginal moisturizer (most common brand name: Replens) This moisturizer works by producing a film over the vaginal tissue. That film remains attached to the superficial cells, hydrating them and lubricating the vaginal wall. In small studies it helped optimize vaginal pH, and helped with subjective symptoms of dryness, pain with sex, and sexual function. Details: it comes in pre-wrapped individual packaged syringes, like a lot of yeast infection creams. You place inside the vagina and release the moisturizer inside, then remove the syringe and toss it. How to use it: company recommends using every 3 days or so – but it can be used more or less frequently based on symptoms. Other tips: don’t use as sexual lubricant – it needs time to work! It may increase vaginal discharge - both because of the cellular hydration (which is good!) but also the product can work its way out of the body and be noticeable then too. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/scheduled-sex monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/9ad44049-f10e-459f-8df8-30351ef61368/unsplash+-+calendar+clock+pink.jpg Blog - Scheduled Sex - how putting sex on the calendar can save your relationship - Ok…so we schedule lots of things in our lives – haircuts, dentist appointments, kids activities, time with friends. And if you’re like me, your calendar may get a bit overwhelming. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with my husband about whether something was or was not on the calendar. This may seem a little extra to some but it really does help us to keep track of the seeming 1000 things that go on in the life of our family each week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e38b0be3-060a-4a5f-92a5-dc783ca74c5a/couple+feet.jpg Blog - Scheduled Sex - how putting sex on the calendar can save your relationship - As with most things related to sex – it’s MUCH more complicated. The issue I’ve outlined is more of an issue of discordance than it is a libido issue. And by discordance I mean one partner desires sex more than the other. The partner who desires sex less still likely enjoys sex they just aren’t the one who initiates it – which just so it’s said IS OK! The challenge in this is coming up with a way both partners can feel satisfied with their sexual existence. Which leads me to…. Scheduled sex! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/87abe211-0380-4187-82e0-00f40dd32d76/calendar+2.jpg Blog - Scheduled Sex - how putting sex on the calendar can save your relationship - The other thing that’s great about scheduled sex is it allows you to work around your schedules – for example, if you’re always exhausted at night and the last thing you want to do is have sex, figure out a way to schedule it during the day or in the morning. If having kids gets in the way of having sex – schedule it at a time they are at school or with grandma or some other activity. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/changes-in-female-behavior-in-their-fertile-window monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/95189c47-d335-4f63-a2ac-a6e9c70ce31e/brooke-cagle-yBAhjzfr0xk-unsplash.jpg Blog - Changes in Female Behavior in their Fertile Window - 2. And then there is this study that showed female subconscious behavior changes in front of a “potential mate”: College age heterosexual females walked down the hall in front of an attractive male. This male was deemed to be attractive by other females not included in the study. The females knew they were participating in a clinical study but they didn’t think this walk was a part of it. Female saliva was sampled during the experiment, looking for elevation of luteinizing hormone (LH), showing which females were in their fertile window, right before ovulation. The females in their fertile window walked slightly slower and “sexier” than females not in their fertile window. Article: Gait and menstrual cycle: Ovulating women use sexier gaits and walk slowly ahead of men Nicolas Gue´guen * Universite´ de Bretagne-Sud, UFR LSHS, 4, rue Jean Zay, BP 92116, 56321 Lorient Cedex, France. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/89a1dcdb-3018-45c2-a5d5-aed9c072d8f3/lance-reis-WcvMzeB23CQ-unsplash.jpg Blog - Changes in Female Behavior in their Fertile Window - 1. Premise: females become more particular about potential mates around their most fertile time period – favoring males who, in theory, would provide good genetic material for offspring. This meta-analysis (a review of lots of different studies) showed female preference was increased during the fertile window for these male characteristics: the scent of social dominance (yes, that’s what they called it!); facial and bodily symmetry and masculinity; masculine vocal and behavioral qualities; and tall height. Now … we all know that males with these characteristics are not always the best or the brightest, so we still need to use our brains and our good judgement when choosing a mate at any time of our cycles. But this study also showed a female preference towards creative talent and overall intelligent appearance. That’s more like it! Article: Gangestad, Steven and Randy Thornhill. Review: Human oestrus. Proc R Soc B (2008) 275, 991-1000 https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/libido-ups-and-downs-during-the-menstrual-cycle monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/72c95e7f-e3dd-49c6-ba13-76545ea14e53/menstrual+cycle.png Blog - Libido Ups and Downs During the Menstrual Cycle - The entire cycle is from one period all the way to the next period. Within that cycle, think of 4 different parts: The period is when bleeding occurs. Cycle Day 1 is the first day of your period. The lining from the uterus, called the endometrium, comes out. The follicular phase is the time from the period to ovulation. What’s happening? The pituitary gland in the brain releases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH stimulates the egg-containing follicles of the ovary. These follicles produce the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is a feel-good hormone – as it is rising and at its peak, you might feel a bit more confident or notice a more positive body image. And yes, this contributes to higher libido too. Ovulation. Luteinizing hormone (coming from the pituitary gland, just like FSH) surges, causing the egg from the dominant follicle to be released. That’s ovulation. The egg stays viable in the body for up to 24 hours. Luteal phase is time frame from ovulation to the next period. Progesterone is the dominant hormones in the luteal phase – it’s there to support a pregnancy if it were to occur (get it?: pro-pregnancy, or pro – gestation = progesterone). It’s the progesterone that causes bloating and gassiness right before your period. Libido is not high anymore – you can imagine that bloating and gassiness are not helpful for sex drive! Estrogen is still there, but in relatively low amounts compared to before. Now is the end of the cycle and both estrogen and progesterone levels drop dramatically, starting the period and the next cycle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c40176a1-150e-4c72-a238-9fc1e3390234/testosterone.png Blog - Libido Ups and Downs During the Menstrual Cycle - TESTOSTERONE Testosterone increases libido, hands down. You probably knew this. In females, testosterone levels remain fairly constant throughout the entire menstrual cycle … except a midcycle peak that happens at the same time as the LH surge! (3,4) Remember, the LH surge is what causes ovulation too. A little boost of testosterone helps boost that libido. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/ee0a8ee0-7a45-42f8-82bd-02416a196a86/hearts.png Blog - Libido Ups and Downs During the Menstrual Cycle - OXYTOCIN Oxytocin is sometimes call the “love hormone”. It promotes attachment to others and decreases stress and anxiety. Oxytocin been shown to enhance sexual stimulation and arousal as well(2). All of these are helpful for libido and sex! Oxytocin is not only associated with the romantic kind of love – it includes platonic and maternal loves too (it’s increased during labor and breastfeeding). Admittedly, it’s difficult to study oxytocin because it fluctuates for all sorts of reasons. Hugging and kissing and having sex all can cause a little surge of oxytocin. But studies show levels are all around highest around time of ovulation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/91349f37-dcab-4139-95f2-8352ec9f9efc/smiley.png Blog - Libido Ups and Downs During the Menstrual Cycle - SEROTONIN Serotonin is the happy hormone. It makes people feel good. Studies(1) show us that the specific type of estrogen secreted from the follicles of the ovary, estradiol, increases serotonin production in the brain and slows down its breakdown. So as our estradiol / estrogen increases, our serotonin does too. This helps boost libido. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/orgasm-and-anatomy monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c69dc68f-6191-4b68-b371-73429e611c0d/ian-schneider-TamMbr4okv4-unsplash.jpg Blog - How our anatomy impacts orgasm - and what (if anything) we can do about it! - Perhaps even more interesting (or at least helpful) is that even though there isn’t a ton we can do to modify the anatomy we’re born with (aside from major surgery) – there are still changes we can make that impact how our anatomy can improve orgasm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/79149e65-b982-4216-b010-1093ea24e8d2/deon-black-JfOh4jeCPII-unsplash.jpg Blog - How our anatomy impacts orgasm - and what (if anything) we can do about it! - The studies reviewed on penile size are interesting to me because they show what most women have always felt – size doesn’t really matter as much as men think it does. This also highlights the importance of our emotions on our ability to orgasm – if we feel attracted and connected to our partner we’re much more likely to orgasm regardless of the size of their penis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/74f22487-6d6f-40fe-b2b4-0b1c29483510/jonathan-beckman-pDQRQ7lJxZ4-unsplash.jpg Blog - How our anatomy impacts orgasm - and what (if anything) we can do about it! - But in terms of anatomy and the location of the clitoris, the fact that the closer the clitoris is to the urethral meatus the more likely you are to orgasm makes sense. This means your clitoris is closer to the vaginal opening and therefore more likely to be stimulated during penetration. But if this isn’t the case for you – you need to figure out a different way to stimulate your clitoris. It can be a finger or a vibrator (wearable or otherwise) or something else entirely. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/surprising-facts-about-orgasm monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/963d89b6-636a-45fc-a11f-0743e38ae0e4/kelly-sikkema-IE8KfewAp-w-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 surprising facts about orgasm and how to have more of them! - Also very good to know for those of us trying for pregnancy that while orgasm with sex is always nice, it’s not really necessary or even helpful in the baby making department. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1ce093b8-0da2-443e-b1ef-576ffb6417aa/adi-goldstein-Hli3R6LKibo-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 surprising facts about orgasm and how to have more of them! - Believe it or not, August 8th is International Female Orgasm day! I mean, we have a holiday for donuts, why not have one for orgasm?! International Female Orgasm day was established by Arimateio Dantas in Brazil. Its goal is to bring awareness to female sexual difficulties and to encourage women to be more open in discussing sexual concerns. And I couldn’t agree more how important this is!! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/133d3cce-8f23-4952-8400-bd46a4551f5f/sander-sammy-DIBwWsoshGE-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 surprising facts about orgasm and how to have more of them! - Orgasms are actually good for more than just pleasure during sex. Studies have shown that up to 75% of people sleep better with orgasm before bed. So if you struggle with insomnia, consider masturbation before bed. It might be more fun and effective than a sleeping pill! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/190f0617-214f-4ae8-892d-272e5b7f6389/louis-hansel-XYsMYtoM6dk-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 surprising facts about orgasm and how to have more of them! - Genital stimulation (particular clitoral) is by far the most common way females orgasm. That being said, you can orgasm from breast stimulation, stimulation of your inner thigh, your ear lobe, for some, even just mental stimulation. Mary Roache, in her TED Talk on orgasm, talks about a woman who orgasms from brushing her teeth! How crazy is that?! And what excellent dental hygiene you would have if you were that person!? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e2e74140-3848-490e-8877-cad76a21f91b/alora-griffiths-TTrTW-pFxKw-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 surprising facts about orgasm and how to have more of them! - And lastly, strength of orgasm has been tied to the strength of our pelvic floor. So pelvic floor exercises like Kegels or similar, or exercises that help to strengthen our core and pelvic floor – like yoga and pilates – should (in theory) also help with improving the strength of your orgasm. All great reasons to consider a post-work out romp! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/your-anatomy-is-why-sex-feels-better-in-some-positions-and-not-others monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f00f6c98-def0-4fd3-9d94-b574eee00e9c/1.png Blog - Your anatomy is why sex feels better in some positions and not others - Doggy Style (female bottom, male behind, both facing same direction) Anatomy: The penis will bounce off the posterior (back) part of the upper vagina and cervix, near the rectum. Good: This position allows for deep penetration because the posterior part of the vagina is the deepest. Also, as the penis enters the vagina, it has potential to stimulate the “G-spot”. Bad: For people who have endometriosis, bowel issues, or pelvic floor dysfunction of the posterior muscles, doggy style may irritate these conditions. Considerations: Direct clitoral stimulation is non-existent unless done manually. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/16787953-c3e3-41bd-9170-75b61f8c0492/3.png Blog - Your anatomy is why sex feels better in some positions and not others - Cowgirl (male bottom, female on top, facing each other) Anatomy: similar to missionary – the penis tip is in the anterior part of the vagina, near the bladder. Good: The movements can be female controlled – including the depth of penetration and hopefully stimulation of the clitoris. Bad: Same as missionary – the anterior part of the vagina and bladder are usually stimulated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/73720120-65a7-4b48-80f2-aadf15f95f9d/2.png Blog - Your anatomy is why sex feels better in some positions and not others - Missionary position (female bottom, male on top, facing each other) Anatomy: The “boomerang” shaped penis bounces off the anterior (front) part of the upper vagina, right next to the bladder. Good: If the female lifts the hips at an angle (like on an incline), the anterior middle part of the vagina can be stimulated. This is where the “female prostate” / G spot is located – where a small percentage of females feel a lot of sexual stimulation. But don’t worry – nothing is wrong with you or your anatomy if this does not give you pleasure. Bad: If there are bladder issues like UTIs or painful bladder syndrome, or pelvic floor dysfunction of the anterior muscles, having sex in this position can cause even more pain. Considerations: It’s difficult to get clitoral stimulation from this position unless it’s done by hand. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/mri-people-having-sex monthly 0.5 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/74568387-b519-459c-9670-706f69fab8a0/Screen+Shot+2024-04-24+at+1.08.22+PM.png Blog - Want to see an MRI of people having sex? Read on! - In this “missionary” position, the erect penis almost always moved upwards at an angle of about 120 degrees (from the base of the penis to the tip) - almost parallel to the woman’s spine. The penis filled the anterior part (called the fornix) of the vagina. The uterus was raised on average 2.4cm over the female baseline. The bladder configuration was changed – caused by the penile stretching of the anterior vaginal wall and the raised uterus (Left side with the one of the actual MRI images, Right side image is same image, with anatomy labeled) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f8d49441-51c4-43ca-8ae5-775114d92f22/Screen+Shot+2024-04-24+at+1.12.41+PM.png Blog - Want to see an MRI of people having sex? Read on! - It’s surprisingly close to the MRI images with one big exception - the penis is drawn in more of an “S” shaped. The actual MRI images show the penis universally more of a boomerang shape. . https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/lube-research monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/5195103d-4502-4880-a009-adbf79e827fc/journal+jess-bailey-y7GlIdTUOvo-unsplash.jpg Blog - LUBE Research - a Double-Blind Daily Diary Study - Each study participant was asked to complete a daily diary on sexual events, symptoms, and any side effects they contributed to use of the study lubricant. Results showed that water-based lubricants were associated with fewer genital symptoms compared to silicone-based lubricants. This includes vaginal irritation after sex, increased discharge, etc. Both types of lubricant use were associated with higher ratings of sexual pleasure and satisfaction for solo sex and vaginal sex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6bf08a54-a305-4a8a-a8cd-64f5fc6fc7ca/1bf95-women-joel-muniz-hvzdcurnsay-unsplash.jpg Blog - LUBE Research - a Double-Blind Daily Diary Study - Participants were all women whose ages ranged from 18 to 68 (average age was 32). They were mostly white (86%) but did also include American Indian, Asian, African American, and Hawaiian races. Participants were both single and partnered, of varying sexual orientations, and used varying contraceptive methods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/90c3bb6c-e7a1-433e-af0c-8fba89565dc9/computer+scene+daniel-fazio-DzqeB43HfnE-unsplash.jpg Blog - LUBE Research - a Double-Blind Daily Diary Study - This is a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2011 that followed the experiences of 2453 women with a 5 week double-blinded daily diary study. Double-blinded means both the participants and the researchers didn’t know which type of lubricant each person was given. This is designed to help remove any biases one may have about a particular type of lubricant. Instead, each of the lubricants for purposes of the study came in bottles labeled A through F with no other packaging that could indicate their type or brand. Each of these women was randomized to use one of the 6 chosen lubricants over the course of the study. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/lube monthly 0.5 2024-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/14abc755-c783-4577-bc98-ce1931d9a774/014d2-womanizer-toys-1mqya4ajqtu-unsplash.jpg Blog - Lube Lube LUBE!… - Ok…so now that you’re armed with the basics of lube, it’s time for the fun part – try some out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/db77806e-8d82-4b6f-ad9e-b8607f833079/couple+in+bed.jpg Blog - Lube Lube LUBE!… - Why do vaginas like lube? Vaginas are lined with epithelial cells – essentially skin cells on the inside of our body. These cells slough off and regenerate quicker than other cells – about every 96 hours compared to skin cells that regenerate every 27 days. In part because of all this “new growth” the vagina tends to be more sensitive than other parts of the body. Friction from a penis, finger, sex toy, etc can cause microtears that can cause pain (either before or after sex) or changes in your discharge. By adding a lubricant, this can reduce some of the friction and damage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c8fa45d7-bad7-4f46-b747-37b61949e949/woman+in+bed.jpg Blog - Lube Lube LUBE!… - The type of lubricant that is best for you will depend on many factors. Here are the details of each type so you can explore what will work for your needs. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/top-10-ways-to-keep-your-vagina-happy-and-healthy monthly 0.5 2024-05-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d409e183-3a53-488a-888f-5754a7af257c/unsplash+-+pizza+vag+womanizer-wow.jpg Blog - Top 10! ways to keep your vagina happy and healthy - That being said, there are some easy ways to ensure your vagina stays healthy and happy (hint...they do not involve pizza). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c9067eb6-8232-4437-a1ba-5576323453a0/Unplash+-+underwear+-juli-kosolapova.jpg Blog - Top 10! ways to keep your vagina happy and healthy - So there you have it. Hopefully there are a few easy changes you can make from this list – all with the goal of becoming a healthier version of you! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/ovarian-cysts monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/30e06dd4-9bc5-46e4-b893-234b6dd33720/92825-tachina-lee-wjk_ssqce4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Yes, ovarian cysts are expected! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d9287015-6ea8-4e61-bfc2-7c9d81138792/1b06d-simran-sood-orqviv34pu-unsplash.jpg Blog - Yes, ovarian cysts are expected! - Yes, in 2 specific situations. Fluid filled cyst. Some people are prone to anovulation (not ovulating) – the most common of these is polycystic ovarian syndrome. The follicles grow but the eggs never get to the point of ovulation. These follicles can get quite large and filled with fluid – up to the size of a baseball. This growth can cause some pain or discomfort as the ovary stretches but most of the time they go away on their own. Bleeding (hemorrhagic) cyst. There are 2 leading theories as to how these cysts bleed. One is that the egg, at time of ovulation, may burst through a small artery or vein, causing it to bleed. The second theory is that the corpus luteum wall is delicate, and some sort of “trauma” (like heavy exercise or penile-vaginal intercourse) disturbs it and causes it to bleed. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/foodandyourvagina monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/bd541444-2b2c-4c78-9890-e88e9764e3b1/garlicsanjay-dosajh-qvLuYkT3Wj0-unsplash.jpg Blog - Food and Your Vagina - Pungent foods like garlic, asparagus, and curry are all metabolized in our system and can come out in sweat, urine, or breastmilk. Most of us have had the experience of eating a garlic filled meal and still smelling like garlic the next day. Or the classic example of how your urine smells after eating asparagus. So it makes sense that your vagina would take on some of these odors as well. And it does…kind of. The vagina itself doesn’t actually smell after eating foods like this. Vaginal secretions don’t take on smell the same way urine (a waste byproduct from your kidneys) does. But, because sweat can be impacted by these foods and we do sweat in our groin around our vulva, it can give the illusion that our vaginal odor has changed as well. image Sanjay Dosajh Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/146759ea-6435-4752-bbd8-fa60edb95a48/fruit+amy-shamblen-h5yMpgOI5nI-unsplash.jpg Blog - Food and Your Vagina - There is no data whatsoever that any amount of fruit will change how your vagina tastes or smells. Not pineapple, not watermelon, not oranges, not cherries. NO FRUIT. The vagina smells the way it does due to byproducts from lactobacilli – the dominant bacteria of the vagina. Lactobacilli produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide which protect the vagina from harmful bacteria and some viruses. These bacteria are not impacted by fruit in our diet. They are impacted by hormonal shifts and blood which is why you may feel the odor of your vagina changes at different times in your cycle. image Amy Shamblen Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8e11fe1f-7d8d-4d03-b3ec-43341b00e586/cake+cristina-matos-albers-Ltv7a5m8i4c-unsplash.jpg Blog - Food and Your Vagina - A common thought for women with chronic yeast infections is that a high sugar/carbohydrate diet makes this worse. Chronic yeast can be quite miserable, so it makes sense that women are willing to try all kinds of diet changes to help. And while it is healthy to limit sugar in the diet (particularly processed sugar) there is actually no data that this makes a difference in terms of frequency of yeast infections. In fact, studies have shown that the amount of glucose (a type of sugar) in the vagina doesn’t change after consuming high sugar meals – at all. Vaginas do have glycogen (a type of storage sugar) and glucose in them. In fact, vaginal fluid is about 3% glycogen. However, this sugar is produced by epithelial cells in the vagina in response to estrogen. This sugar is food for the lactobacilli bacteria that dominate the vagina and part of what keeps our vagina healthy. But again, eating high amounts of sugar or carbohydrates doesn’t impact this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0ed7f117-0b44-4617-9e50-ce26dc06ce77/klara-avsenik-5cFqO92t7pM-unsplash.jpg Blog - Food and Your Vagina - Yogurt, kombucha and sauerkraut have long been touted to help improve gut bacteria. But do they help with vaginal bacteria? Unfortunately, not really. These foods do increase levels of lactobacillus but it’s the strains that are found in the gut, not the vagina. There is some data that eating fermented foods especially when taking antibiotics can help prevent antibiotic related diarrhea – a condition that happens when some of our good bacteria are killed off. But there is no clear data that this strategy helps with preventing yeast or other vaginal infections. image Klara Avsenik Unsplash https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/vulvarskinissues monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/874df9c1-7dfa-4548-9a46-f4d08a5e1438/ingrown+hair.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! Ingrown hairs can occur anywhere hair grows. Since I’m a gynecologist, I am specifically talking about pubic hair as a common vulvar skin issue. Ingrown hairs look like small red, irritated bumps on the skin. Sometimes it looks like a little pustule. What causes them? The regrowth of hair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d15db2d5-2f71-41bc-91a3-2aefceb6f6d5/pimples.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! - Occasional pimples in the genital area – specially the vulvar and buttock skin – are normal and common. Sweat, heat, humidity, and hormones can lead to small outbreaks. These pimples are typically temporary, small, and go away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/344d987f-48a1-4828-ac58-d171d11b63fe/c1e81-remember.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! The vulva (and therefore the vulvar skin) is the external, visible part of female genitalia. It where pubic hair grows and if you look in the mirror (highly recommended!), you can see it. The vagina? That’s NOT THE SAME THING. The vaginal opening is visible from the vulva, but the vagina itself is an internal organ. Please don’t confuse them. Words matter. Anatomy matters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c37fb25b-c030-41a0-af73-6b40fcd8f7b9/epidermoid+cyst.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! - These small cysts are also called epidermal inclusion cysts. They are flesh colored with one specific defining feature – a little “punctum” in the middle – a darker, centrally located dot. They of course occur on the vulvar skin but can be seen anywhere else on the body as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/21db26f6-dcbf-464e-855e-a8664232c128/bartholin+cyst.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! - A little bump can form in that area called a Bartholin gland cyst. People often do not even notice it’s there because most are asymptomatic. The most common symptom is a bulge on one side of the vagina. It may be felt during sexual activity, or exercise, or even just sitting in a certain position. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/98e045bd-d989-4145-b3f9-46c9498448d4/7d244-warts.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! - They look like both / either skin tags or tiny cauliflowers. They can be minor and barely noticeable or, in some cases, so severe that they need to be cut off surgically. They cause irritation (especially in that last scenario) but more often there are no associated symptoms except seeing an actual wart. Want to know what does cause irritation? Treatment of genital warts! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/7148d453-becc-4513-af96-137c681bd26a/razor+burn.png Blog - 6 vulvar skin issues and what to do about them! Razor burn can happen anywhere razors are used – face, armpits, legs, pubic hair. This is such a common vulvar skin issue! They look like red little bumps and show up minutes to hours after shaving. They can sting and look angry but usually go away by themselves with time! Razor burn is usually caused by friction from the razor on the skin – either from using an old razor, or having preexisting bumpy or irritated skin, or not using a lubricating shaving cream. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/vaginal-dryness monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/ac9abad6-612b-490f-bf15-347db343afbb/Happy+V+brooke-cagle-unsplash.jpg Blog - HELP! My vagina is NOT HAPPY! – causes of vaginal dryness and what to do about it - Vaginal dryness is not pleasant and is unfortunately often confused with other vaginal issues. But getting a correct diagnosis and exploring the many treatment options available will hopefully have you back in happy vagina land before you know it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/27be893f-690f-4487-91e0-5268c752b8df/succulents+annie-spratt-unsplash.jpg Blog - HELP! My vagina is NOT HAPPY! – causes of vaginal dryness and what to do about it - Vaginal dryness can manifest as pain with sex, more frequent UTIs, or feelings like itching or irritation like you have an infection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/4904f589-cac9-46c0-bc7e-85c650720485/meds+towfiqu-barbhuiya-unsplash.jpg Blog - HELP! My vagina is NOT HAPPY! – causes of vaginal dryness and what to do about it - Medications can also cause vaginal dryness. Some common culprits include: progesterone only birth control methods such as the progesterone IUDs, depo provera (birth control shot), progesterone only birth control pills, and the implant (Nexplanon). Progesterone can lower glycogen in the vaginal mucosa which causes less lubricant production. Blood pressure medications Allergy medications Antiseizure meds https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/vaginal-microbiome monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/11b54477-d3a4-41e4-a8f2-8054393190d9/f96e0-untitled-design-54.png Blog - Vaginal Microbiome Top Facts - Lactobacillus is the dominant organism in the vaginal microbiome. What is its primary task? It breaks down glycogen (which is produced by the vaginal lining), and that produces lactic acid. Lactic acid helps maintain the vaginal pH at this optimal acidic level. Why is this pH the optimal level? It helps prevent other bacteria from colonizing and taking over. When these other bacteria do take over, symptoms include bad smelling vaginal discharge, an increase in amount of vaginal discharge, abnormal bleeding from inflamed tissue, or irritation and itching. Not good, right? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8380000c-8077-4314-af1b-69db5950f80d/2cf19-artem-bryzgalov-ogfxzo-jyyg-unsplash.jpg Blog - Vaginal Microbiome Top Facts - There is still so much we don’t understand, but the research and emphasis on maintaining and optimizing the microbiome of all parts of our bodies – skin, intestines, vagina – is very promising. As an OBGYN, most of the questions I get are about the vaginal microbiome. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/dfc9553f-0e69-426a-8b4b-84add2fc1ac2/bfa4f-untitled-design-53-1.png Blog - Vaginal Microbiome Top Facts - Microbiome, microbiota, vaginal flora, “good bacteria”. While there are differences in the precise definitions of these terms, I don’t want you to fixate on that. For example, microbiota means the organisms themselves – the bacteria, virus, fungus. Microbiome is the organism AND their genome – the parts that make up the organism. Do you need to know that difference when you want to know why douching can be harmful? Nope! But just FYI, I default to “microbiome”. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/pubic-hair monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e4f7cf85-88da-4376-946a-f1342b6d700d/14c5c-bekky-bekks-kh1a7pptmp4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? - Pheromones are unique chemical secreted by animals (and yes, people are animals) that help attract mates. It’s thought of as a natural aphrodisiac. One theory is that pubic hair evolved as a way to make pheromones stronger and therefore encourage breeding and repopulation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/0cc3f235-8c84-417f-bc06-7e03db5fb0e1/bc0fb-laura-chouette-t6hnuc8vspa-unsplash.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? Do we need another sign besides breasts forming and menstrual cycle starting? Pubic hair seems to be a by-product of hormonal changes and not an indicator of them, but it’s worth mentioning as just one more sign that a young person was beginning their transition into adulthood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/85c3721d-78fd-4a13-9e1d-150f4d93d2a5/a39c7-mishaal-zahed-htqfns0e5lm-unsplash.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? - Pubic hair, with its texture and color, distinguishes the genitals from surrounding skin, drawing attention to the area. A primitive version of a neon flashing “right here” sign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1277ddab-246d-4382-8fc5-48cf810dd52f/d8a4f-toa-heftiba-rdordjok-oy-unsplash.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? - Before the invention of lube, it may have helped to enhance lubrication – both with walking and moving around but also during sex. Hair on hair movement is usually more slippery than skin on skin action. Pubic hair may have facilitated sex by lubricating the area and reducing friction which then protects the skin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/6f325949-9276-41d5-bc64-58612e6f8d17/c3f28-carson-arias-7z03r1wodmi-unsplash.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? - This goes along with pheromones but takes it one step further. The scent trapped in the pubic hair (and underarm hair) makes it easier for both mates to identify each other and also offspring to identify their parents. This theory is particularly interesting when it comes to pregnancy and having a newborn baby – the aversion to anything perfumed or strongly scented can be overwhelming, possibly to avoid covering up the body’s natural scent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d4eb9198-965f-4c54-a560-e8de02c921b5/52055-catrin-johnson-ym96fahq8o4-unsplash-1.jpg Blog - Pubic hair theories – why is it there? - In the primitive time of limited clothing, pubic hair could have served as protection for the delicate skin of the vulva. It may have helped to trap dirt and debris, preventing them from getting inside the vagina. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/period-problems-hormonal monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/cf450bb5-f2d4-447d-b881-42ed550f74d1/34ae2-red-lights-jenn-jpeg-w1fves4u07i-unsplash.jpg Blog - Period Problems - Understanding How Hormones Play a Role - We think of abnormal bleeding in 2 categories – structural causes which I reviewed last month and hormonal causes which we’ll discuss today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/caa5499b-5e2a-4854-9a16-673bbda99351/1bf95-women-joel-muniz-hvzdcurnsay-unsplash.jpg Blog - Period Problems - Understanding How Hormones Play a Role - Another hormonal cause of abnormal bleeding that I commonly see is called endometrial atrophy. This is the thinning of the lining of the uterus that can happen when estrogen levels are low. Estrogen tends to decrease as we are entering menopause, but it also is low during the postpartum period (particularly during breastfeeding). Even some types of birth control can cause our estrogen to be low. A thin uterine lining allows the walls of the uterus to rub together during activity (often worse with exercise or sex). This causes irritation that can cause light bleeding or spotting that is often random and not associated with a period. To determine if this is your issue your doctor will likely do an ultrasound to measure the lining of the uterus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/220f6d1b-43fc-40b4-a510-e833222df811/amy-shamblen-pJ_DCj9KswI-unsplash.jpg Blog - Period Problems - Understanding How Hormones Play a Role - Regular periods in someone who is not using birth control is a vital sign – it indicates that you are ovulating and that your hormones are cycling the way they should. If you stop ovulating – even for just one cycle - this causes your period to change at least temporarily. When you don’t ovulate, your ovaries don’t create a corpus luteum cyst which in turn doesn’t secrete the progesterone needed to stabilize the lining of the uterus. The result is that the lining of the uterus gets thicker and thicker until eventually it sheds as a very heavy and long period. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/queefing monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f62a655c-5c23-4541-a450-20ac3811a79a/490d5-marek-piwnicki-tse4faiyc8s-unsplash.jpg Blog - Queefing (yep) - Some of the terms used in the medical literature include vaginal wind, vaginal noise, vaginal flatus, and my personal favorite, garrulitas vulvae (translates into “chattering vulva”). Slang terms are vaginal fart or vart. So very clever. But call it what you will, it’s still the same sound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/4ba9f330-9366-4260-81e9-eafb08175363/b2673-marek-piwnicki-czacast2uy4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Queefing (yep) - It’s passage of air from the vagina, and that creates a sound similar to passing gas. The process: air gets trapped in the vagina. When that air is expelled, it creates a vibration of the vaginal walls that sounds like a fart. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/female-anatomy-named-by-men monthly 0.5 2024-04-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/aabfb94c-b990-4d4e-bbf2-75e951661193/Falloppio+770e8-screen-shot-2022-02-01-at-2.39.56-pm.png Blog - Female anatomy and the men who named it - It’s the name of the MALE anatomist, Gabriele Falloppio, who first described these structures. Yes, it was 500 years, he does seem like a brilliant scientist, and to be fair, he called it the “tuba uteri” and then other people named them Fallopian tubes after him. But why people then used his name for that specific piece of female anatomy is beyond me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e0a9905c-ec3c-4310-b7e9-373221554deb/patient+figurine+b3fd6-annie-spratt-ms-rlvpyal4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Female anatomy and the men who named it - The medical literature is full of rare or never-previously-described-conditions that are named after the medical doctors who described them for the first time. This can make the literature confusing but remains relatively harmless. If you want to name some scar tissue that remains near the liver after a raging case of pelvic inflammatory disease after yourself, I say go on ahead (yes, I’m talking to you, Mr. Arthur Hale Curtis and Thomas Fitz-Hugh Jr). The literature has moved away from these eponyms and started changing many of these terms and names conditions to make them more descriptive too. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) used to be called Stein-Leventhal syndrome. But PCOS is more descriptive and specific. I have diagnosed many patients with PCOS but have never told them they have Stein-Leventhal syndrome. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1f9e8b03-1b54-4ab1-b36a-7274782ab5a5/uterus+ce556-screen-shot-2022-02-06-at-10.20.02-am.png Blog - Female anatomy and the men who named it - Medically we use the term “hyst” to describe the uterus and derives from the Greek word for womb, “hystera”. A hysterectomy is removal of the uterus (hyst meaning uterus, -ectomy means removal). A hysteroscopy is a scope of the uterus (-oscopy means to look inside). You may also notice that adding an -eria to this phrase is HYSTERIA. Why is that? “Hyst” meaning uterus and “-eria” referring to “the place of”. Back in the day, it was thought when a woman was crazy pants, her womb was in the place of her brain and that led to her symptoms. We know now that the uterus does not in fact wander around the body causing symptoms but that word sticks around! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/sitz-baths monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/7fac8dd4-e031-4dde-9c78-9821f38e9419/499c7-screen-shot-2022-01-02-at-8.48.57-pm.png Blog - Sitz baths basics - Fill a simple bath with a few inches of warm water If you’re a bath hater and needs some alternatives, try: Basin or a plastic sitz bath (available as pharmacies, medical supply stores, or the internet. Look for something like the picture. Fill with water, place it under the toilet seat if appropriate, then sit to soak the area. A detachable shower head in shower will work to apply a steady stream of water. If all else fails, apply a wet washcloth to the area. Soak the vulva and perineum (the space between the vaginal and anus) in luke warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice a day, until symptoms improve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/8782736a-a307-4225-b894-db5ee309d3ab/6eb4a-timothy-dykes-e_gitafmfe4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Sitz baths basics - Nope! No need to add anything to the water. Epsom salts are sometimes suggested, but this is more for muscle relaxation and we aren’t trying to relax the vulvar muscles (because the vulva is the external part of the female genitalia and doesn’t have muscles). I know essential oils may sound tempting or relaxing, but when we’re dealing with skin inflammation, pure oils may be more irritating and inflammatory. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/kids-and-consent monthly 0.5 2024-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/cd00e7a1-f986-41fd-8a6c-c290adb808f4/adam-winger-mom+w+teen+girls.jpg Blog - 7 Ways to Talk to Your Kid About Consent - So as parents, what can we do about this? How can we contribute to these conversations? Sure, it’s great that our kids are talking about this at school and likely among their peers, but how do we make sure we’re having influence here as well? And for parents of younger kids, how do we introduce them to these ideas in a positive way early on? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1ad11c08-5231-4787-9092-1bd9808be5c6/mom+and+teen+artem-maltsev-unsplash.jpg Blog - 7 Ways to Talk to Your Kid About Consent - Of course, none of these suggestions are perfect for every family and you’ll find your own way to modify them that feels right for you. But this is a great way to get started. As I said from the beginning – our kids are already hearing this – so let’s not lose out on an opportunity to participate in these conversations! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/bartholin-glands monthly 0.5 2024-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a421f580-a265-4bf1-908e-622f4a356eeb/f8586-erik-mclean-fopdgln9sti-unsplash.jpg Blog - Bartholin Glands - the lady part you’ve probably never heard of - Bartholin glands sit right next to the vagina. There’s two of them – if your vaginal opening is a clock, your Bartholin glands are the 4 and the 8. They’re very small (less than 0.5 cm) and have the glamorous job of secreting mucus for vaginal lubrication. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/body-positivity monthly 0.5 2024-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/3b470cfa-9b52-4a1e-a25a-2d64d28da70e/unsplash+-+women.jpg Blog - 4 Ways to empower our children with body positivity - How about repeating positive messages to ourselves every day? A fake it til you make it approach. Unfortunately, research shows that this can actually backfire. By repeating positive affirmations that you don’t believe like “I am beautiful” you can in the end make yourself feel worse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/34963855-056b-43df-a432-89839659e57b/melissa-askew-teen+girls.jpg Blog - 4 Ways to empower our children with body positivity - I’ve been thinking a lot about a concept called body positivity – the idea that we should love our bodies despite our imperfections and flaws. That we need to reframe our focus from perfection and changing what we don’t like, to appreciating the function of our body. It’s about loving the body you have and not beating yourself up about changes that come from aging, pregnancy, or other life events. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/10-reasons-to-visit-a-gynecologist monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/f5651f8c-c266-4ff3-9aac-4226025d67ae/a96a2-miguel-oros-lmsppemvx2y-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 Reasons to visit a Gynecologist - Here’s a list of common other issues we address with patients! We never want you to feel embarrassed to bring up something – if we aren’t sure what to do with the symptoms, we’ll tell you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/bf8f77e3-8c80-4bf8-b18f-b22ba2945eeb/094f4-cory-bouthillette-72shmpbdmn8-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 Reasons to visit a Gynecologist - Vaginal odor is a common concern – don’t be embarrassed (trust us, we’ve seen worse!). It is often the result of a bacterial infection called bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, odor can be from other causes too – such as an STI, something stuck inside the vagina like a forgotten tampon, or body odor. To be able to help figure it out, an exam and some swabs or tests may be helpful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a2f54774-585a-4011-b4d5-7b6e250e8859/97f36-kelly-sikkema-1_rzl8bgbm-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 Reasons to visit a Gynecologist - So what are common issues people visit a gynecologist? So, so many. But here are some common ones: https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/mammogram monthly 0.5 2024-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/5ccd718f-2c31-45f4-9f7a-7e3485a7cf56/cleavage+jan-kopriva-aQCClWOS9dY-unsplash.jpg Blog - My experience with mammogram and why you should get yours! - Instead of thinking about it as something annoying, scary, or painful, tell yourself what a good job you are doing of taking care of your body. Reward yourself after your mammogram by going out to lunch with a friend, having a glass of wine, or doing some other self-care that fills your tank. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/266c3d29-408a-4b7c-ac88-5ea6f0d58086/brooke-cagle-ZuQnhpFjvHI-unsplash.jpg Blog - My experience with mammogram and why you should get yours! - I think for many of us, getting a mammogram feels like a marker of old age. Like a resignation that our body will likely fail us some day. No one wants to think about being diagnosed with cancer. And no one is particularly excited about standing half naked while two large metal plates squish your breast tissue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/cb9d8e66-52fe-42b1-9408-cac2459031c1/flight+alexey-starki-91ykdj2WQeg-unsplash.jpg Blog - My experience with mammogram and why you should get yours! - The radiation from mammogram is quite minimal. It’s less than a standard chest x-ray. And even less than your radiation exposure when flying. Yes, air travel does expose us to radiation! A flight from New York to Los Angeles is about the equivalent of 5 chest x-rays. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/otc-feminine-care-products monthly 0.5 2024-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/381f2890-2f3d-49a2-b2da-e95ceb074d0a/9a0ae-screen-shot-2021-10-31-at-12.51.23-pm.png Blog - OTC feminine care products - what they’re for and when you should use them! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a14ab34c-c0a3-42ce-9ccb-a5a3c313476f/71c14-screen-shot-2021-10-31-at-12.52.06-pm.png Blog - OTC feminine care products - what they’re for and when you should use them! - Used for: bladder pain with a UTI Yes, Pyridium and Azo are both brand names for a medication called phenazopyridine. Pyridium is used to help with the excruciating pain that is a UTI. How it works? Your guess is as good as mine … but it definitely can! The mechanism of action is unknown, but it’s thought that the dye in the medication helps with a local analgesic / anesthetic effect – this means pain relief or numbing effect in the bladder itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/967d2825-a3bb-4b95-bc15-aac476785d2d/d21ee-screen-shot-2021-10-31-at-12.54.17-pm-1.png Blog - OTC feminine care products - what they’re for and when you should use them! - Used for: vulvovaginal itching and inflammation Hydrocortisone is a mild topical steroid – good for treating topical and local skin inflammation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/a2700de1-0155-455f-b793-1ef3f7dfb2a9/fc788-screen-shot-2021-10-31-at-12.52.40-pm.png Blog - OTC feminine care products - what they’re for and when you should use them! - Used for: rebalancing the vaginal pH Many of my patients ask about RepHresh and using it to treat symptoms of a yeast infection or BV. It’s available over the counter and the promise of a simple vaginal gel to restore pH balance is intriguing. RepHresh is a vaginal pH modulator called polycarbophil – which is a gel that helps create a more acidic environment. When it comes to BV – there is some promise. A few small studies have shown it can help with symptoms and treatment of BV. Remember, BV is an imbalance of the microbiome in the vagina, causing a more basic pH. This gel (and the new contraception Phexxi) help promote a more acidic pH, which may help restore the balance. When it comes to yeast – it’s no help. Don’t use it. Yeast thrives in the acidic environment of the vagina, so a pH modulator won’t do anything! https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/vaginal-discharge monthly 0.5 2024-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c7858295-f62e-450d-a511-17c9bc58a176/engin-akyurt-PCpoG06fcUI-unsplash.jpg Blog - 5 surprising things your discharge can tell you… - If your discharge is less than usual for you or if it becomes thicker than normal (without odor or itching) this can mean you need more water in your life. Just like our urine looks more concentrated when we are dehydrated, same goes for your discharge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e2cb74a3-3068-4599-9fca-b09e87f50b5a/2c8d6-melani-sosa-5kynlhwro8y-unsplash.jpg Blog - 5 surprising things your discharge can tell you… - If you aren’t on a form of birth control that prevents ovulation, you should notice changes in your discharge depending on where you’re at in your cycle. Immediately after your period ends you may have pink or brown tinged discharge. After this discharge almost goes away all together and the vagina can feel a bit dry. As you are getting close to ovulation you should notice a clear watery discharge that is sometimes described like egg whites. After ovulation the discharge becomes thicker and creamy from the rise in progesterone until it’s time for your period again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/02526f0f-8508-4854-88af-0e627b8ebdf2/ffb9f-unsplash-period-products.jpg Blog - 5 surprising things your discharge can tell you… - Vaginal discharge before a period starts can have a brown tinge, pink tinge or even orangish tinge. If you notice this for a day or two (often accompanied by PMS symptoms) you can pretty accurately predict your period is coming. However, if your discharge goes on for several days like this, particularly if you are someone who isn’t having periods anymore – this is a reason to see your doctor to have it checked out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/2bb03096-e3f5-447e-b54d-0bfb374a0687/cb4f8-unsplash-having-a-baby.jpg Blog - 5 surprising things your discharge can tell you… - Yep, even pregnancy has a specific discharge associated with it. Increased discharge in early pregnancy is due to the rise in estrogen and progesterone that occur. This discharge tends to be increased in amount, slightly thicker and creamy. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/breast-cancer-risks monthly 0.5 2024-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/d05c2105-2a4a-4c04-ad06-b5f12ce7e2de/ce42d-tim-mossholder-ucurohsjfra-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 factors that increase your risk of breast cancer - Not surprisingly, female sex is a risk factor for breast cancer. Females are 100x more likely than males to get breast cancer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/209e3706-b543-45e3-94bb-0f39c7bc2864/1e8f0-i-yunmai-5jctamjz21a-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 factors that increase your risk of breast cancer - In women who have gone through menopause, higher weight is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. In premenopausal women, this is the opposite – lower weight is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/55284bf2-a8e6-4214-adee-b2700a118127/2c7e6-angiola-harry-njv6xnlpnaa-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 factors that increase your risk of breast cancer - Mammograms are the number one way we detect early breast cancer. In fact, mammograms are thought to detect breast cancer 1 to 4 years before you or your doctor would even be able to feel a lump on exam! There are several risk factors that may increase your chances of breast cancer and it’s important to be aware of these. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/bcb39735-ea74-4e95-82ba-b21ff41c860e/80f6a-adam-winger-mom-w-teen-girls.jpg Blog - 10 factors that increase your risk of breast cancer - Because breast cancer is so common, almost every woman has a family history of breast cancer. But when breast cancer occurs in first degree relatives (your mother, sister, or daughter), this is when it increases your risk more significantly. Having a first degree relative with breast cancer doubles the risk and having 2 first degree relatives with breast cancer triples the risk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/51714140-df24-4aca-8da4-dfa19ec7ebd6/pills-unsplash.jpg Blog - 10 factors that increase your risk of breast cancer - I get asked this question all the time – “Will being on hormones increase my risk of breast cancer in the future?” And the answer is…it depends. For women using oral contraceptive pills this does slightly increase your chance of breast cancer while on the pill. Though remember for most women using the pill in their 20s and 30s – your baseline risk of breast cancer is VERY low. This risk goes away completely between 2 to 5 years after stopping the pill. https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/alternative-treatments-for-yeast-infections monthly 0.5 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/1cb26c11-e3c6-466e-9dbe-6a6b90c29b5c/4c3d2-nastya-dulhiier-g8azxnvkbq0-unsplash.jpg Blog - Alternative Treatments for yeast infections - Probiotics – taking them orally, won’t recolonize the vagina. BUT, some evidence that recurrent yeast infections come from colonization of GI tract with yeast, so helping promote healthier GI tract may prevent vulvar vaginal yeast infections too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/52982c10-9161-4d34-b0ae-ff9c9f793d92/a1c05-am-jd-oqyv1-yzkzq-unsplash.jpg Blog - Alternative Treatments for yeast infections - Boric acid seems to be everywhere these days, which also is a big clue that it’s not regulated or FDA approved for anything. It is a weak acid suppository, placed inside the vagina (NEVER TAKE IT BY MOUTH. You could literally die). It has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity – that all sounds great, right? The problem is that it doesn’t target any one particular bacteria or fungus or virus. It targets them all. So it can help get rid of some bad bacteria / fungus / virus but it may get rid of some of the good too. This is why it should be used prudently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/e12291d8-f37c-4d01-92bf-e2dc2a13a086/e32c8-fulvio-ciccolo-al6u8edtg58-unsplash.jpg Blog - Alternative Treatments for yeast infections - Essential oils are pure oils extracted from plants. They contain “the essence” of the plant – its scent and flavor. Essential oils are traditionally used for their scent. Try lavender for its calming properties, grapefruit for its energizing properties, clove for its grounding properties. Our olfactory sense – our sense of smell – is a powerful tool that can help with mood, memories, and wellbeing. I highly recommend experimenting with smells and scents to see how they can help with your overall wellbeing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/280adf77-5a81-4782-92be-6dcd6007a1dd/fec0c-insung-yoon-dyxmhfb9pjw-unsplash.jpg Blog - Alternative Treatments for yeast infections - Let’s be clear – I do NOT recommend douches of any kind. Douches are products that are put inside the vagina with promises of feeling fresh or clean. Never do this. The inside of the vagina can maintain its own pH balance and microbiome and trying to “clean” it with soaps or products tends to cause more harm than good (and your vagina does not need cleaning!) . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/5614d5e0-e02a-486d-93e8-f04a84679675/af6fc-mike-kenneally-muv4ypu4og4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Alternative Treatments for yeast infections - From one extreme scent to another. Garlic in the vagina is more popular on TV shows than in real life. But does it actually work? https://www.femalehealtheducation.com/blog/yeast-infections monthly 0.5 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/9fe07a26-df1f-4299-996d-314522b2fd6e/58e90-fernando-venzano-mytyxb7fgg0-unsplash.jpg Blog - Yeast Infections and what to do about them - A small percent of the population will have recurrent yeast infections – this is defined as more than 4 infections in a year. We typically want the infections to be documented as yeast (through vaginal swabs) to make sure it actually is a yeast infection that is causing the symptoms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6500e2eff510645f63e2504b/c2829563-e455-4798-bbc3-176ebba768e7/e801b-nathaniel-yeo-747ndboawny-unsplash.jpg Blog - Yeast Infections and what to do about them - These are separate into 2 big categories: topical (vaginal creams / suppositories) and oral (pills). In most studies, patients prefer the pills. 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