In gynecology clinics, patients often ask me: “I wash my vagina often, but why do I always get vaginitis?” In fact, the problem lies in “washing the vagina often”. Many people think that leukorrhea is an unclean thing, so they used to wash their vagina every time they wash their pubic area, or even wrap their fingers in “clean” wipes and scrub into their vagina in order to get rid of it completely. Leukorrhea is a sticky white liquid that comes out of the vagina. It is a mixture of secretions from the vestibular glands, cervical glands, endometrium, exudate from the vaginal mucosa and shed vaginal epithelial cells. The leukorrhea contains lactobacilli, lysozyme and antibodies, so it has the effect of inhibiting the growth of bacteria. During sexual intercourse, leukorrhea increases and has a lubricating effect on the vagina, which facilitates sexual intercourse. Generally, the leucorrhea increases in the middle of menstruation, thin and transparent; after ovulation, the leucorrhea becomes sticky again, cloudy and less in volume. The leucorrhea increases before menstruation and during pregnancy. Normal leukorrhea is one of the signs of a healthy female reproductive system and is never unclean. If you wash your vagina often, it is likely to bring disease-causing bacteria into the vagina, changing the normal pH of the vagina and affecting the distribution of normal flora, causing some parasitic bacteria to multiply and cause disease. In addition, the vagina is adjacent to the urethra and anus, and the skin of the vagina is often covered with urine and stool residue, so it needs to be cleaned and decontaminated frequently, but not as often as possible. Excessive cleaning can damage the protective film on the surface of the skin, making it dry and uncomfortable, and even painful and itchy. The correct way to cleanse the vagina The number of times to wash: 1 time a day is enough. Cleaning method: It is best to use shower conditions and rinse with warm water, if there is no shower conditions, you may use a basin instead, but it should be dedicated to a special basin. Washing order: Wash your hands first, then wash the vulva from front to back, then the labia majora and minora, and finally around the anus and anus. Cleaning solution: You can use health care cleansing products that can remove dirt and sterilize, but under normal circumstances, you can use water. Experts remind: Do not douche inside the vagina under normal circumstances.