Your friendly guide to your vagina

Curious about your own body? 'Your friendly guide to your vagina' unlocks the knowledge you need to truly understand and appreciate your anatomy. We break down common myths, explain vital differences between vulva and vagina, and explore why every vulva-owner is entirely unique. With science-backed facts and straightforward answers, this article helps you navigate everything from natural changes to pleasure spots, dispelling confusion and celebrating the diversity of your body. Ready to feel empowered and confident? Discover the essentials that every vulva-owner should know.

How well do you know your vagina? We hope that just as well as you know your best friend! But even if you don't, it's understandable. There is a lot of contradicting information about the vaginas and vulvas out there, so it's natural to feel confused.

If you're on the journey of getting to know your vagina intimately, let's start with 10 things you should know.

1. Vagina and vulva are not the same

You might be referring to your vulva when you mean vagina and vice versa, which is a common misconception many vulva and penis owners have.

The term vulva is used to describe the labia (or lips) that cover your clitoris and vagina. And the term "vagina" refers to the closed muscular tunnel inside you that extends from the vulva to the beginning of the cervix.

2. No vulva is shaped the same

We are used to seeing only one type of vulva in the media, which is often small, pink, and hairless. However, the reality is very different, and there are tons of different shapes of vulvas with longer outer lips and longer or shorter inner lips, which create unique shapes for each vulva owner.

The same applies to color. For most vulva-owners, their vulva will have a darker hue than their skin tone, which is not necessarily pink. All shapes and colors are normal and healthy and beautiful.

3. The size of the vagina changes

Depending on the cycle and arousal levels (it extends as you get more aroused), the size of your vagina changes. The average size of the vagina is between 3 and 4 inches (1), but when you're aroused, the muscles relax and expand, and the cervix moves upwards, which causes it to lengthen.

The size of your vagina can also change throughout life. For example, as you age, it might become narrower and tighter due to the hormonal changes in your body. It might also change during pregnancy (2) and after giving birth.

4. Vagina is not straight

Yep! Your vagina is curved upwards (3) the closer it gets to the cervix.

5. Your vagina is self-cleaning

Your vagina is self-cleaning. It happens throughout the day, and that's why you get a discharge. So, you don't need to use feminine cleaning products on your vagina and vulva. If you interfere with the natural self-cleaning process, it can throw off your vagina's natural pH and cause infections.

6. Your cervix moves around

Depending on the time of the cycle, the position of the cervix varies. Because of it, during certain types of the month, it might be easier to achieve cervix orgasms because it is lower.

The position of your cervix also changes as your arousal levels shift. It moves up when you're aroused to lengthen and accommodate the penis or the toy better.

Note: Some women have a retroverted uterus, which means that their uterus is positioned backward and tipped backward towards their rectum rather than their stomach.

7. Your vagina's pH is acidic

While it might sound scary, it's a normal and healthy thing – your vagina's natural pH level is between 3.8 and 5.0, which is acidic (4), close to the pH level of red wine. And if you ever wondered why your underwear gets these random bleach stains, the secret is out!

8. All vaginas smell and taste different

Foods we eat (Ex: garlic, onion, dairy) might affect how your vagina smells and tastes, but different smells and tastes are healthy and normal. However, if the smell of pungent fish from your vagina persists or the smell suddenly changes, it's worth seeing your OB-GYN to ensure you don't have an infection.

9. The hymen has nothing in common with your virginity

Virginity as we know it is a social construct. Not all vaginas have a hymen; some vulva-owners are born without them. They're just a by-product of evolution and don't serve any purpose (5).

And contrary to popular belief, the hymen doesn't break and bleed the first time you have penetrative sex. If you experience pain and bleeding during sex, it's most often not from the hymen breaking but from a lack of arousal and lubrication, which causes friction.

10. Vagina has many pleasure spots

Vagina houses many erogenous zones like G-zone, A-spot, C-spot, etc., which can be pleasurable for many vulva-owners. Even if penetrative stimulation doesn't bring you to orgasm (most vulva-owners don't orgasm from penetrative sex alone without clitoral stimulation (6)), the simulation of these spots can still bring you intense pleasure. You only need to find the right type of stimulation.

The most common/widespread vaginal stimulation is back and forth (which is often more pleasurable for penis-owners). While it can also be pleasurable to vulva-owners, the type of vaginal stimulation that is more likely to bring you intense pleasure is pressure point stimulation and spreading motion.

(sources)

(1) Lloyd, J., Crouch, N.S., Minto, C.L., Liao, L.-M. and Creighton, S.M. (2005), Female genital appearance: ‘normality’ unfolds. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 112: 643-646. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00517.x

(2) Alexander NJ, Baker E, Kaptein M, Karck U, Miller L, Zampaglione E. Why consider vaginal drug administration? Fertil Steril. 2004 Jul;82(1):1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.01.025. PMID: 15236978.

(3) Luo J, Betschart C, Ashton-Miller JA, DeLancey JO. Quantitative analyses of variability in normal vaginal shape and dimension on MR images. Int Urogynecol J. 2016 Jul;27(7):1087-95. doi: 10.1007/s00192-016-2949-0. Epub 2016 Jan 25. PMID: 26811115; PMCID: PMC4916004.

(4) Salinas AM, Osorio VG, Pacha-Herrera D, Vivanco JS, Trueba AF, Machado A. Vaginal microbiota evaluation and prevalence of key pathogens in ecuadorian women: an epidemiologic analysis. Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 27;10(1):18358. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-74655-z. PMID: 33110095; PMCID: PMC7591572.

(5) Mishori R, Ferdowsian H, Naimer K, Volpellier M, McHale T. The little tissue that couldn't - dispelling myths about the Hymen's role in determining sexual history and assault. Reprod Health. 2019 Jun 3;16(1):74. doi: 10.1186/s12978-019-0731-8. PMID: 31159818; PMCID: PMC6547601.

(6) Debby Herbenick, Tsung-Chieh (Jane) Fu, Jennifer Arter, Stephanie A. Sanders & Brian Dodge (2018) Women's Experiences With Genital Touching, Sexual Pleasure, and Orgasm: Results From a U.S. Probability Sample of Women Ages 18 to 94, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44:2, 201-212, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2017.1346530