Experts Say

The vulva requires care to stay healthy. Keeping the vulva clean and dry is generally enough. However, do not douche, powder or use feminine sprays. Rinse the vulva, if necessary, with a perineal irrigation bottle, and dry the area by gentle patting rather than hair dryers. If there is mild vulva discomfort, soaking in warm water and using an emollient may be...

At puberty, fatty tissues deposit around the vulva increasing the size of the labia majora and mon pubis. In some girls, the pink labia minora may become darker. Pubic hair also starts to appear around this time. The vulva then remains similar until pregnancy. During pregnancy, the vulva can become engorged and varicosities are common. Pigmentation of the vulva, as with other...

The skin of the labia majora and the perineum are covered with skin just like on the rest of the body. In contrast, the labia minora are lined with a mucous membrane, whose surface is kept moist by fluid secreted by specialised cells. The area is often moist from normal vaginal discharge, sweating and in some women, incontinence. The combination of being...

The vagina refers to the elastic muscular tube extending from the external genitals to the neck of the womb (cervix). It is a reproductive conduit connecting the external environment to the internal genitalia. During sexual intercourse, it receives the penis and allows the sperm to swim up into the womb. Conversely, it allows blood flow to be expelled from the womb during...

The clitoris can be aroused and erect when sexually stimulated. This stimulation of the clitoris can cumulate into an orgasm.The fleshy padded tissue of the labia majora protect the other external genital organs. They also contain sweat and sebaceous glands, which produce lubricating secretions particularly during sexual intercourse. During sexual stimulation, the labia minora swell as their blood vessels become engorged with...