It’s that time again: Time for us to remind you that your vagina is self-cleaning and you do not need to shove anything up there to detoxify, cleanse or smooth it. The latest offender is a stick you insert to tighten and exfoliate — yes, exfoliate — your vagina.
Normally, here is when we’d launch into our spiel on how people say “vagina” when they really mean “vulva” or “labia,” but in this case, this product — the Jamu Stick — is actually designed to be inserted into your vagina. This isn’t the same as those “vagina facials” that made the rounds a few years ago, which actually dealt with the skin around the bikini line and labia rather than anything internal. This stick actually goes inside your vagina.
Here’s how it works, according to their website: “Ingredients contained in Jamu Stick remove the dead skin cells of the superficial layer of the skin, thereby regenerate and balance the natural microbial flora in the vagina.” (More on how that’s complete bullshit later.)
Though the product itself isn’t new, it has been making the rounds on social media, along with some colorful — and strong — commentary. Jamu Stick has since deleted their Facebook page (and hence the post), but it lives on in screenshots:
But have no fear, their website is also chock full o’ nonsense, like these helpful diagrams depicting a vagina of someone who uses the stick versus someone who doesn’t:
It’s amazing how sticking something up inside your vagina like that supposedly makes it…smaller?
And then there’s this:
Where to even begin with this one? Aside from virginity being an outdated, patriarchal, heteronormative social construct, your vagina does not need to be cleansed, and vaginal discharge doesn’t need to be eliminated, because in most cases, it’s completely healthy and normal.
Here’s the other thing: vaginal skin can be pretty thin and can tear easily, especially if you’re already experiencing dryness. This can lead to cuts or tears which can then become infected. So inserting a stick to remove dead skin cells and so-called “superficial layers” of skin is not necessary, nor safe. Don’t do it.
If you absolutely must put something in your vagina, please make sure it is on our approved list.
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