This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
Published on August 16, 2019, a growing trend in Nairobi has seen women flocking to spas and salons for vaginal steaming, a practice that experts warn can be detrimental to their health.
Dr. Aggrey Akula, a gynaecologist based in western Kenya, and Dr. Nelly Bosire, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, are sounding the alarm on the dangers of vaginal steaming.
‘The vaginal environment is not sterilised. Bacteria and yeasts depend on the acidic-based balance to survive. The moment we change this by using herbs and steam, we are changing its chemical composition and inviting problems,’ Dr. Bosire says.
Dr. Akula advises that the vagina is a self-cleaning organ that functions just fine by cleaning itself without the need for steaming.
‘If the water is too hot, you could burn your vaginal walls because the vagina is made up of very delicate tissue. Another thing is, you could upset the PH balance of your vagina, bringing about yeast infections and UTIs, as well as irritation — the same things that you’re trying to keep off in the first place with vaginal steaming,’ Dr. Akula said.
According to a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, a 62-year-old Canadian woman sustained serious injuries after trying the treatment.
Dr. Vanessa Mackay, a consultant and spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, says that it is a “myth” that the vagina requires extensive cleaning or treatment.
