Popularization of gynecological health knowledge

90% of common gynecological problems have nothing to do with the stigmatizing labels of "improper private life" and "bad hygiene". As long as scientific daily care and regular screening are carried out, most problems can be avoided in advance, and there is no need to be ashamed to mention them.

To be honest, I have met too many patients in the outpatient clinic who came with concerns. Last week, I just received a 22-year-old girl who was taking the postgraduate entrance examination. She stayed up for half a month under pressure and her vulva was a little itchy. I was embarrassed to tell others, so I bought an internet celebrity lotion called "sterilizing and anti-inflammatory" through a short video. The inside of the vagina was flushed for a week. It was originally just an ordinary dysbiosis, but the "probiotic moat" of the vagina was suddenly washed away. When it came, it was already severe fungal vaginitis. I sat in the clinic with a red face and said, "Am I too dirty?" It took me a long time to calm down.

In fact, the self-cleaning function of the vagina itself is more reliable than most lotions. Its micro-ecology is like a stable small pond. Lactic acid bacteria dominate and can maintain the pH value in a weakly acidic safe range. External germs can basically be eliminated when they enter. If you pour medicine or lavage fluid into it at will, it is equivalent to pouring disinfectant directly into the pond. The beneficial bacteria will die and miscellaneous bacteria will naturally grow wildly.

When it comes to daily care, there are actually many controversial points, and there is no need to stick to a certain standard. Take panty liners as an example. There is a school of thought that says they should never be used during non-menstrual periods. They are not breathable and may cause problems due to stuffiness. ； There are also clinical guidelines that mention that if there is a lot of secretion during ovulation, or if you cannot change your underwear in time when you go out, you can use it for a short period of time, but you must change it every 2 hours, and you must not use it from morning to night with one pad. There is also the question of whether underwear should be boiled. For patients with recurrent fungal vaginitis, we do recommend boiling pure cotton underwear in boiling water for 10 minutes to sterilize them regularly. ； But if there is no inflammation at ordinary times, it is enough to just wash it and expose it to the sun for more than 4 hours. Repeated high-temperature cooking will make the fabric hard, and it will rub the vulva mucosa when wearing it, which may easily cause discomfort.

Don't believe the nonsense that "cervical erosion is a serious gynecological disease that requires surgery."

This word has long been deleted from textbooks. It is essentially cervical columnar epithelial ectopia, which is a normal physiological phenomenon caused by changes in hormone levels. Young girls have high estrogen levels and basically have it. It is not a disease at all and has nothing to do with "rottenness". Of course, don’t overdo it. If you have contact bleeding after intercourse, or your leucorrhea is yellow, smelly, and bloodshot, even if your physical examination says you have a “smooth cervix,” you still need to undergo TCT and HPV screening. Don’t force it.

Many people think, “If I don’t feel uncomfortable, I don’t need to have a gynecological examination.” This is not true. Last year, a 32-year-old mother of two children came for a physical examination at the work unit. She had never had abnormal leucorrhea. The result was positive for HPV16. TCT showed low-grade lesions. She underwent colposcopy biopsy and local intervention in time, and it turned negative in half a year. ； If she waits for another three to five years, the probability of developing high-grade lesions or even cervical cancer will be much higher. After having sex, do a TCT+HPV joint screening every year. If it is normal for three consecutive years, you can check it every 2-3 years. Spending a few hundred yuan can nip the risk of cervical cancer in the bud, which is worth it.

There is also the rumor that "dark private parts means frequent sex", which has deceived countless girls. Dark color in the private parts is essentially melanin, which is related to heredity, natural hormone levels, and pubertal development. Just like some people are born with white skin and some are born with dark skin, it has nothing to do with the number of times they have sex. Don’t mess with those bleaching products and bleaching products that claim to make private parts pink and tender. Many of them contain corrosive ingredients, which can burn mucous membranes and cause inflammation in mild cases, or leave permanent damage in worst cases. There is really no need to ruin your body for unwarranted prejudices.

One last thing to say, if you really feel uncomfortable, don’t blindly search on Baidu. After searching, you feel like you will have cancer tomorrow, and don’t be embarrassed to go to the gynecology department. We see dozens of patients every day, and we have seen all kinds of situations. No one will judge you, and no one will bother to ask you about your private life. Rather than forcing it to the end, causing pelvic inflammatory disease or fallopian tube adhesions that affect pregnancy, it is your responsibility to treat the doctor openly.

To put it bluntly, gynecological health is the same as brushing your teeth and protecting your teeth every day, and checking your liver function regularly. It is the most common part of body care. It is nothing shameful. You care about your own body more than anything else.