Your Down There Skin Guide

Latest trend? Beauty products catering to your vagina. But experts are skeptical. Here, what to know about caring for your nether regions. (Including: Do nothing!)

- JESSICA CHIA

The year is 2022, and retail pharmacies are slowly being infiltrated by a new breed of personal-care products. And we mean personal. There are hydrating sheet masks for the bikini line, three-step skin-care systems for the entire area and specialised vaginal cream applicators. In short, the latest fad in skin care is all about caring for the skin between your legs.

But hold on a sec - do we really need all this stuff for the skin around our sex organs? The very, very short answer: no. "We don't recommend using any special products to wash the vagina," says obstetriciangynaecologist Dr Leena Nathan. "In fact, trying to cleanse the vagina can alter the bacteria of it and lead to more infections."

The longer answer: While you do not (we repeat: do not) need a suite of skincare products devoted to your nether regions, experts emphasise that it is completely normal to experience annoying or uncomfortable problems - think irritation, dryness, breakouts, itching, ingrowns, and even cysts - in the general area. So if things are less than peachy, keep reading and know that you're not alone on these important issues.

If You're Dealing With

External Bummers

Pubic-area problems tend to be ingrown hairs, hyperpigmentation and folliculitis (a bucket term for irritated hair follicles), says certified dermatologist Dr Muneeb Shah, also known as the 'DermDoctor' with over 16 million followers on TikTok.