This is because oestrogen is the hormone responsible for keeping the vagina and vulva lubricated and elastic. Surgery may sometimes be necessary.īreastfeeding itself doesn't causes problems, but the low oestrogen levels that accompany it can delay the return to normal of the vagina after pregnancy and childbirth. The result can be bladder and bowel function problems, such as urine or faecal leakage, and a lump may protrude from the vagina. While a vagina that has stretched during childbirth generally returns to normal with time, supporting tissues that hold vaginal structures in place can be damaged, and this may eventually lead to prolapse of the vagina walls. Tears or episiotomies may affect the appearance and function of the vagina and vulva in the long term, "depending on how well the tissue is put back together". The vagina and vulva will stay pretty much the same through the years from puberty to menopause, with the exception of two significant events: childbirth and breastfeeding.īringing a baby in to the world can be "very traumatic to the vaginal area," Dr Tan said. That plumpness becomes a bit saggy," she said.Īnd just like the hair on our heads, hair down there may become grey. "Like skin anywhere else it becomes thinner and a bit less elastic. The urethral entrance may also start to "pout a little bit and look a little bit fleshy". The clitoris can shrink, the labia can loosen, and there may be shrinkage of some tissue, Dr Tan said. The vagina and vulva lose thickness and the colour of the vulva can change from pink to a paler or darker hue. "The inside tubular area is the vagina," said Dr Tan.But the external parts, including the labia, are actually called the vulva. ![]() Many of us incorrectly refer to the whole area as the vagina."It's like anything - there's a complete spectrum of appearances of the area and they're all usually completely normal," Dr Yasmin Tan, a gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon with the Women's Health and Research Institute of Australia (WHRIA), said.Īdd the passage of time into the mix, though, and certain changes tend to be more universal. Just as everyone has a different body shape, eye colour, or preference for sexual partner, there is also enormous variation in vaginas and vulvas, regardless of age. So, what can you expect to happen to your vagina? What's normal and what's not?įirst things first. And as we get older or after childbirth, many of us are shocked to find the area has changed. These days, we look at our vaginas - or more correctly, vulvas - much more than women (or men) used to.
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