Leyner and I both clearly remember the airwaves being pounded with douche advertising in the 1980s. How can you forget the image of a daughter asking her mother if she ever gets that “not so fresh feeling” and them proceeds to flush herself with a vinegar and water solution. It always made us think of someone giving themselves and enema with salad dressing.

These ads are less visible now, but Massengill and Summer’s Eve are still selling these products. But, there is no evidence that these products are necessary and, actually, the very practice of vaginal douching may be dangerous.

Vaginal douching has been around for centuries and evolved at a time when there were no medications to treat infections. It involves flushing a special solution (usually water and vinegar) into the vagina under the premise that it flushes out bacteria to reduce or eliminate odor. Vaginal douching has many risks and has been linked to a number of adverse health conditions, including bacterial and yeast infections, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth, reduced fertility, and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases.

Remember, there is no need to use any fancy grooming products; the vagina is a self-cleaning oven.