Why Gwyneth Paltrow Thinks You Should Steam Clean Your Vagina – and Why the Experts Disagree

Gwyneth Paltrow has come under criticism again for doling out advice on her health and lifestyle website Goop – recommending that women steam-clean their vaginas.

Talking of the Tikkun spa in LA she writes, ‘…the real golden ticket here is the Mugwarts V-Steam. You sit on what is essentially a mini throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al. It is an energetic release – not just a steam souche – that balances female hormone lvels. If you are in LA, you have to do it.’

And let’s face it, why wouldn’t you trust implicitly in the recommendations of a woman who thinks that ‘Apple’ is a perfectly reasonable name for a child, and that the best way to deal with being angry at your spouse is to perform oral sex on them. Of course this relationship advice isn’t fool proof and may still result in ‘consciously uncoupling,’ but what the heck right? Drop to your knees and show him exactly how pissed off you are – that’ll teach him to treat you better next time, right?

However, if you are of a less pessimistic nature, and think that turning your vagina into a dim sim, doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend 30 minutes and $50 you might be interested to hear what the experts think.

Hilda Hutcheson, MD ob/gyn at Columbia University Medical Center:

“It probably feels good because the heat increases blood flow to the whole vaginal area, including the clitoris which could turn some women on…but if you go to close to the steam, you could end up with second degree burns down there.”

Source: News.Health.com 

Dr Jen Gunter, ob/gyn of California who specializes in vulvovaginal disorders:

“The vagina (and uterus and vulva for that matter) should be viewed as self-cleaning ovens. We know that douching is harmful, heck, even seminal fluid can be harmful (exposure to multiple partners without condoms is a major risk factor for imbalance of the vaginal ecosystem). The upper and lower reproductive tracts have very intricate mechanisms for regulating local health and they are very easy to mess with. It’s a delicate garden, if you will. So one needs to be thoughtful, nay conscious about what one uses in said garden.

…Ms. Paltrow and the people who push V-steams also need a little anatomy lesson because unless that steam is under high pressure (like with ejaculation) it’s not getting from the vagina into the uterus. Air (whether hot of cold) does not magically wander from the vagina into the uterus. Heck, even water in the vagina doesn’t get sucked up by the uterus.

…Steam is probably not good for your vagina. Herbal steam is no better and quite possibly worse. It is most definitely more expensive.
Steam isn’t going to get into your uterus from your vagina unless you are using an attachment with some kind of pressure and MOST DEFINITELY NEVER EVER DO THAT.
Mugwort or wormwood or whatever when steamed, either vaginally or on the vulva, can’t possibly balance any reproductive hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, treat depression, or cure infertility Even steamed estrogen couldn’t do that.”

Read Dr Gunter’s entire post here

Still think that your vagina could do with some pampering – cos lordly knows there is nothing worse than a stressed out vagina – then maybe take on board Dr Gunter’s parting word’s of wisdom:

If you want to feel relaxed get a good massage.
If you want to relax your vagina, have an orgasm.