Decades ago, TV viewers watched ads that tried, delicately, to sell women on the practice of douching. As the softly-filtered camera panned across an ocean vista, two women would speak in whispery yet assured tones about how douching could take care of that "not-so-fresh feeling" … down there.

The pursuit of vaginal freshness has inspired millions of women to buy douche kits over the years. The word douche comes from the French word for "to wash" or "to soak," and a vaginal douche does just that - washing and soaking the vagina. Some women even make a weekly habit of cleansing their vagina with the bottled mixtures of water, vinegar, and sometimes iodine or baking soda.

Women douche because they believe douching to be effective in eliminating vaginal odours; clearing out discharge, menstrual blood, and semen; and as a method of birth control. But in recent years, doctors and experts have come out against the practice of douching, citing the dangers that outweigh any perceived benefits.

Here are the douching details:

  • Douching is linked to health risks. Women who douche regularly may increase their risk of several conditions that have been linked to its practice, including vaginal irritation, bacterial vaginosis, sexually transmitted infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID, in turn, makes a woman more prone to fertility problems and ectopic pregnancy.

  • Douching does not work as a form of birth control. If anything, douching may push sperm nearer to the cervix where it is more likely to make it to fertilization, and douching can decrease the effectiveness of spermicides.
  • Douching does not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Douching flushes the vagina with water and vinegar, but this does nothing against a potential sexually transmitted infection.

  • Douching does not cure vaginal infections. Antibiotics and antifungals cure vaginal infections (e.g., bacterial vaginosis or yeast infection) - douching does not. And douching can actually increase risk of infection by upsetting the balance of a healthy vagina. A healthy vagina is a slightly acidic environment containing beneficial bacteria, both of which protect a woman against infection.

  • Douching does not eliminate vaginal odours. The healthiest of vaginas can still have a mild odour, which is natural. Douching will only mask odours - not get rid of them. If you notice an unusually bad smell, see a doctor, as this could indicate a bacterial infection, urinary tract infection, or a sexually transmitted infection.

  • Douching isn't necessary to clear out discharge and menstrual blood. A woman can usually count her vagina to be self-cleaning, which makes douching redundant when it comes to clearing out menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and semen from sexual encounters. Warm water and mild soap are all that's needed to keep the outside of the vagina clean. But stay away from harsh soaps and scented tampons, pads, and sprays.

  • Only douche on doctor's orders. In some instances, douching may be helpful. Otherwise, there is no reason a woman needs to douche. Consult with your doctor at the first sign of possible infection:
    • pain during sex
    • thick, white, yellowish-green discharge
    • discharge with a foul smell
    • burning, swelling, redness, or pain in the area in and around the vagina

Amy Toffelmire