Here’s what gynos say you should do to keep your vag healthy this fall

Cooler temperatures are coming, which means a reprieve for your vagina.

The hot, swampy summer temperatures do not bode well for our lady parts according to Dr. Raquel Dardik, a gynecologist and clinical associate professor at New York University. She told Seventeen that summer is a prime time for yeast infections and the crisper autumnal temperatures help prevent infection. This is exciting news, considering nearly 75 percent of adult women have had at least one infection in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Yeast thrive in humid, hot, moist places,” Dr. Dardik told Seventeen. “It’s not that the vaginal area specifically changes, but the vulvar area does get a lot hotter, stickier, and sweatier in the summer, so that does increase the likelihood of having yeast infections.”

Though you may be sweating significantly less, she warned that the colder weather also leads to the propensity to wear tighter, form-fitting clothing like leggings or skinny jeans that can also cause discomfort for the vagina. She recommends wearing skin-hugging and synthetic clothing in moderation.

“Looser and breathable clothing is what helps the most in terms of decreasing not just infections, but discomfort in general,” she said.

Likewise, a drop in humidity does not mean less moisture down there. She noted that drier conditions outside should not transpire to drier conditions elsewhere, and if this happens there may be cause for seeing a doctor as product irritants or other factors may be the source.

She also dispelled the rumor that sugar-laden diets can be less-than-healthy for your vagina , but did recommend eating yogurt or other food items that have live active cultures to help improve vaginal health.

“We know that women who have diabetes are at higher risk for yeast infections,” she said. “There’s not a lot of research indicating whether women who eat diets that are higher in sugar but are not diabetic have any higher risk of yeast infections.”

So loose clothes, lower moisture, and more yogurt. Sounds like a healthy fall plan we can get behind!