This woman tried detoxing her vagina —and we feel pretty weird about it

Today in things you needed to know: A writer at Refinery29 decided to try the new Vaginal Cleansing Pearls that claim to rid your vagina of the evil toxins that dwell there.

Vaginal Cleansing Pearls are basically teabags for your vagina — a curated mix of herbs bunched together in a muslin satchel that you stick into your canal as close to the cervix as possible. According to their website, the Vaginal Cleansing Pearls claim to “remove scar tissue from child birth and Fallopian tube blockages, remove endometriosis tissue, increase moisture balance, eliminate infections and oder, and tighten the womb.”

The writer, Helen Nianias, was only able to withstand the detox for 12 hours before experiencing uncomfortable symptoms in her vagina. She became distressingly dry and tight, and even discovered crusting upon examination. She writes, “I feel like the lining of my enchanted yoni should just stay there and not be torn out? There’s a red matter coming off the “pearls” but I feel like that could be because the herbs are a sort of red colour?”

She removed the pearls and was advised by the retailer of her detox package that her reaction is not a normal one (although, would the creators of this product really admit to the fact that maybe we shouldn’t be shoving detox pearls up our vaginas?). They told the writer, “What you’re experiencing with regards to the stinging is not a normal reaction. I would expect that normal lubrication will continue after a week and the discharge and old tissue will have also disappeared.”

However, many health experts and doctors are advising against it.

A gynecologist named Dr. Jen Gunter recently wrote a blog post about the dangers of vaginal detoxing with these pearls. “Your uterus isn’t tired or depressed or dirty and your vagina has not misplaced its chakra,” she blogged. “They want no real help from you unless there is something wrong and they will tell you there is something wrong by bleeding profusely or itching or cramping badly or producing an odor.”

Nianas’ conclusion? She decided she’s better off not detoxing her vagina. “I do feel I know my body better. I know that my vagina won’t take any shit and that I have to just leave it alone, and respond when it calls,” she wrote. And we have to agree.

(Images via Shutterstock; Giphy/CBS; Etsy; Giphy/Universal Pictures)