Happy #SelfcareSunday Mamas!
As you know, we are all about taking care of yourself – especially after kids! It’s important to make time to give your body and mind to a little bit of treatment now and then.
A trip to the salon, a visit to your eyebrow lady, getting a massage, taking a yoga or meditation class are all great ways to show your body you care. But what about the care for down there?
Your vagina needs love too! And I’m not just talking about sexual pleasure – I am talking about a spa day for your V. I’ve found that one of the best ways to refresh yourself down there is through vaginal steaming and my new favorite, vaginal suppositories.
In short, using these probiotic vaginal suppositories can help protect and balance your vagina’s pH, making it healthier overall. Sounds amazing, right?
We had to dig a little deeper, so we teamed up with the ladies at Kalao Feminine Bloom to answer a few questions about pH balance and why we should care about it!
First, let’s introduce you to Kalao Feminine Bloom. They are vaginal suppositories that contain a carefully selected blend of herbs, specifically for their natural antibacterial and antifungal properties; along with the recommended therapeutic dosage of sodium borate for treating bacteria vaginitis and yeast.
Because bacteria and fungi develop in more alkaline environments where the acid levels are too low to resist bacteria, it is important to maintain good levels god there. Kalao works by maintaining a consistent pH level inhibiting bacteria and fungi from growing and spreading. Yes yes yes!
So, what exactly is pH?
Kalao: pH is the measurement of how acidic or alkaline something is. pH is the measurement of those levels, and for levels of the vagina. Measurement of pH acidic to alkaline is assigned a value system of 0-14 (think sour (0), bland (7), and sweet (14) with 0 being the strongest and 14 being the strongest base.
When do pH levels change?
Kalao: Our vagina likes an acidic environment with optimal levels being between 3.8 – 4.3 and does this by maintaining an ecosystem with friendly bacteria such as Lactobacillus. These bacteria produce acid the vagina needs to maintain healthy pH levels. Unhealthy bacteria and fungus that lead to infection grow in pH levels higher than 4.5, it is in this environment that the healthy bacteria become outnumbered by the bad bacteria that can lead to infection. It is a lot of times during this stage even before an infection actually occurs that we may experience signals that pH levels are rising; strong odor during sex, thick discharge, or itching. You may notice one symptom but not all, so it may not be enough to trigger a trip to the doctor, but it can be uncomfortable or even embarrassing.
What about the vagina being self-cleaning?
Kalao: It is correct that the vagina has its own process for expelling harmful bacteria and regulating pH levels. It is this delicate ecosystem that we call flora and has a very intricate set of rules for maintenance. In other words, “Flora” can be pretty picky. She has specific needs in order to do her job of properly maintaining pH balance and is that the famed self-cleaning ecosystem can work; is when pH is balanced. Without proper pH the self-cleaning mechanism(s) the vagina is known for aka Flora, is working overtime without support. Leaving room for disruptive bacteria and yeast to overgrow.
Kalao: The great news is most pH fluctuations do not result in immediate irritation or infection. Usually, the flora levels can adjust to slight changes and can bring pH levels to its optimal range. This does, however, need to happen within a certain amount of time in prevent levels from rising and unwanted bacteria from taking over. The less time you go outside of optimal ranges the fewer chance bacteria has to grow. Extended periods of time with pH imbalance or a drastic change in pH levels can result in rapid onset of irritation from infection, the overgrowth of bad bacteria.
What causes pH imbalance?
Kalao: pH levels higher than 4.5 allows bacteria and yeast to thrive and grow resulting in the mlid to severe symptoms of infection.
There are a number of factors that can create imbalance such as:
- Douching – water is alkaline at around 7, it removes both the good and bad bacteria in the vagina
- Harsh or perfumed soaps – strip away good bacteria
- Menstruation – blood has a pH level of 7.4 making it alkaline and therefore can reduce the acidic levels in the vagina
- Semen – Yes! Semen is alkaline with levels between 7.1 and 8 (designed to survive the acidic environment of the vagina)
- Tampons menstrual cups – because these items hold onto the fluids that can change pH due to their alkaline nature
- Menopause, pregnancy, and certain medications – adjustments or changes in hormone levels can change the pH level in the vagina.
- Antibiotics – create antibodies that fight both good and bad bacteria
- Tight clothes or damp moist clothes – fungi need certain environments to grow a build-up of moisture can cause irritation. Proper airflow is needed to prevent a bacteria and fungi friendly environment.
The goal is to have an acidic enough environment to prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria. The not so sweet, sweet spot 🙂
Ok, now let’s talk a little more about Kalao Feminine Bloom 🙂
So… what about using Kalao before sex?
Kalao: Ladies love using Kalao to make them feel confident and fresh for sexual activity. The suppositories are designed to dissolve and melt with a woman’s body heat. It’s best to allow 24 hours for it to expel from the vagina. Otherwise, you may notice some product left over. No worries, Kalao doesn’t stain clothes or irritate your partner, although the “taste” of Kalao during oral sex may be noticeable (Kalao is edible but not tasty, as there is no sugar or salt which is preferred by taste budsJ )
Can I use Kalao while pregnant?
Kalao: While all the ingredients in Kalao are safe for pregnancy the combination of some of the herbs can cause temporary gas/bloating. This effect is temporary, usually lasting no more than 15 minutes but we like to advise mommies to be to wait until their 2nd and 3rd trimester before using use Kalao for comfort.
What about using Kalao after childbirth?
A mommy of 10 originally created Kalao, for its postpartum benefits. After childbirth, the uterus is quite active in contracting and returning to its normal size. Additionally, after delivery, your hormones level change suddenly causing multiple symptoms that can affect vaginal pH. The body does a good job of getting things back to normal; regulating blood flow, expelling excess hormones, shrinking the uterus, but lingering discharge and odor after childbirth are common. Kalao is perfect in quickly restoring pH levels to normal, reducing discharge and odor; while the mucilage herbs help to increase healthy vaginal secretions contributing to Kalao’s known tightening effects.
We are excited to partner with Kalao on a very special giveaway! Plus today, they are offering special flash sale for 20% off your purchase! Click here to shop out the sale