Frequently Asked Questions

This is completely normal. More than likely it happens because there is more blood flow into the vaginal area before your period. Vagisil® Creme can help relieve the itch and discomfort. If the itchiness does not go away once your period is over however, you may have an infection.

If you are unsure of the type of infection you might have, the Vagisil® Screening Kit, is an easy-to-use, in-home test that can tell you whether you may have a yeast infection or something else that would require a doctor's visit. Also, if this is the first time you have had a yeast infection, you need to see your doctor.

This condition is very common and can be caused by:

• tight clothing, perspiration
• antibiotics
• monthly hormonal fluctuations
• allergic reaction, dermatological causes
• vaginal dryness, sexual activity

If you experience irritation and itching, try Original Strength Vagisil® Creme. For painful, burning itch try Maximum Strength Vagisil® Creme. If symptoms don't improve within 7 days, check with your doctor.

Not all vaginal infections are yeast infections. In fact 2 out of 3 women who think they have a yeast infection, don't. They may have BV, Trichomonas or they may not even have an infection at all.

Confusion is understandable because symptoms of different vaginal infections can be similar. These can include unusual discharge, intense itch, burning or unusual (foul or fishy) odor.

The primary symptoms of the different vaginal infections can be:

• Yeast — itching and cottage cheese like discharge. There can be lots of vulvar irritation.
• BV - unusual discharge and fishy or foul odor. There may be some itching.
• Trichomonas — (which is a sexually transmitted infection) — lots of discharge, which may have an unusual color, sometimes a foul or even fishy odor.

BV and trichomonas need to be treated by a medical professional. Yeast can be treated with an over-the-counter anti-fungal or a prescription anti-fungal. However, anti-fungals need time to work. In fact, it can take several days before the burning itch is gone. Vagisil® Medicated Wipes can cleanse away the discharge and help you feel more comfortable.

If you are unsure of the type of infection you might have, the Vagisil® Screening Kit, is an easy-to-use, in-home test that can tell you whether you may have a yeast infection or something else that would require a doctor's visit. Also, if this is the first time you have had a yeast infection, you need to see your doctor.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in the United States. It is more common than yeast infections. BV is a vaginal infection that occurs when "bad" bacteria in the vagina take over. These bacteria normally occur in very small numbers, and are kept in check by "good" bacteria. Exactly why the bad bacteria start to grow and predominate is not very well understood, but there are risk factors for BV. These include douching, a new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners and an intrauterine device.

The symptoms of BV include odor, discharge, and sometimes itching. The odor can have a strong fishy smell and may be more noticeable just after your period or after having sex. The discharge may be thinner than usual and can vary in color. It could be gray to white.

The symptoms of BV and yeast are similar and can be confused. If you are not sure what type of infection you might have try the Vagisil® Screening Kit. It can tell you may have a yeast infection or another type of vaginal infection that requires a doctor's visit. BV needs to be treated with a prescription antibiotic. To help you feel more comfortable during treatment try Vagisil® Medicated Wipes. They can cleanse away the discharge and help relieve itch and odor.

Although a yeast infection is not sexually transmitted from woman to man, it is still advisable to clear up the infection before resuming sexual intercourse. Reasons are:

• a yeast infection can leave the vaginal area inflamed and susceptible to trauma.
• a yeast infection can cause sex to be painful or irritating to both partners.

It is unlikely, but it is possible. Therefore, oral sex is not recommended when you have a yeast infection.

Yes, all women will experience some degree of vaginal discharge due to the normal rise and fall of hormones. Normal discharge is our body's own way of cleansing itself. If a discharge has an unusually foul, fish-like odor, abnormal color or thick curd-like consistency, you should see your doctor since it could be a vaginal infection. An easy way to tell if you may have a yeast infection or something else, is to use the in-home Vagisil® Screening Kit.

Every woman has some degree of vaginal discharge, which may have a distinct odor. To feel fresher and drier from normal discharge and odor take these steps:

• Practice good hygiene with daily showering and washing the genital area with a mild wash such as Vagisil® Feminine Wash with Odor Block protection.
• Wear cotton underwear and make sure pantyhose have a cotton crotch.
• Sprinkle Vagisil® Deodorant Powder in panties, on panty liners or pads to help absorb wetness and eliminate odor.

Urine leakage is a common problem among pregnant women, after childbearing and during the peri and postmenopausal years. It can occur with a laugh, cough or sneeze. You should be evaluated by a gynecologist or an urologist to make sure there is nothing serious causing the problem. There are a couple of things you can do to feel clean and fresh:

• Vagisil® Feminine Wash: A gentle wash that helps stop odor from happening.
• Vagisil® Deodorant Powder: It absorbs irritating wetness and deodorizes so you feel dry and fresh.

Discomfort may be felt internally, externally or both. Many women first notice vaginal dryness when intercourse becomes uncomfortable. Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer can be used to help relieve vaginal dryness and make intimate moments more pleasurable.

If you are breastfeeding and not getting your period, it is very common to have vaginal dryness from lack of estrogen. Certain antidepressants can diminish sexual drive and therefore lubrication can decrease as well, causing vaginal dryness. Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer can be used daily to relieve this dryness. It is important to remember that it does take time to adjust to a new baby, sleepless nights, and the many aspects of parenthood. All of these can put a strain on intimacy between partners. It is important to communicate with each other about these concerns and seek help if necessary.

Both chemotherapy and hysterectomy (with the removal of both ovaries) are procedures that can put a woman into menopause, lowering her estrogen level. Lower estrogen results in vaginal dryness. The tissues in the vaginal and genital areas have estrogen receptors and estrogen keeps them healthy, supple and able to lubricate. If the estrogen is unavailable, then the tissues become thin, atrophic and dry. Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer relieves vaginal dryness and can be used daily on the external genital area to help lubricate and replenish some of this lost moisture.

Assuming you are not in menopause, you will lubricate more readily if you are aroused and also comfortable mentally and physically both before and while you are having sex. At certain times of the month you will be "drier" than other times. Certain drugs, such as antihistamines, some cough/cold medications and some oral contraceptives can also cause vaginal dryness. Regular use of Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer can help to keep the external tissues in the area more supple and less dry in general, as well as during sexual relations.

Menopause and the resulting decrease in estrogen is also responsible for vaginal dryness. It can also be helped with Vagisil® Intimate Lubricant.

Vagisil products are available in the feminine hygiene section of most food, drug, mass merchants, and on-line.

Vagisil Creme is applied externally -- outside the vagina. Using your fingertip, apply a fingertip amount (approximately 1 inch strip) to the affected area at the labia/vulva. Products that are applied internally, like some yeast infection products, come with an applicator.

Yes, Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer is fine to use even if you have oral sex. It has no harmful ingredients or hormones and has no taste. However, it is not recommended that one ingest it deliberately since it is not a food product.

Vagisil® Feminine Moisturizer can be applied with your fingertip to the outside of the vagina or labia -- the lips of the vagina. It is meant for external use only. It is not like the products used internally. Those come with an applicator you insert inside the vagina.

Vagisil® Deodorant Powder does not contain talc and never has. It is made with pure pharmaceutical grade cornstarch and baking soda to absorb wetness and odor so you feel fresher and drier.

As with all feminine hygiene products, a woman should consult with her doctor or health care provider before use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

As with all feminine hygiene products, a woman should consult with her doctor or health care provider before use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Only one Vagisil product, Vagisil® Satin, contains hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe and effective for use in Over-the-Counter (OTC) topical products over twenty-five years ago. Hydrocortisone is contained in other OTC creams, ointments and lotions for relief of itch associated with skin irritation and inflammation.

Both of these ingredients belong to the chemical class of aliphatic alcohols, but they are very different from what people typically think of alcohol. Both of these ingredients are actually solids. Lanolin alcohol is a thickening agent and has some emollient properties. Cetyl alcohol is also a thickening agent with emollient properties. Neither of these ingredients dries the skin, but actually help moisturize it.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that girls schedule their first visit to a gynecologist between the ages of 13 and 15. It's especially helpful if they are concerned about being a "late bloomer." It's also a perfect time to ask any questions on any topic. Problems that should prompt a gynecologist visit include any pain, swelling, abnormal vaginal discharge or odor, severe menstrual cramps, blood in the urine and abnormal breast changes.

The gynecologist is like other doctors, so he/she will initially talk with you about your medical history. If you are not sexually active, the doctor may do a gentle breast exam and superficial pelvic exam. However, if you are sexually active, a pelvic exam and a Pap smear will both be done, as well as a breast exam.

A Pap smear is primarily a screening test for cervical cancer. It is done by using a speculum to widen the vagina and allow the doctor to view the cervix. Using a special brush (a cotton swab with a brush at the end), the cervix is gently brushed to gather some cells. These cells are placed on a slide or in a special vial to be looked at under a microscope.

HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus, which is a sexually transmitted disease and is very common in young women today. It can cause venereal warts, which are warty growths that occur in the genital area of both men and women. It can also cause changes in the cells of the cervix, which can lead to precancerous results on the Pap test (called dysplasia) and even cervical cancer. HPV is very contagious. Both men and women often do not know that they have the virus. If you think you have this infection or have been exposed to it, you should see your gynecologist.

Pubic hair has an important function. It serves to protect the vaginal area against disease, infection and trauma. Therefore, the safest form of bikini wax to get is one that just removes hair in the bikini line. It is not advisable to remove all the pubic hair.

If you have feminine discomfort, a mild cleanser, such as Vagisil® Wash, may help you feel more comfortable than cleansing with a harsh cleanser or soap. A harsh cleanser or soap may dry the skin of the vulvar area and actually cause discomfort.

No, it is not necessary. Since the vagina cleanses itself there is no need to insert products or douches into the vagina for cleansing. In addition douching is a risk factor for getting bacterial vaginosis. You can feel clean and fresh by using a mild cleanser, such as Vagisi® Feminine Wash with Odor Block protection to wash the external vaginal (vulvar) area.

Sometimes an allergy can develop to one or more ingredients in a laundry detergent and your undergarments (and other laundered clothes) may cause skin itch and/or irritation. In this case you might want to try a dye-free and fragrance-free detergent. Another possible cause for discomfort and itch may be incomplete rinsing of a laundry detergent out of your clothes or undergarments.

Feminine odor is entirely normal and many women experience it. Normal odors can come from sweat, bacteria and hormonal fluctuations. Daily washing or showering with warm water (not hot) and a mild, non irritating cleanser, such as Vagisi® Feminine Wash with Odor Block protection will help. If you have a problem with too much wetness, discharge, sweating or odor you can apply Vagisil® Deodorant Powder each day to help keep you odor free.

If you have an unusual odor, (fishy or strong) this can be a sign of a vaginal infection.

No, it is not normal to have a fishy odor. An unpleasant or fishy odor is a symptom of a vaginal infection. If you are unsure of the type of infection you might have, the Vagisil® Screening Kit, is an easy-to-use, in-home test that can help tell you whether you have a yeast infection or something else that would require a doctor's visit. If you do think your infection is yeast and this is the first time you have had a vaginal infection, you should see your medical provider.

Using Vagisil® Wash when you shower can help you feel clean and fresh. To help maintain that clean, fresh feeling between showers, sprinkle Vagisil® Powder on your pad or pantiliner.

No, it's not necessary. But if you want to feel clean and fresh you can shower with Vagisi® Feminine Wash with Odor Block protection.

To help prevent odor, start with a gentle cleanser, such as Vagisil® Wash. This wash contains Odor Block protection which helps keep odor from happening. In addition, you may wish to use Vagisil® Powder. By absorbing feminine moisture, the powder will help prevent odor.

The normal, healthy vagina contains both good and bad bacteria. Normally, the healthy bacteria predominate and they keep the vaginal pH 4.5 or lower. But sometimes, something causes the bad bacteria to overgrow. When this happens the bacteria are "out of balance" and bacterial vaginosis (BV) may occur. With BV the vaginal pH is usually 5.0 or higher.

Good bacteria in the vagina are lactobacillus species. They produce lactic acid, which keeps the vaginal pH at 4.5 or lower. This fairly low pH does not favor the growth of bad bacteria. The good bacteria also produce other substances that inhibit the growth of bad bacteria.

Bad bacteria normally exist in very low numbers in the vagina. If these bacteria overgrow, they can cause bacterial vaginosis and the vaginal pH will usually be 5.0 or higher. The reason the bad bacteria overgrow is not very well understood, but some things that may harm the good bacteria (such as douching) seem to be risk factors for BV. Other risk factors for BV include a new sexual partner or multiple partners, or use of an intrauterine device.