Popularized by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the vaginal sauna is gaining ground in the spa world and on social media. A “well-being” trend that is far from unanimous, especially among doctors and gynecologists. How effective is this treatment? Is it dangerous ?
The vaginal sauna was popularized by actress – and lifestyle guru in her spare time – Gwyneth Paltrow in 2015. Prized by stars like Chrissy Teigen, this trendy trend is generating strong reactions on social networks, and worries gynecologists. Latest example: a TikTok video shared on Twitter on January 10, 2021, initially posted on the account of @vtreatnl, a Dutch site specializing in the sale of natural intimate care, once again arouses the debate on this practice. And while some argue against this vaginal treatment described as dangerous, others praise its health benefits. What do you really risk by testing the vaginal sauna or "vagina steam"?
The vaginal sauna, what is it?
The vaginal sauna, also known as “V-Steam” or “Yoni steam”, consists of sitting (naked or at least, without stockings) over a bowl of water containing herbs. medicinal. This steam bath is a bit like a cold inhalation for the private parts. This is an ancestral technique that is said to be widely practiced in Asia and Africa. In his work Herbal medicine for women (Rustica editions), naturopath and trainer in symptothermy Fabienne Goddyn explains: "You proceed as an inhalation by pouring the herbal tea into a bowl, a basin or a pierced seat and by positioning your vulva above the vapors (…) An essential precaution is to carry out this bath with a hot but not boiling herbal tea , so as not to burn the fragile mucous membranes ”.
It adds several precautions and indications: “The vaginal sauna or yoni steam should last about ten minutes. It is practiced outside the rules, and the formal contraindications are the wearing of an IUD (risk of displacement by the opening of the cervix) or an infection (the heat can promote the growth of bacteria). Neither should it be practiced during pregnancy, or the luteal phase in the event of a desire to become pregnant, nor in the event of an open wound and wait for a caesarean section to heal for at least 3 weeks ”.
Miracle cure or new well-being fad?
In 2015, Gwyneth Paltrow was at the heart of a controversy for having recommended to take a sauna to her vagina. Since 2007, the star has been giving her readers the opportunity to live as healthy a life as hers, thanks to her Goop site, and recently released a documentary series on Netflix, dubbed The Goop Lab. “It's an energy release, not just a steam shower. It balances the levels of female hormones ”, she explained. Assertions that had then made gynecologists jump, like the Canadian-American Jennifer Gunter. “Anything sprayed, whether in the vagina or on the vulva, cannot balance reproductive hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, treat depression, or cure infertility. Even vaporizing estrogen wouldn't change that ”, replied the expert to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Among the benefits cited by naturopaths and people who practice it, we note the improvement of fertility, the healing of emotional wounds, the reduction of menstrual pain and vaginal dryness or even the regularization of the menstrual cycle. “Is it effective? It is not demonstrated. We cannot exclude (we can even reasonably think) that it has a placebo effect for women who practice it occasionally ”, confides feminist doctor Martin Winckler, interviewed by us. If the question of the well-tied and dubious self-care business around this technique can arise (pink packaging, dried flowers …), what is really its dangerousness?
V-steam, a dangerous trend?
"At best, the steam on your vulva will do nothing but make you feel good because you've spent a lot of money (the placebo effect increases the more you spend), at worst it will cause burns", says Jennifer Gunter on her blog. Martin Winckler has a less definite opinion on the question. "Is it dangerous? Probably not, apart from the risk of getting burned if the water is too hot and the steam boiling … So, apart from these reservations, I would surely not stigmatize / dramatize a practice which seems to me much less dangerous than to absorb certain essential oils ”. Finally, like some alternative medicines and holistic healing techniques that break away from traditional medicine, the vaginal sauna is controversial. In addition, its benefits have not been scientifically proven.
For Martin Winckler, it is much more harmful to introduce soaps into the vagina than to test Vagina steam. "Outside, once again, the dangers of heat", he specifies. In 2019, the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada reported the case of a 62-year-old woman who suffered from prolapse (organ descent) and who had suffered second-degree burns on the cervix and vaginal mucosa. Vaginal saunas are therefore strongly discouraged for women suffering from genital prolapse.
It is possible that the vaginal sauna will be good for some women. But what is good for a woman is not necessarily good for all. As a precaution, do not do this without the advice of a healthcare professional. If you want to take care of your vagina, gynecologists advise to avoid douching and so-called "hygienic" soaps and products which can compromise the balance of the vaginal flora, and clothes that are too tight, and not to abuse the toilet. intimate.
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