issues with my clit

[cy]

after taking advice and reading up on some of the other forum posts here, ive been taking a lot of time to I guess. explore myself? lol.

but what im noticing fairly recently is that shortly after climax, if i look at myself, my clit always looks purplish and swollen out past the hood, and it has a whitish discharge around it and the hood.

after attempting to look it up i was given the result 'smegma' but im 90% sure that's not what it is. it doesnt ever stink down there and i make it a point to keep both my hands and my body clean because of my fear of infection.

there's not any discomfort besides a bit of pain directly after climax when touching my clit, but im assuming that's just overstimulation. any advice?

[CaitlinEve]

Hi Cy,

I'm glad you've been reading up and taking advice from the forum and taking the time to get to know yourself, physically and mentally! Physiologically, the clit and penis develop from the same structure. So, from what it sounds like, your clit appearing purplish and swollen out past the hood is a normal presentation of your arousal; sort of like an erection. For the same reason, it can be sensitive after climax, and that's normal as well!

As for the discharge, it's definitely possible it is smegma. Smegma doesn't necessarily smell and having smegma does not mean you are not clean or that you have an infection. It's normal to have a build-up of skin cells and oils, especially in an environment with natural bacteria and sweat, like genitals! Another reason for smegma-like white material around the clitoral hood and in the labial folds can be a build-up of toilet paper particles from wiping, which would explain the lack of smell as well.

Here's an article that you may find helpful for tips on cleaning the clitoris and genital area to avoid this build-up.

[cy]

thank you for the advice.

i just kind of assumed it wasnt smegma because the only place i have ever seen it is under the clitoral hood, and the other day was the first time ive ever seen it.

as for cleaning the area out, would it be better to use a soft cloth or something like a douche instead?

i dont want to keep letting it accumulate either. is there aby way besides frequent cleaning that would stop it, since I'm going to do that already?

[Sam W]

Hi Cy,

With cleaning genitals, you always want to go with the soft, mild option, rather than anything rough or chemical like a douche, since that's a sensitive area of the body (too, if you're worried about infection, douching actually makes that more likely, since it can mess with the vaginal environment).

And other than cleaning, there isn't really a way to prevent the accumulation. Vaginas produce discharge, and as Cat pointed out there's sweat, oil, and skin cells shed by our bodies that contribute to this, and those are always going to be present to some degree (though wearing breathable and loose clothing can help cut down on the sweat to some degree).

[cy]

so what youre saying is, wear more breathable clothing?

also, thanks to both of you for the reassurance that im getting smegma because im not cleaning enough lol. that was my chief concern.

so far ive found out that just I guess. spreading my folds and letting the shower head work from the wall did the trick. could i keep doing that, or will that tamper with my pH?

sorry if this all sounds paranoid lol. im just nervous about my vaginal health;; my last UTI or infection down there was at 8 years old :"-)

[Anya]

Hi Cy,

Yes, wearing 100% cotton or just more loose-fitting, breathable underwear will help with natural airflow that can minimize the buildup you're noticing.

Genitals are self-cleaning organs, so it is already doing a bulk of the work for you in terms of cleaning, but it can also be a good practice to, just like you already did, give it a good rinse with just water in the shower or bath. You can use a mild, fragrance-free soap on the outside if you choose, but just be careful to not get soap inside your body. The water alone will not create an imbalance in your PH, it would just be harsher soaps and cleaning devices that add non-natural chemicals to your body that could do any harm.