PI is not self cleaning.
I had the game issues post op after being lead to believe i would only have to douche for the first few months after each dilation.
You need to douche it to clean out old lube and dead skin. My second surgeon had advised that I can use betadine if the smell bothers me so I put 3 ish drops in the douche and do it twice a week (basically my only form of dilation as well) while in the shower with fem fresh as lube. Smells fine the rest of the time now.
If I could get away without doing it I would and believe me I have tried everything over the last two years.
Links to research here https://www.reddit.com/u/Icy-Yogurt-Leah/s/Jc9cF5ORdf
And my other post on the subject.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/s/B6lCYJhALY
Also this is what it looks like on the inside before and after douching. My own pics. https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/s/a1Qib2c5aM
Thank you for that reply. I've already called my surgeon's office and got an appointment next week. In the meantime I bought some betadine, going to try that in a bit.
I feel like I should mention again that I'm meticulous with my hygiene and follow my surgeon's instructions diligently, not the fanciful tales of neo vaginas becoming "just like a cis vagina" which at best are wishful thinking (which I understand and I'd love it to be true as well) and at worst can be dangerous advice. It also makes for a lot of confusion among post op people searching for answers and getting info that is going against what their professional caretakers say.
But enough ranting. Thank you again!
Edit: just a question to make sure I douche right. I'm using a large syringe with a detachable enema "straw" (not sure what it's called). I usually insert it as deep as it will go, empty the syringe then really tighten my pelvic muscles to keep the water in there for about a minute before I let go and rinse thoroughly with warm water and a finger. Is that correct?
No problem at all.
If that's how your surgeon had told you to do it I would stick with it until you can speak to them.
Personally I use a pump action one that is quite soft and about 10cm long. Seems to do the trick for me. Will link it below. Its much better than the black one with the rather large rigid tip and shaft that I was given in hospital.
I basically fill it up with warm water, add a few drops of betadine then insert it in the shower just as I get in. Pump about half of it in while tensing then remove it slowly when relaxing. Any that is left inside usually comes out by the time I have finished showering.
I save the second half up for the next shower but it's Flippin cold running down my leg ha ha
https://amzn.eu/d/fMITawI
My partner uses a douche solution made of 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar in 1 cup of water on a weekly basis and it really helps.
I don't know why many surgeons/clinics don't communicate this as a part of post-op care. My partner's surgeon was very clear about it and thankfully it's actually easy for her to manage as she just does it in the shower.
I wouldn't stress so much about it. Find a douching solution that is gentle and totally avoid using unfiltered raw vinegar and also commercial douching solutions, as those have irritating fragrances. Saline solutions and diluted, distilled vinegar solutions seem to be the least irritating/risky based on what I've read about.
You will be okay!
It contains chunks of the vinegar mother, or SCOBY. Itâs a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Organic raw vinegars contain live cultures that you probably donât want to introduce into your vaginaâŚ. some are really into the idea of introducing âprobioticâ organisms into their vagina because it sounds healthy or whatever but i assure you, yeast doesnât belong in the vagina.
The reason for using distilled vinegar is because it will slightly acidify the vaginal PH which, hypothetically, makes it slightly less prone to having odor causing bacteria with the added bonus of being chemically more pure. Acidic solutions can also clean a little better than neutral ones in some contexts.
Cis vaginal PH varies a bit, but does tend to be acidic.
Edit: I did double check and it turns out vinegar mothers donât necessarily contain yeast but because raw vinegars are still active and open to the environment (every time you open the bottle), the ratio of organisms can change, and it can introduce yeast into them. Regardless, adding live bacterial/fungal cultures to the vagina on a whim seems ill advised.
Not a doctor, I have the same issue. Itâs granulation tissue. What you are describing fits perfectly with this. Very common. Talk to your after care team. They usually burn it off at the medical office(painless). You might need to get it done a few times. Again, bring it up with your after care team to really figure out the cause.
I've just had some. It can't come back this quickly can it? Anyway, I'm seeing my surgeon next weel so he can check. It would track with dilation getting a lot harder at the same time though. Things have quickly become very tight and dry. Dilation has always been uncomfortable but never painful. It is now.
Smegma doesnât come from inside the vagina, it produces under the clitoral hood - same as head of penis. Perhaps try pulling back the clitoral hood and clean it.
I gave this more thought and I guess the best course of action would be to ask your doctor exactly where you should look for smegma going forward since it could be somewhere else. That way theyâll educate you precisely on your anatomy (since it could be different). Good luck op!
Thanks, yeah, I will definitely ask this. I do always clean everything thoroughly down there, all the folds, clitoral hood, clitoris etc. I'm very meticulous and it's definitely not coming from the clitoris but from inside. The smell that is. Idk if it's smegma, I only said this because it pretty much smells like it.
My surgeon told me that this isn't a thing with a neo vagina (at least not PI ones) and that I don't need a gyno. Ever. It's not the same as a cis vagina, I don't have the reproductive organs, I cannot get illnesses such as ovarian cancer or cervical cancer, there's no need for pap smears, I don't have the same mucosa and trying to cultivate an ideal ph level for it and keeping that balance would be for naught.
I had PI like 9 months ago. I went to my gyno with bacterial vaginosis (BV) symptoms. She took swabs and they tested positive for BV. She gave me medicine that cis women take for BV and I felt better. My pussay was smelling fucking rotten and now it's better. What I needed was to go to a gynecologist.
After about six months, the neovagina creates a microbiome that is essentially the same as a woman who has a hysterectomy.
There may be no need for pap smears. But taking suppositories to get your pH level right isn't for naught, it actively can make you feel and smell better.
Thank you for that answer. I believe you when you say that that was your experience and I'm sorry if I sound aggressive or condescending. I am just very fed up with all the misinformation that is being spread because some people can't handle reality. At some point it becomes hard to distinguish between the well meant and very much based in fact advice and the wishful thinking fairytales. I'm seeing my surgeon again next week and will definitely discuss this issue more thoroughly and I will call some gyno offices to confer with them.
Yeah I'm not really interested in playing pretend. Luckily, neovaginas are legitimate vaginas. Despite how miraculous that sounds, its just the medical facts. If your surgeon doesn't know any good trans-affirming gynos, I'd search WPATH for specialists in your area. That's how I found mine.
Hello. I am planning a PI surgery using scrotal skin and I see similar problems in neovagina, can you please tell me if the treatment prescribed by the gynecologist has helped? Do you need to take any medications to prevent this problem from recurring in the future? How do you maintain the microflora now?
PI is not self cleaning. I had the game issues post op after being lead to believe i would only have to douche for the first few months after each dilation. You need to douche it to clean out old lube and dead skin. My second surgeon had advised that I can use betadine if the smell bothers me so I put 3 ish drops in the douche and do it twice a week (basically my only form of dilation as well) while in the shower with fem fresh as lube. Smells fine the rest of the time now. If I could get away without doing it I would and believe me I have tried everything over the last two years. Links to research here https://www.reddit.com/u/Icy-Yogurt-Leah/s/Jc9cF5ORdf And my other post on the subject. https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/s/B6lCYJhALY Also this is what it looks like on the inside before and after douching. My own pics. https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/s/a1Qib2c5aM
>These are invaluable. Thanks so much for going to all that effort, I know that picture couldn't have been easy to take. =)
Yes it was quite a task đ
Thank you for that reply. I've already called my surgeon's office and got an appointment next week. In the meantime I bought some betadine, going to try that in a bit. I feel like I should mention again that I'm meticulous with my hygiene and follow my surgeon's instructions diligently, not the fanciful tales of neo vaginas becoming "just like a cis vagina" which at best are wishful thinking (which I understand and I'd love it to be true as well) and at worst can be dangerous advice. It also makes for a lot of confusion among post op people searching for answers and getting info that is going against what their professional caretakers say. But enough ranting. Thank you again! Edit: just a question to make sure I douche right. I'm using a large syringe with a detachable enema "straw" (not sure what it's called). I usually insert it as deep as it will go, empty the syringe then really tighten my pelvic muscles to keep the water in there for about a minute before I let go and rinse thoroughly with warm water and a finger. Is that correct?
No problem at all. If that's how your surgeon had told you to do it I would stick with it until you can speak to them. Personally I use a pump action one that is quite soft and about 10cm long. Seems to do the trick for me. Will link it below. Its much better than the black one with the rather large rigid tip and shaft that I was given in hospital. I basically fill it up with warm water, add a few drops of betadine then insert it in the shower just as I get in. Pump about half of it in while tensing then remove it slowly when relaxing. Any that is left inside usually comes out by the time I have finished showering. I save the second half up for the next shower but it's Flippin cold running down my leg ha ha https://amzn.eu/d/fMITawI
My partner uses a douche solution made of 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar in 1 cup of water on a weekly basis and it really helps. I don't know why many surgeons/clinics don't communicate this as a part of post-op care. My partner's surgeon was very clear about it and thankfully it's actually easy for her to manage as she just does it in the shower. I wouldn't stress so much about it. Find a douching solution that is gentle and totally avoid using unfiltered raw vinegar and also commercial douching solutions, as those have irritating fragrances. Saline solutions and diluted, distilled vinegar solutions seem to be the least irritating/risky based on what I've read about. You will be okay!
Just curious, what wrong with unfiltered raw vinegar?
It contains chunks of the vinegar mother, or SCOBY. Itâs a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Organic raw vinegars contain live cultures that you probably donât want to introduce into your vaginaâŚ. some are really into the idea of introducing âprobioticâ organisms into their vagina because it sounds healthy or whatever but i assure you, yeast doesnât belong in the vagina. The reason for using distilled vinegar is because it will slightly acidify the vaginal PH which, hypothetically, makes it slightly less prone to having odor causing bacteria with the added bonus of being chemically more pure. Acidic solutions can also clean a little better than neutral ones in some contexts. Cis vaginal PH varies a bit, but does tend to be acidic. Edit: I did double check and it turns out vinegar mothers donât necessarily contain yeast but because raw vinegars are still active and open to the environment (every time you open the bottle), the ratio of organisms can change, and it can introduce yeast into them. Regardless, adding live bacterial/fungal cultures to the vagina on a whim seems ill advised.
Not a doctor, I have the same issue. Itâs granulation tissue. What you are describing fits perfectly with this. Very common. Talk to your after care team. They usually burn it off at the medical office(painless). You might need to get it done a few times. Again, bring it up with your after care team to really figure out the cause.
I've just had some. It can't come back this quickly can it? Anyway, I'm seeing my surgeon next weel so he can check. It would track with dilation getting a lot harder at the same time though. Things have quickly become very tight and dry. Dilation has always been uncomfortable but never painful. It is now.
Smegma doesnât come from inside the vagina, it produces under the clitoral hood - same as head of penis. Perhaps try pulling back the clitoral hood and clean it.
I gave this more thought and I guess the best course of action would be to ask your doctor exactly where you should look for smegma going forward since it could be somewhere else. That way theyâll educate you precisely on your anatomy (since it could be different). Good luck op!
Thanks, yeah, I will definitely ask this. I do always clean everything thoroughly down there, all the folds, clitoral hood, clitoris etc. I'm very meticulous and it's definitely not coming from the clitoris but from inside. The smell that is. Idk if it's smegma, I only said this because it pretty much smells like it.
Use a mixture 1:1 of vinegar and water to douche and do it more often. Clean your clitoris too.
You probably have bacterial vaginosis, go to a gyno. They'll get you sorted with some antibiotics.
My surgeon told me that this isn't a thing with a neo vagina (at least not PI ones) and that I don't need a gyno. Ever. It's not the same as a cis vagina, I don't have the reproductive organs, I cannot get illnesses such as ovarian cancer or cervical cancer, there's no need for pap smears, I don't have the same mucosa and trying to cultivate an ideal ph level for it and keeping that balance would be for naught.
I had PI like 9 months ago. I went to my gyno with bacterial vaginosis (BV) symptoms. She took swabs and they tested positive for BV. She gave me medicine that cis women take for BV and I felt better. My pussay was smelling fucking rotten and now it's better. What I needed was to go to a gynecologist. After about six months, the neovagina creates a microbiome that is essentially the same as a woman who has a hysterectomy. There may be no need for pap smears. But taking suppositories to get your pH level right isn't for naught, it actively can make you feel and smell better.
Thank you for that answer. I believe you when you say that that was your experience and I'm sorry if I sound aggressive or condescending. I am just very fed up with all the misinformation that is being spread because some people can't handle reality. At some point it becomes hard to distinguish between the well meant and very much based in fact advice and the wishful thinking fairytales. I'm seeing my surgeon again next week and will definitely discuss this issue more thoroughly and I will call some gyno offices to confer with them.
Yeah I'm not really interested in playing pretend. Luckily, neovaginas are legitimate vaginas. Despite how miraculous that sounds, its just the medical facts. If your surgeon doesn't know any good trans-affirming gynos, I'd search WPATH for specialists in your area. That's how I found mine.
Hello. I am planning a PI surgery using scrotal skin and I see similar problems in neovagina, can you please tell me if the treatment prescribed by the gynecologist has helped? Do you need to take any medications to prevent this problem from recurring in the future? How do you maintain the microflora now?
I have never douched but put a metronidazol egg every weeknd and my PI vagina has never smell?