Ok, ladies. Let’s talk about something that most women aren’t comfortable opening up about – vaginal tightness. It seems unfair, doesn’t it? Women already have so many things to worry about when it comes to keeping up their appearances. There are times that it feels like how tight you are “down there” is just the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.
The truth is, there are a lot of myths surrounding just how tight a woman’s vagina should be. Today we’re going to address these misunderstandings while also taking a look at what you can do to feel more confident in the bedroom.
First Things First…
In the modern era, how “tight” or “loose” a woman’s vagina has become another topic that only serves as a tool to make women feel self-conscious and second guess themselves. Many believe that if a woman has lots of sex with multiple partners, her future partners will be able to tell – that is completely FALSE. Not only is it practically impossible for your vagina to permanently change shape because of sexual intercourse, what difference does the number of partners make? It would also take something incredibly large to do that – so men, don’t flatter yourselves.
Speaking of large things and vaginas, another time that “vaginal tightness” comes into play is after giving birth. If a woman gives birth vaginally, many incorrectly assume that her vagina is permanently larger. Once again…NOPE – Not even close. A woman’s body is literally designed to go back to normal after having a baby. Things like tearing and weakened pelvic floor muscles may change how sex feels for a little while, but those things are only temporary (so give moms a break, ok?)
The Tighter The Better?
From popular culture to gross frat guys – there are plenty of people who believe that “tighter” vaginas are “better.” The truth is, extreme vaginal tightness can actually be a bad thing. If your vagina feels so tight that penetration is painful, that could be an underlying symptom of vaginismus, which you should talk to a doctor about immediately. Plus, this stereotype is tied into the unsavory idea that younger (sometimes even underage) girls are “better” sexual objects – which is so wrong in so many ways.
What Causes Vaginal Tightness?
Our “tightness” is caused by our pelvic floor muscles. If you want to know where those are, pretend you are holding in a stream of urine – those muscles that are activated comprise your pelvic floor. The truth is, overtime these muscles do get weaker. Childbirth puts extreme strain on these muscles. A loss of the hormone estrogen during menopause can also be to blame.
Luckily – just like any other muscle in your body – these ones can be toned, conditioned, and strengthened throughout your entire life.
How To Keep It Tight
If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, here are some great ways to keep your V in shape.
Kegel Exercises
Just like reps at the gym, continually tightening and releasing your muscles down there will make them stronger. There are plenty of online tutorials that will walk you through different Kegel exercises, but here is a quick primer:
– Tone the front of your pelvic floor by pretending to stop a stream of urine – hold and release 5 times.
– Tone your mid pelvic floor muscles by pretending to hold an invisible object in your vagina – hold and release 5 times.
– Tone your rear pelvic floor muscles by pretending to hold an invisible object in your rectum -hold and release 5 times.
– Increase the frequency and amount of repetitions to continually strengthen your pelvic floor.
Electronic Devices
Tightening your vagina – yep, there’s an app for that. Recently companies have released electronic pelvic floor trainers that are designed to lend a hand (so to speak) when it comes to toning your vagina. They also connect to your smart phone so you can do different workouts and record your progress. One even allows you to control games by contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. These not only help with tightness, they can also diminish incontinence. While they are relatively new inventions, the science behind them sticks.
The Last Word
Now that you’re more informed about vaginal tightness, it’s time to shut down anyone who suggests that a woman’s worth is based purely on her appearance or sexual value. Whenever you hear someone talk about a woman having a “loose vagina” please correct them that they are actually talking about “weak pelvic floor muscles.” Let’s not spend one more second putting up with this nonsense.
