Help! I have recurring vaginosis: why and what should I do?

Vaginosis is, in general, abnormal vaginal discharge, a bad odor from the vulva, pain during intercourse or even itching sensations. In short: it is an unpleasant condition that can affect your personal and sexual life, especially if it recurs regularly.

As an e-concept store dedicated to women's intimacy, we've researched the topic and selected resources that can help you. This article brings together our findings: discover the causes and treatments to finally get rid of recurring vaginosis.

Reduction in the number of lactobacilli leads to vaginosis

The vaginal flora microbiota is composed primarily of good bacteria (called lactobacilli, which are responsible for regularly cleaning the vagina) and bad bacteria. It is the balance of these bacteria that helps maintain a healthy vaginal flora.

When there is an imbalance—when the number of lactobacilli decreases relative to the number of bad bacteria—this is called bacterial vaginosis. It can recur repeatedly, even after several treatments, and is then called chronic vaginosis , or recurrent vaginosis.

Symptoms of recurrent vaginosis are the return of vaginosis symptoms. This return can occur up to 6 months after treatment.

Bacterial vaginosis isn't serious, but in addition to being a daily nuisance, its presence can increase the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection and having complications during pregnancy. That's why it's important to treat it.

A note on other forms of vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is estimated to be responsible for more than two-thirds of cases of vaginosis. There are other causes of vaginosis, such as yeast (candidiasis), viruses, and so on. Symptoms can be similar to those of bacterial vaginosis, but the treatments are different: consulting a doctor is essential to determine the cause of the vaginosis through further testing.

Why do we have recurring bouts of vaginosis? 16 reasons that cause a drop in lactobacilli count

Some women are particularly susceptible to BV and experience recurrent BV episodes . This often results from inadequate treatment after an initial infection, but other behaviors and medical conditions can also trigger recurrent BV episodes.

The most common

1. Frequent use of antibiotics

Treating bacterial vaginosis involves eliminating the bad bacteria with an antibiotic before allowing the vaginal flora to rebuild around the good bacteria. However, antibiotics can tend to eliminate both good and bad bacteria, which can lead to a lasting imbalance in your vaginal flora.

2. Sperm in contact with your flora

Semen has a different pH (more basic) than vaginal flora (more acidic). This acidity comes in particular from lactobacilli and limits the growth of bad bacteria. When semen comes into contact with your flora, it can therefore tend to make it more basic and promote the growth of bad bacteria—unbalancing the vaginal flora.

3. Change of sexual partner

Changing sexual partners (or having multiple sexual partners) causes changes in the vaginal flora, particularly because it brings in new bacteria from your partner's genitals or previous partners. Protecting yourself with a condom limits this transfer of bacteria but does not prevent it completely.

4. Recontamination by your partner

Although bacterial vaginosis is not considered an STI, partners can still transmit it to each other and retransmit it. This is the case, for example, with Gardnerella bacterial vaginosis , which can recur several times due to this recontamination. If your partner is a carrier of the bacteria, having sex without a condom can help repopulate your flora with these bacteria… Imposing condom use and treatment for your partner may be necessary in cases of persistent vaginosis.

5. Sexual practices

Certain sexual practices can contribute to the introduction of harmful bacteria into the vagina, in varying amounts. These include cunnilingus and anal penetration.

6. Hormonal Fluctuation

Hormonal fluctuations can cause changes in the vaginal flora, particularly because they affect vaginal discharge. Cervical mucus is thus linked to the phases of the menstrual cycle and to hormones. This is why it is common to develop vaginosis during pregnancy and menopause, when estrogen and progesterone levels are declining in the body.

Less common but may have an impact

7. Practice vaginal douching

Douching is a practice that involves cleaning the inside of your vagina with water. While you may be tempted to try this method when you have vaginosis (especially to reduce odors from an infected vagina), it is not recommended. On the one hand, odors are not linked to poor hygiene but to the proliferation of bad bacteria, and on the other hand, the presence of water will tend to unbalance the flora.

8. Having improper personal hygiene

While having vaginosis is not a sign of poor hygiene, poor or excessive hygiene can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria and thus lead to vaginosis. Good intimate hygiene involves:

• change your underwear daily;
• avoid wearing menstrual panties and protection for more than 12 hours in a row;
• wash the vulva daily with clean water or with a suitable soap (with a pH adapted to the vaginal flora);
• do not use unsuitable soap.

✋ Your intimate hygiene is good, but what about your partner's? Let's break the taboo, but it often happens that it's not your intimate hygiene that's the problem, but your partner's...

9. Smoking

Smoking is recognized as a risk factor for developing vaginosis (2000 study)—more so than alcohol consumption and other substance use. Some report an 80% increased risk of developing vaginosis among smokers.

10. Being prone to stress and fatigue

Because stress and fatigue directly affect hormones, and because hormonal fluctuations are one of the causes of bacterial vaginosis, stress and fatigue can lead to the recurrence of vaginosis.

11. Wearing tight clothes

Wearing tight underwear and clothing made of non-fine materials (such as polyester) can restrict the flow of vaginal discharge and cause imbalances.

12. Having an unbalanced diet

An unbalanced diet—too high in refined sugars, saturated fats, and low in essential nutrients—could be causing problems with the health of your vaginal flora, promoting an imbalance in the latter and increasing the risk of infections such as bacterial vaginosis.

13. Having a weakened immune system

People with weakened immune systems have a harder time naturally fighting off the proliferation of harmful bacteria. This results in an increase in the number of these bacteria, particularly in the vaginal flora, and consequently, an increased risk of infection.

14. Have diabetes

People with diabetes whose blood sugar is not well controlled (and who therefore experience high blood sugar attacks) are more prone to vaginosis. This is because white blood cells do not react effectively against bad bacteria when high blood sugar levels are present.

15. Have had full body hair removal

You've probably heard it before: hair plays a protective role because it prevents many bacteria from entering. Pubic hair thus helps close access to the vagina. This is why you may be more prone to vaginosis if you choose to have full body hair removal.

Hypotheses not scientifically proven

16. Wear an Intrauterine Device (IUD)

The link between wearing an IUD (also called a copper or hormonal coil) and vaginosis has not been formally established. It is thought that with an IUD, the increased blood in the vagina (due to the increased volume of menstrual flow) would make the vaginal pH more basic. However, this is not proven.

Please note, however, that you will usually be tested before an IUD is fitted to check that you do not have an infection, such as vaginosis.

How to get rid of recurring vaginosis?

While you've likely already seen a doctor and been treated with antibiotics to treat your vaginosis , we highly recommend going back if it recurs, as bad bacteria may still be present in your system. It can be very difficult to get rid of recurrent vaginosis because bad bacteria can adhere to the mucous membranes, rendering the first treatment ineffective. A more powerful treatment, which is more aggressive for your vaginal flora, is then necessary, requiring its subsequent replenishment. Here are our three steps to getting rid of recurrent vaginosis.

1. Consult a doctor

To treat vaginosis, your general practitioner, gynecologist, or midwife are qualified healthcare professionals. They will review your medical history and symptoms, and suggest additional tests, if necessary, to determine the cause of your vaginosis. This last point is essential because it will help determine what treatments will be necessary to treat your vaginosis.

2. Treat vaginosis with antibiotics

Take the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor according to the dosage on the prescription. If you have a recurrence, your doctor may have prescribed a different treatment than previously prescribed: some bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and require other treatments.

✋ If you have a regular and exclusive partner, treating them with antibiotics may also be necessary if you have persistent vaginosis. Indeed, men can also be carriers of these bacteria (most of the time they are asymptomatic) and it is possible that you are stuck in a vicious cycle of successive (re)contaminations.

3. Rebuild your vaginal flora

The proliferation of harmful bacteria and their destruction by taking one or more antibiotics has inevitably damaged your vaginal flora. Preventing the recurrence of vaginosis involves rebuilding your vaginal flora.

To this end, we can only recommend the use of vaginal prebiotics and probiotics to stem recurring vaginosis . Probiotics are good bacteria (the famous lactobacilli) that will repopulate your vaginal flora, while prebiotics accelerate their development by providing them with the nutrients necessary for their multiplication. This solution also allows you to treat your vaginosis naturally .

🌈 At Gapianne, we'd like to bring you this product to help rebuild your vaginal flora and fight recurring vaginosis: Miyé's soothing intimate gel with probiotics . We love that it can be used internally to act faster and more effectively. Made with 99% natural ingredients, it's made in a French laboratory, with a vegan and organic formula. It contains a complex set of prebiotics and probiotics, including different strains of Lactobacillus.

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4. 7 steps to prevent recurrence of vaginosis

Once your intimate flora has been rebuilt, it's essential to adopt daily actions aimed at protecting it as much as possible. This will allow you to avoid a recurrence of vaginosis, especially if you are particularly sensitive to it!

• Aim for the healthiest lifestyle possible: eat a varied diet, drink plenty of water, limit (or even stop) smoking, limit alcohol, sleep well, avoid stress... You probably know the recipe for a healthy lifestyle, but applying it every day isn't always easy. While perfection will be difficult to achieve, do your best and the health of your intimate flora can only improve. ♥️
• Take oral vaginal probiotics regularly: at a minimum of three months (especially when you change sexual partners), they will maintain the good health of your vaginal flora. 🌈 At Gapianne, we have selected the course of oral probiotic supplements: vaginal and intestinal flora from the Miyé brand. The brand is French and its products are made in France in the lab and vegan. The course contains the probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus Plantarum and Lactobacillus Acidophilus.

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• Adopt proper intimate hygiene : Washing your vulva daily, changing your underwear every day and not wearing your menstrual protection for more than 12 hours are important hygiene practices. You can wash with clean water or with a pH-appropriate soap (shower gels have a pH that risks unbalancing your flora). 🌈 We have chosen for you the solid intimate cleansing bar from the Baûbo brand. Washing without soap, it is 100% natural and organic and has a pH adapted to the vaginal flora. As a bonus, you will love its solid format which allows you to limit the use of plastic in your routine;

I want this organic intimate cleansing bar >

• Stop douching : Excessive hygiene can be harmful, and this practice is one of them! It promotes infections and doesn't help your vulva smell better!
• Embracing pubic hair: What if you let it grow back? We're not here to judge you—everyone can do what they want with their body!—but know that it can have an impact, especially if you tend to experience recurring BV.
• Using condoms and going to the bathroom after intercourse: Since sperm has an alkaline pH, which is more basic than the vaginal microbiota, it increases the risk of developing vaginal infections. 🌈 At Gapianne, we have selected for you the latex male condoms from the My Lubie brand. Extremely thin and odorless, they have a second-skin effect for guaranteed pleasure and maximum protection!

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• Adapt your sexual practices: Cunnilingus and anal intercourse are practices that are particularly likely to cause an imbalance in the vaginal flora. While there's no question of stopping these practices if you enjoy them, it's worth practicing them in a way that's more respectful of your vagina. For example, by switching from vaginal penetration to anal penetration rather than the other way around.

Sources:

The role of lactobacilli and probiotics in maintaining vaginal health . Borges S, Silva J, Teixeira P (2014)

Is bacterial vaginosis a risk factor for prematurity? Study of a cohort of 1336 patients at the Arras hospital . Bothuyne-Queste E, Hannebicque-Montaigne K, Canis F, et al. (2012)

An adherent Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm persists on the vaginal epithelium after standard therapy with oral metronidazole. Swidsinski A, Mendling W, Loening-Baucke V, et al. (2008)

Bacterialvaginosis in a cohort of Danish pregnant women: prevalence and relationship with preterm delivery, low birthweight and perinatal infections. Svare JA, Schmidt H, Hansen BB, Lose G (2006)

High recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence . Bradshaw CS, Morton AN, Hocking J, et al. (2006)