Video
Anthony Quinlan: Mott
Boy 1: Naughty, i’ve heard it called –
Boy 2: Really?
Boy 1: The lady’s naughty.
Anthony Quinlan: Poonanie
Hollie Jay-Bowes: I think my friend’s called hers Rachel.
Kent Riley: Pink velvet sausage wallet
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Dr Dawn: If you don’t use the word vagina, you almost certainly don’t talk about your vulva.
The vulva is all the bits you can see on the outside of a woman’s genitalia: the area covered by pubic hair, the outer and inner lips surrounding the vaginal opening called the labia majora and minora, the clitoris and the opening of the urethra which is where we wee through;
And just as no two penises are the same, no two vulvas are the same.
Some are wrinkly and some are smooth. Some pink, some brown. Some girls have large labia, others small.
And the only way you’ll come to know what’s normal for you is if you regularly look and feel.
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Girl 1: I think what worries a girl most about it is like you don’t normally talk about stuff like that and it’s embarrassing to ask someone like their parents or their friends
Girl 2: I think if people did talk more about it they would not worry half as much because they would realise everyone’s different and everything’s never the same.
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On this website there’s a video showing you how to check your vulva.
Hundreds of thousands of people have watched it and women, from their teens up to their fifties and older, have left comments and questions.
With vaginas a big concern is size. Girls who experience pain during sex; or have difficulty inserting a tampon, commonly worry that their vagina is too small.
But it won’t be. When we get nervous we tense up. And this will make the vagina tighten.
The more relaxed you are the more comfortable inserting a tampon or having sex will be.
The vagina is the passage that connects the woman’s internal reproductive organs to the outside world.
When a man and a woman have sex – it’s where the penis enters. And when a woman has a baby the vagina expands so the baby can be born.
Another common worry is that discharge means your vagina’s dirty. It’s actually the opposite.
Discharge is your vagina’s way of keeping itself clean, free from infection and lubricated.
If your vagina is dry, you could try using lubricant or vaginal pessary available from chemists to make the vagina more comfortable during sex or masturbation.
And yes I did say the ‘M’ word.
Masturbation is not just for boys !
To keep your vagina and vulva healthy…
Wear cotton underwear, it will keep you cool and dry ñ bacteria thrives in damp, warm environments!
Go knicker-free at night.
Avoid wearing tight fitting clothes, swimsuits or gym kit for prolonged periods
Don’t use perfumed soaps, gels, talcs or bubble baths as these can irritate the vagina.
If you get an infection take the medication as directed and complete the treatment even if you think the infection’s gone.
Avoid sex until an infection has cleared.
After going to the loo always wipe from front to back.
And ALWAYS practise safe sex.
If you do notice any changes, unusual lumps, bumps, spots or sores.
Or if your discharge differs in consistency, colour or smell from your norm – make an appointment to see your doctor.
It could be something as simple as thrush or bacterial vaginosis but it needs checking out especially if you have had unprotected sex.
On this site you’ll find a self-checker for STI’s with information about symptoms for all kinds of infections.
Don’t be embarrassed – your doctor will have seen thousands of Vulvas and vaginas. It really is all in a day’s work for us
Am I Normal: Vagina
Dr Dawn Harper discusses what is normal when it comes to vaginas, looking at everything from discharge and childbirth, to the normal variations in vulval appearance. The video also includes discussions with teenagers from around the country and the cast of Hollyoaks.
If you’d prefer to watch this video on your mobile, then download our specially produced version for your mobile phone from the Channel 4 Mobile site.
Just text Normal to 84444
Texts and data are charged at your standard network rate.
Terms and Conditions at channel4.com/mobile
With thanks to:
Hollyoaks
University of Birmingham Hockey Club
Llanelli Youth Theatre
Tetbury Hospital
Yes
NoComments and Questions
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
i've got an extra piece of skin on my right side, it's bluey in colour, and i'm really scared and embarrased to ask anyone , pleasseee answer :D
i know this z a page for teens but i am really worried n need all the help i can get, i'm almost 22,i'm still a virgin, 3 weeks ago i had the normal amount of discharge but lately its been rather dry down there,and i've noticed a thin coat of white on both my inner labial lips, i just hope i don't have a yeast infection
I have exactly the same thing!!! I've only had them for like a year though . They don't hurt but sometimes a little uncomfortable should I be worried and I'm too scared to ask my mum to take me to a doctor .
im 14 and recently notice a lump about the size of a pea around my labia minora. it does not hurt and is not visable but i would like to know if this is normal?
hi im 16, I keep getting white slimy stuff in knickers. I can sometimes feel it come out when im sitting down. im really embarrassed in front of my boyfriend. I keep telling him I always need a toilet but I go and check just in case anything happens. please reply.
that is just discharge, all girls have it so dont worry. its really just a natural cleaning process
hi its just discharge its totaly nornal and wil get better as u get older mine did its cos of ya hormones praduce it in between periods its wot makes most women fertile
i am really self consious, and have a mole on the middle of my vagina near the top bit and im scared to think what my boyfriend will think, i dont think it looks good and i really dont what it! also when he fingered me i got really wet... is that normal? :S
Moles are completely normal, and some people even find them attractive.. think of Kate Moss' mole on her breast. And as to getting wet... this is the best thing that could happen when he fingers you.. it happens when you are aroused and will arouse him as well!
i have very very large inner lips on my vagina. When i look in the mirror i can see they dangle down a lot. I will not let a boy see it because i am scared they will be repulsed. Is there anyway i can reduce the size of them? Will boys find me disgusting? Help!
I have the same thing, good to know someone else does!I'm 13 and I know I'm not gonna be doing anything yet, but i'm very self concious about it I dont want any boys to see it.
Large inner lips that dangle down slightly are completely normal... if it is very uncomfortable you might want to see a doctor for some remedies but bear in mind that as you go through puberty you will get natural discharge from your vagina which will lubricate it so it wont be son uncomfortable. In the mean time, you can rub a few drops of olive oil on them so they won't be so dry.
hi, i am not a lesbian, and i have had great sex with my parnter, by i still masturbate, dont worry, i am over 16 and i use protection, but i need to no that its not wrong for me to mastbate, with a partener, and not being a lesnian, thanks
It's normal. Masturbation has nothing to do with sexual orientation. It's your body. Why would it be wrong to touch your own vagina?
I have never had a sexual encounter, but recently I realized i have a small swollen red dot near my vaginal lips. It burns to the touch, and going to the restroom burns it a bit, but nothing bad. I've had it less than a week. Is this a normal thng, and I should wait for it to go away- or should I worry big time?
It might be an ingrown hair if it is on the outer lips, but if it is nearer in the centre of your vagina then it might possibly be a pimple, mosquito bite, scratch or anything.. if you have been having sex it might possibly be an STD, and if it persists or gets worse for more than a few weeks then go to the doctor and get it checked out.
I've had that befour, its an infection, to get rid of it use a cream of somesort, it worked for me, good luck :)
am 19 years of age and my vagina is always very red........juicy says my boyfriend but with a little touch i easily get very wet.......is it actually normal......
19 years old is the peak age for female sexual arousal, the redness and wetness is all indicative of sexual arousal, and is a sign of health. Your boyfriend is right! You could watch some porn of women squirting... you will see that men like it very much ;)