The vagina. It has more nicknames than just about any other body part, and when you say it out loud there are some people who will still look at you like you’re insane. I once had a health teacher who made the entire class yell “penis” and “vagina” to break the ice before we started our sex ed unit. Say it with me everybody, vagina!

In the spirit of that teacher, I’ve put together some crazy facts about the vagina. We already brought you ten facts this summer, so here are ten MORE things you probably didn’t know about your special lady parts. Read More »

I still remember the first time I learned the word vagina. I also still remember the first time my classmate, Matt, learned the word vagina, because he sat next to me in first grade and said this word out loud every ten seconds as he giggled away. I wish I could say the standard giggle/vagina combination went away with age, but the truth is I just got a Brazilian wax and still found myself slightly giggling. And I’m twenty-three. And first grade was a million moons ago. You can take the girl out of first grade (and high school, and college) but you can’t take the first grade out of the girl.

We ladies use our vaginas everyday. We were born with them. Our vaginas are our power house. They are the difference between the X and the Y chromosome. We orgasm, bleed and push babies out of these things. Yet somehow all of the different parts’ names went right out of my head after I took my health test in fifth grade (yet I can still remember all the lyrics to Brandy’s and Monica’s The Boy is Mine… priorities?).

So click on the gallery to see ten facts that you probably didn’t know about your vajayjay that all women should know:

initiating the gallery...

Do you love your vajayjay? Worship your mini haha? Wish there was a song written about your pixie purse?  If you found yourself standing on your desk chair yelling, “Me! Me! I’m obsessed with my funny bunny!” well then, girlfriend, do I have a treat for you…

Mooncup, a British tampon-alternative brand, is really on their game when it comes to creepy, crazy and (sadly) really catchy jingles about your ladybits. Be warned: this will get stuck in your head.

There’s been a growing trend in the vag-o-sphere. And it’s all about making your lady parts look pretty and shiny and….bedazzled?! Yes. Bedazzled. Because it’s no longer about the sexy lingerie and the sexy banter. It’s all about dressing up your vagina like every sexual encounter is a debutante ball for your most fun body part. Unsure about what we’re talking about?

Check out our guide to making your vagina sparkle (possibly, literally):

So you’re a beginner Vag-terior Decorator? First, you need to remove all your hair. Now you have a few options, let’s discuss:

Waxing: Popular, yet painful. But it sure beats shaving.

Brazilian: Bye bye hair. Like all your hair. A few screams, a few Advils, and you’re hair free for 3-6 weeks.

Laser: Because hot wax wasn’t enough torture for you. The upside? It’s permanent. The downside? Someone is shooting a laser at your vagina. Read More »

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over. You know there’s a lot of funny things to be heard on your campus, so take off those (faux) Burberry ear muffs and tune in.

(Two guys, leaving a dining hall with hand sanitizer.)

Guy 1: All right. Sterilized high five!

(Girls, at breakfast.)

Girl 1: How was the party?

Girl 2: Weird. Some guy and his girlfriend trapped me in the bathroom all night.

(Two guys, in line for brunch.)

Guy 1: Man, I got so lucky last night.

Guy 2: Oh dude. Did you do it on her face?

Guy 1: … What? No! I didn’t get beat up! Read More »

Got a health question? Don’t trust those “Doctors” at the University Health Center? Are you scared of Web M.D. because it always tells you you’re gonna die? Ask a real doctor, our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin. She’s here every Thursday to answer whatever you throw at her – like the ultimate cure for a hangover! – so ask away. Leave your question in the comments or send it over to us. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I don’t really know how to ask this so I’ll just get right to it. I’m still a virgin and I’m the only one left in my group. All my girl friends lost their virginity this year and have been telling me how much it hurt. Now I’m scared! Is it really that bad? And is there anything I can do to….prepare? Or should I just buy some cats now and grow old as a single, virgin spinster?

I’m really freaking out here.

A: Ok, hold up. It is definitely not time to start hoarding cats. Unless you really like cats, in which case, stock up! But don’t throw in the towel on sex just yet. Every woman is different when it comes to what your first time feels like. If you’ve been wearing tampons, riding horses, and straddling balance beams in gymnastics, your hymen may already be broken, so it might hurt less. On the flip side, if you’re very tiny and trying to insert a junior sized tampons sends you through the roof, you might face some serious discomfort.

But even if you are in the latter group, there are things you can do, especially if you’re in a relationship and can anticipate when it will happen (which offers your best shot at a good experience, in my opinion. Losing your virginity to a beer-sloshed one-night stand who can’t remember your name doesn’t bode well for gentle, compassionate connection between you and your partner. But then, you know that.). Read More »

Forget wearing your heart on your sleeve – why not wear your vulva around your neck?

Yes, one “artist” is now making that possible by taking an exact replica of your lady parts and turning them into one of these beauties. No need to skimp on the underwear anymore, ladies. Now you need only slip one of these over your head to flash everyone your Britney.

Gag.

First there was douche. We let those commercials for vagina potpourri slide by, even though sucking out our precious woman fluids isn’t healthy. Then came the WaterWorks commercials, which literally advertise a mini showerhead you stick up your vaginal canal to rinse it (the technology was taken from chefs who use it to eliminate the odors of onions, fish and garlic. For real). Then wet wipes started popping up on toilet tanks nationwide. And now….the vagina mint.

Yes, an Altoid for your lady parts.

Linger, the company behind this crazy idea, has created a sweetened mint “which was created to flavor the secretions of a woman when she is sexually aroused.” This slow releasing tablet freshens your…er…vagina breath (?) for up to 60 minutes so that “your partner will want to spend more time tasting the new you.”

And all I have to say is…. well, I have a lot to say.

“The new you”?! This isn’t a new me, it’s the old me with a mint shoved up my cooter. This whole “women need to be super self conscious about their vaginas” thing is getting old. If you shower on a regular basis, your vagina and its odor are completely fine. The secretions are natural, and necessary to keep our lady parts healthy. And I think it’s about time we love our vaginas, and all the natural juices that come with them. Read More »

My abs are tight. My legs are toned. But what about my lady parts?!

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: Everyone is always talking about Kegel exercises. Do those things really help? And do we really need to do them? I’ve had a boyfriend for 3 years (and we’ve been having regular sex for the entire time), so is it possible that I’m not as “toned” down there as I could be? Is that something I need to worry about?

A: Do the rest of you know what a Kegel exercise is?  It’s an exercise to strengthen the pelvic floor. To do Kegel exercises, contract and release the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening. If you’re not sure what I mean, run to the restroom, pee, and try to stop your urine mid-stream. Those are the muscles we’re talking about here.

How can Kegels help you? Let’s break it down into three ways- sexual enhancement, prevention, and treatment.  Because these muscles tone the vagina, they can be used to enhance intercourse. By contracting these muscles, you may offer additional pleasure for you and your lover, especially if you’ve had a few babies and things have become a bit loosely goosey down there.

What about prevention? As we age, our tissue gets weaker and our risk of pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence increases.  What’s pelvic prolapse? Well, believe it or not, your uterus, bladder, vagina, and rectum can all sort of fall out. I’ve seen uteruses hanging between people’s legs and herniations of the bladder and rectum into the vagina. This looseness in the vagina can lead to incontinence, pelvic pressure, difficulty with urinating and having bowel movements, and a whole host of other unpleasant symptoms. Kegel exercises help prevent pelvic prolapse and incontinence.  By toning these muscles, you help keep things tucked up inside, where they belong. Read More »

Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I’m a little concerned about the way things smell and taste downtown. It’s not like anyone has told me anything is funky down there, but I’ve had lots of guys perform oral sex on me once and never do it again. What can I do to clean it up (you know, if that is the problem)?

A: Truth be told, it may have nothing to do with you at all.  Some guys are hesitant to give oral sex because they feel clueless.  Maybe they felt they didn’t pleasure you and question their technique? Did you communicate that you liked it? If they give it their all and you don’t appear to like it, this may trigger a guy’s own insecurities. So if you’re not doing this already, give him a few oohs and aahs to let him know you like his style. Read More »