Did you know your vagina needs exfoliating?
That right now, you’ve probably got a big ole scabby vaginal callous in desperate need of attention?
Yeah, neither did. Mostly, because it’s not… true.
But also because we saw an advertisement for the Jamu Stick, a magical stick that’s meant to exfoliate your crusty vagina, among other things.
Before we go any further, we'd love it if we could all hold hands and chant 'do not put this in your vagina'. Just to be clear, again:
DO NOT PUT THIS IN YOUR VAGINA.
OK, now onto what the eff this vagina exfoliating stick is promising us.
The Jamu Stick is the latest in a long line of sh*tty wellness products we're meant to be shoving up our birth canals because they're supposedly dirty and must be cleansed for one easy payment of US$28 plus shipping.
An 'all-natural' vaginal cleansing stick handmade in Indonesia, the Jamu Stick promises to not only mop up all the gross stuff your vagina creates to... keep itself clean and healthy (discharge isn't just for fun ladies), but to "return you to your former tightness in seconds like a virgin again".
How? you ask. Well, with the natural healing powers of oak galls, bastard cedar, bark, bettle leaf and long jack (an Indonesian Viagra), of course! Simply whack your Jamu Stick up yourself and leave it there for a minute, and voila, your vagina is as clean and tight as the day you were born. So they say.
After promoting the cleansing and rejuvenating powers of the Jamu Stick on Facebook, social media users with common sense called the company out for spreading misinformed dribble, along with medical professionals who likely didn't spend seven-plus years at uni to tell people not to put strange things inside them.
excuse me? excuse me? excuse me? pic.twitter.com/m2Hvlex1A8
— chaeronaea fan account (@babypizzagaga) February 28, 2019
Stop. Telling. Women. Our. Bodies. Are. Unclean (!)https://t.co/8CnJbgb6Lu
— Rachel Moss (@rachelmoss_) March 4, 2019
Everyone asking me about that stupid Jamu Stick to “exfoliate” and “tighten” the vagina. Same b.s. as the Japanese tightening stick that I wrote about in 2016. I am your go to defender against vulvar and vaginal snake oil https://t.co/N2oKqxn98z
— Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) March 1, 2019
One such medical professional was Dr Jen Gunter, the gynaecologist, obstetrician and vaginal health expert who famously discredited a similar product, the Yoni Egg, sold on Gwyenth Paltrow's lifestyle website GOOP.
Speaking to Refinery29, Dr Gunter confirmed that no, your vagina does not need exfoliation and should not be exfoliated under any circumstance.
"The vaginal epithelium sheds very regularly. Calluses are not possible. Anyone who thinks this doesn't understand even the basics of vaginal biology," she said.
"The vagina is like a self-cleaning oven. None of the ingredients in the Jamu Stick can help in any way and will likely cause harm."
Wanna do something genuinely beneficial for your vagina? Check out our very helpful Kegels 101 video below, post continues after video.
Mamamia previously spoke to gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr. Joseph Sgroi about other vaginal scraping and cleaning treatments - he said there is literally no need for them.
"The logic behind [these treatments] is completely flawed. Cells in the lining of the vagina will replenish on their own - and in a very short space of time. It's completely unnecessary," Dr Sgroi told Mamamia.
In closing, please do not put this Jamu Stick in your shopping cart, let alone in your lovely, healthy vagina.
That's... it.
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