Dr. Laurena White Responds:

“That is a possibility if you’re steaming yourself and don’t know what herbs you’re using and you are steaming too long — all those things are possible and true. However, that’s why you need to steam with someone who is certified and trained. When looking for a doctor, you don’t just go to anyone or decide to treat yourself. You look for someone whose been educated as a doctor and who is board-certified and licensed. It’s the same thing with the vaginal steam. Yes, you can steam yourself, it’s just not a good idea. One, take the opportunity to let someone take care of you. Like, think about that. Let someone take care of you for thirty-five minutes to an hour, so you can enjoy the experience, so you’re not having to worry about the temperature, the time, the right herbs. Let someone who’s been trained to do this, do this for you.

All those risks can and will happen when you’re operating outside of a trained professional — because not every herb is for every single condition. If you’re using the wrong herbs for wrong conditions, yes, you can disrupt, damage, the physiologically normal, protective flora in your vagina. Temperature and length of time is also really important. You don’t want it to be too hot, you want it to be comfortable. So when you’re using the incorrect herbs for the wrong period of time, all these things factor into this process. Steam is a healing modality, and, as such, should be respected and conducted and performed by a certified professional.

Speaking of damaging flora, we have to talk about doctor-prescribed antibiotics. We have scientific proof that that’s what is harming the vaginal flora and creating resistance to BV. I think it’s a catch-22 because yes, you are killing the bad germs, but part of antibiotics is that you’re also killing some of that good stuff. Literally, with vaginal steaming, it’s water that is infused with herbs. That’s why selection of herbs is so important, because some herbs are meant to treat bacteria, some herbs are meant to treat viral infections, some herbs are meant to do a combination of the two. And dosing is important. I mean, there’s just so many different layers to this that it’s necessary that you have a professional because not every steam is meant for every body. Two people could both have BV, but there could be other factors that go along with it that require that they have different herbs and steam setups.”