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Vaginal steaming, sometimes shortened to V-steaming[1] and also known as wormwood steaming, is an alternative health treatment wherein a woman squats or sits over steaming water containing herbs such as mugwort, rosemary, wormwood, and basil. It has been practiced in Africa (Mozambique, South Africa[2]), Asia (Indonesia, Thailand[2]), and Central America (among the Q'eqchi' people[3]).
Vaginal steaming is described in spas as an ancient Chinese treatment for reproductive organ ailments and is claimed to have other benefits. No empirical evidence supports any of these claims.[4] It has become a fad for women in the Western world.[5]
There is no evidence that vaginal steaming has any benefits,[6] while there is evidence that it can be dangerous.
- ^ Ghose, Tia (January 30, 2015). "No, Gwenyth Paltrow, Vaginas don't need to be steam cleaned". LiveScience. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ a b Hull, T; et al. (July 2011). "Prevalence, motivations, and adverse effects of vaginal practices in Africa and Asia: findings from a multicountry household survey". Journal of Women's Health. 20 (7): 1097–109. doi:10.1089/jwh.2010.2281. PMID 21668355.
- ^ De Gezelle, Jillian (2014). Q'eqchi' Maya Reproductive Ethnomedicine. Springer. pp. 21–22. ISBN 9783319107448.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Guardian-1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Oliver, Dana (20 April 2016). "I Tried A Vaginal Steam Treatment, And Here's What Happened". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ "What is vaginal steaming?". Cleveland Clinic. 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2023-07-19.