The Mirror's Health , Lifestyle and Fashion
Vajacial: A facial for the vagina
And if you thought that cleaning the portion between your legs end with just shaving, here’s the latest in the beauty book — vajacial; a revitalising treatment, an attempt by women to clean and tidy up the vulva of the vagina.
Advertisement
The vulva is the outer part of the female genital which includes the labia majora (outer lips) and mons pubis.
Debuted over a decade ago, vajacial has remained a source of confusion and curiosity . The treatment is a portmanteau of the words; ‘vagina’ and ‘facial’.
It is a spa treatment that focuses on the vulva specifically, the bikini line, mons pubis and outer labia. It does not deal with the inter vagina and more like a facial for your vulva and mons pubis.
A cosmetologist and owner of Beaute Feminine in Kumasi, Christelle Akua Sika Amankona, who has been rendering the vajacial service for four years spoke to The Mirror about what the treatment entailed.
She stated that the purpose was to treat ingrown hairs, remove dead skin cells, smoothen bumps around bikini line, prevent acne, help with hyperpigmentation to maintain healthy and hydrated skin in the vaginal area.
Procedure
She noted that a vajacial is typically a 50-minute to an hour treatment.
“I know how delicate that place is so I take my time to do it well. It is a treatment for a person, not just a service and also serves as a form of relaxation so you do not need to rush it. The procedure includes cleansing, exfoliation, extraction of ingrown hairs which is followed by a soothing mask and application of serum,” she explained.
Mrs Amankona said : “When you come to our spa, we give you wipes to clean yourself then we move into waxing. Waxing is the process of hair removal from the root. After that, we do cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, masking and finally, we apply serum to hydrate the skin area.
“This gives the surface of the vagina a smooth look. We use healthy and clinically- tested products on clients. We also take our time to take them through the products we use and make sure clients are not allergic to any of them. Anyone who is into this shouldn’t downplay the due diligence factor.”
She added that some cases required the use of high-tech LED lights such as blue lights which prevents and minimises existing ingrown hairs , and a red light to smoothen the skin tone and increase blood circulation.
Pleasant for partners
Mrs Amankona stated that apart from it being a self-care routine, it also makes the vagina look pleasant for partners.
“We all agree that the vagina takes care of itself but what happens to the surface? some women suffer hyperpigmentation, a condition that causes skin to darken and sometimes, it is not attractive so a procedure like vajacial helps to correct it, “ she said.
“There are those with bumps that are the result of in-grown hair, and it doesn’t make the vagina attractive. Imagine you are a man and when it’s time to get intimate, you see bumps and pimples on the vulva, especially at a time you want to go down; it will put you off,” she noted.
Challenges
Notwithstanding, this trend is new and Mrs Amankona stated that one of the challenges her spa faced; when she introduced it as a service was conviction.
“Initially, when we started, it was difficult convincing people because really, why would I want to lie down for someone to do all that to me? Clients were not comfortable. However, with time and the use of education, they came around and still do. In fact, it has become one of our sought after services, it is all about self-care.”
The cosmetologist observed that as funny as it may sound,” there is a perception that clients get wet or have orgasms just because it is related to the vagina. That is far from it. Your clitoris is not supposed to be touched. The purpose of the procedure is not to give pleasure,” she said.
Feedback
Sharing feedback after experiencing a vajacial, an entrepreneur ,Rosemond Akapkpo, said it was worth it.
“I was pleased to see that my vulva felt baby smooth and moisturised for days after the treatment. I felt amazing ;not only was it lovely for my partner and for sex purposes but I couldn't help but run my fingers across the newly smoothened skin and it gave me confidence too.”
A business woman , Juliana Appiah,who had also undergone the treatment noted that it was important not to ignore the vagina.
“Whenever I used the razor, it left marks on my vulva but when I tried out vajacial, I found it soothing. It’s important not to ignore your private part and a one-hour procedure at least once in three months is not a bad idea.”
Safety
A student of the University of Ghana , Legon, Tracy Emefa, said she would only do it if it was medically proven to be safe.
“I have heard about it; seen it on social media but I am not sure I can do it. Knowing who I am, I can’t sit for someone to steam my vulva. Nonetheless, I believe it will be a nice and interesting experience, I wouldn’t mind trying it one day. Until then, we will keep taking care of that place, the usual way we know,” she said.
A self-employed lady, Rita Boakye, noted; “I've heard some of my friends who have done it say it’s good and I should try it but I need to be sure it is medically backed and has no side effects. With the kinds of diseases flying around, I don’t want any surprises. That place is also very fragile, a little mistake and it turns into something else and the entire zone is compromised.”
A Public Relations Executive, Regina Hammond added that “I’m hearing it for the first time, but once it will keep the vagina healthy, safe and yummy, then why not, I wouldn’t mind joining that gang.”
Medical Backing
A gynecologist at the Police Hospital, Dr M.S Akubua, said even though vajacials were accepted in the cosmetology world, it had no medical backing.
“It is something that is gradually gaining ground as a cosmetic procedure but at the moment it has nothing medically attached to it. Just like facials, it aims to give you smoother skin by tackling ingrown hairs, discolouration, bumps, among others,” he noted.
When asked if it was necessary, he stated, “there are people who are extremely hairy and a vajacial helps the situation. However, ideally, you are not to take off public hair completely, the hair has its purpose so taking it off entirely is exposing it to infections and other related issues.”
He raised the issue of sexual exploitation, saying, “coming from that angle , you may never know and cannot tell whose hands you are entrusting your private part to. That is also an aspect you need to consider when going for a vajacial.”
Writer’s email: [email protected]
