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Is 'Winter Vagina' real? Expert debunks fad, says it's NOT a thing

Mary Burke, a former NHS midwife, insisted that vaginal dryness could be triggered by the hot and cold nature of a winter lifestyle

After a wave of reports addressing concerns of the so-called "Winter Vagina" phenomenon, fact-checkers have debunked the fad saying it's definitely not a thing.

The idea of seasonal vaginal discomfort was first brought up by a British newspaper that appeared to warn of the "chilling truth" behind the impact of the weather on female genitalia. The article quoted Mary Burke, a former NHS midwife and senior clinical nurse at the London Bridge Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Clinic, who asserted that vaginal dryness could be triggered by the hot and cold nature of a winter lifestyle, IFLS reported.

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"Dry autumn and winter air depletes moisture from our bodies, leaving our skin dehydrated and cracked, and our sinuses parched," Burke told the newspaper. “And while it’s an issue few will want to discuss openly, our vaginas can enter ‘drought mode’ during this time, too.”

A healthy vagina is moist, and vaginal dryness can cause discomfort, sexual dysfunction, and even increase the risk of infection. However, one can rest assured that it can't be triggered by the changing of the seasons or the temperature of one's residence. Dr Jen Gunter addressed the prospect of “winterizing" the vagina ahead of Winter Vagina season in a satirical post on her blog, The Vajenda. “The bleak midwinter air is going to whip right up your pants, through your underwear, part your labia, and head straight up your vag,” Gunter wrote. “Jack Frost is the f^cking frat boy of fairytale creatures and he’s going to make your vagina feel like the corner of Portage and Main on January 1st if you don’t do something about it. Now.”

Burke originally recommended using a humidifier or a bowl of water on a warm radiator to keep female nether regions warm during the winter. Gunter strictly warned against steaming one's genitals, while explaining the reasons behind the media's annual 'Winter Vagina' coverage. "Vaginas in a perpetual state of almost mayhem is a way to make women feel self-conscious and clearly sells product. We have an entire industry devoted to it,” she told Refinery 29. "This 'article' in the Mirror that prompted my ire quotes a former midwife who is in that industry – she works for a plastic surgeon who appears to offer vaginal procedures."

Dr Gunter wondered why no one raised concern about a "winter butthole" phenomenon. It was because the air outside the body has little or no impact whatsoever on the dryness of our internal pockets. She explained that it wasn't possible for the winter weather to directly impact the vagina, which is "inside your body and underneath clothes." Considering it's important to note that the vagina is self-cleaning, self-regulating, and takes care of itself just like every other part of the body. There's no need to warm it or cool it. According to IFLS, the "same goes for self-lubrication and discharge – that happens thanks to the vagina’s internal ecosystem, not the outside environment."

Dr Gunter has also touched on the so-called "Summer Vagina" condition in a previous article. "The vagina cannot dry out because of the heat. I mean…I can’t even…" she writes. "The only way you could temporarily dry out your vagina from the heat would be aiming a hairdryer inside. And for the love of everything that is holy don’t do that! The vagina maintains a steady temperature because it is inside your body and human body temperature only rises with the outside temperature when someone is suffering from heatstroke. Women are not poikilotherms. The vagina maintains moisture because it is constantly producing discharge," she explains.