If you have a vagina, you know how intricate and actually kind of amazing they are. Not only is the vagina the literal gateway to life, but it’s also a lean, mean self cleaning machine capable of bringing oh-so-much physical pleasure.
And while the complexity of the female organ can oftentimes get us into sticky situations like UTIs, yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (and don’t think we’re forgetting about that monthly visit from Mother Nature!), the truth of the matter is that vaginas are one of the coolest body parts.
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Check out these insane facts about the vagina that you never knew.
The labia shrinks with age.
It’s true that your breasts will eventually sag as time and gravity take their toll on your body, but the opposite can be said for your labia minora and majora. During menopause and perimenopause, estrogen levels decrease and you lose a layer of subcutaneous fat (layer of fat just beneath your skin), which means you’ll start to see your labia shrink in your 40s or 50s. (Women’s Health says it could even happen as early as your 20s!)
It’s called vulvovaginal atrophy and it’s a totally normal process, so if you notice a big difference, know that there’s nothing wrong.
The vaginal canal can change size
You may not know that the actual vagina — not just the blanket term most people use to describe the inner workings of the labia, vulva, clitoris, cervix, etc. — is a small tubular canal. It can range anywhere from 9.5 centimeters to 12.5 centimeters normally, but when aroused can expand up to 200 percent its size.
The clitoris becomes enlarged, and the labia minora and majora swell and take on a darker shade of pink or red. It makes sense when you think about the fact that entire babies can make their way through the vaginal canal, right?
You can’t lose anything up the vagina
While it’s true that some things can get stuck in the vagina (we’ve all heard the horror stories about tampons, condoms, vibrators and NuvaRings), it’s impossible to actually lose anything up there. That’s because the canal is rather shallow, so if you somehow forget about a tampon and it makes its way up there, it’s likely to stop right there. Plus, the actual opening of the uterus is way too small for anything to go through it (unless it’s coming from the uterus — aka a baby).
If you start to notice a rotten smell coming from down there, it may be because of a foreign object. If you can’t fish it out yourself, definitely see your gyno, who can undoubtedly do the trick.
The clitoris is way more sensitive than the penis
Ladies, rejoice! The clitoris contains over 8,000 nerve endings — that’s more than double the nerve endings on the penis. Plus, the clitoris extends far beyond the external part that gets stimulated during sex, which is less than one centimeter long. The internal clitoris extends anywhere from 0.5 centimeters to 2 centimeters and comprises of bulbous internal extensions (the vestibular bulbs) and wings on either side (the corpus cavernosum).
It actually continues on the inside of the body and becomes engorged and enlarged when aroused, allowing stimulation from the vaginal wall and other parts of the vulva. It’s built of erectile tissue not unlike the kind that helps a dude’s junk grow.
All vaginas have a Skene Gland
Located inside the vagina near the G-spot, the Skene’s Gland fills with a prostate-like fluid when aroused, which can be excreted. But while all vaginas have the gland, only some actually have the functionality to ejaculate.
No one really knows why some women are able to and others aren’t, so if you’ve never “squirted” during sex don’t worry about it.
Women are capable of getting aroused during sleep
If you thought wet dreams only applied to teenage boys, it’s time to think again. During REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming, your brain requires more oxygen — as a result, blood flow all over the body increases. As a result, the clitoris and labia minora can expand and result in an orgasm while you sleep (and you don’t necessarily need to be having a “sexy dream”). This brings a whole new meaning to “sweet dreams”, doesn’t it?
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