I’m A Gynaecologist – I Beg, Please Stop Doing This In Your Bath

Of course, we all know that self-care isn’t just face masks and bath bombs but sometimes, a big bougie bath is exactly what you need to recharge your batteries and feel more like yourself again.

However, some TikTok creators have been taking the idea of a ‘bougie’ bath and potentially taking it a little too far. Dr Kiara King, a gynaecologist, reacted to one of these videos on the app this week.

In the original video, the creator starts off slow, adding a bath board over the tub, a vase with festive foliage tucked into it, a few candles and then, uh, it seems that the beginnings of mulled wine were brought to the board.

Yes, as the creator adds a board of orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and sugared cranberries to the board, the doctor asks, “are they making a large batch of mulled wine???”. Eek.

Then, the creator adds the wine, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, a bath bomb and sugared cranberries to the bath water – yes, really.

The doctor warns in the caption that “Christmas Candidiasis is on the way with this concoction”.

She then went on to say that vulvovaginal candidiasis is a yeast infection and trying this at home, “may bring you 12 days of vulvar symptoms.”

The vulva symptoms the doctor warns of include:

ItchingBurningSwellingAbnormal dischargePainful urination

Not exactly a festive cocktail of symptoms!

According to Health Direct, some women find taking preventative measures to stop vaginal thrush doesn’t seem to help much, but others find they do make a difference. So it makes sense to try the following:

Change underwear daily and wash underwear in hot water (this destroys fungi)Candida likes moist, warm places. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing like jeans and pantyhose, and underwear made from synthetic fibres and panty linersAvoid douching, or taking baths with bubble-bath, soap and bath salts, as these can upset the natural balance of the vaginaAvoid staying in wet clothes like swimming costumes for a long time.Don’t take antibiotics unless you really need themDon’t clean the skin around your vagina more than once a day. You can use water and a moisturiser as an alternative to soapIf you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels under controlAlways wipe from front to back after going to the toilet