Doctors are warning women about a product that supposedly helps with detoxing the womb. A perfumed herb ball that must be inserted in the vagina, it is said to prevent conditions like thrush, endometriosis or ovarian cysts.
The herb balls are sold for $15 to $75 and distributed by Embrace Pangaea, a holistic company. They contain motherwort, cilim monnieri, angelica, borneol, rhizoma - or ancient ingredients that help with the womb cleanings, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The company also offers special packages that can run up to $480 to help tighten the vagina and the womb, but experts said that the balls (or pearls) are not only dangerous but also ineffective.
"Your uterus isn't tired or depressed or dirty and your vagina has not misplaced its chakra," wrote gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter on her blog. She stressed that the vagina is a "self-cleaning oven" and that using products to clean it, including holistic or natural ones, will only irritate and increase the development of risks and infections.
Dr. Vanessa Mackay from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also supports Gunter's statement. "The vagina is designed to clean itself with natural secretions and should not require a 'detox,'" Mackay said, via She Knows. Mackay also advised women who might have concerns about itching, irritation or vaginal smell to visit the doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Embrace Pangaea owner Tamieka Atkinson defended her product and said that her company has not made any claims "of curing, diagnosing, or treating disease," according to The Independent. Atkinson agrees with the experts that the vagina is self-cleaning. However, she also told the news outlet, "This self-cleaning ability can get reduced due to a person's lifestyle."
"Our Herbal Womb Detox Pearls is simply a natural herbal alternative that women can make a conscious and informed decision in using. With all our clients, we do advise them that we are not medical professionals, and that they should seek assistance from their doctor," she further said.
