Most of us don’t get nearly enough education about our genitalia past puberty. You might learn a little bit about the reproductive system when you’re 10 or 11 years old, but learning what a healthy vagina looks like—or more accurately what a healthy vulva looks like, but more on that in a minute—typically isn’t part of the curriculum.
Odds are you’ve spent many moments checking to see if everything’s looking alright down there not really knowing exactly what you’re looking for. Aside from an annual check up with your gynecologist, you’re generally on your own. That’s why we consulted with a couple of ob-gyns who know the literal ins and outs of your nether regions.
But first...what’s the difference between a vagina and a vulva?
Chances are you’ve had many people refer to your genitalia as your vagina. But everything from the outer and inner labia, to your clitoris, as well as your vaginal opening is actually the vulva, or the external genitalia. The vulva also includes the urethral opening, fourchette (where the labia meet), perineum, anus, and the mons pubis (the area above the labia where pubic hair generally grows). The vagina, on the other hand, is internal. It’s the canal between your vulva and your cervix.
What a healthy vulva looks like
“A healthy vagina can vary from person to person,” says Kameelah
Phillips, M.D., an ob-gyn at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Dr.
Phillips says she focuses on three main things when it comes to a
healthy vagina: appearance, odor, and pain.
Appearance
“Normally, the vagina is pink with rugae or ridges throughout the walls. The labia are sisters—not twins—so they typically do not look exactly alike,” says Dr. Phillips. The Labia Library is a resource that helps people with vulvas understand just how very different labias can look and be.