Sexual infection used to be called venereal disease, VD. The name came from Venus, the Goddess of Love. Attitudes have changed, in part due to the steep rise in these infections, and they are now called sexually transmitted diseases. STD is used for short. Physicians who specialize in STDs are venereologists.

Some prostitutes ask a client to wash before sex. (Nowadays, the brighter ones insist that he wears a condom, too.) Yet many women in a love relationship would not dream of asking their beloved to wash his genitals first even when they are unfresh. It might spoil the moment. It might kill the romance.

The ecology of the vagina can be easily upset. Harmless fungus or bacteria turn harmful, and multiply at a rapid rate. Though the vagina is robust and self cleansing, the odds are fairly high that an infection will occur at some time in life. The agents for disease include bacteria, viruses, protozoans, insects, even yeast.

Yeast is a fungus which grows in harmless amounts in the vagina. If something happens to disrupt the ecology, the yeast spores go crazy. They multiply and spread at a very fast rate, because the other organisms which held them in check have been destroyed. The symptoms include a thick, whitish discharge, mild to severe itching, soreness and redness around the labia which can spread to the upper thighs. If the yeast spores spread to the anus area, the symptoms can flare up there.

Keep a regular date for genital self examination (GSE). This should be before a bath or shower. Cleansing the area first can cause redness or other reactions which confuse the findings. Wash the hands thoroughly. Spread the pubic hair apart with the fingers. Use a mirror, if desired.. Carefully examine the mons and both sides of the outer lips. Look for red patches or swellings.

There are occasions in the day when a busy woman has no time for a bath or shower. The French call the quick cleansing routine which can be used when in a hurry "a tart's wash." It involves freshening those parts which produce smegma and apocrine sweat: the armpits and groin. The reason for this crude name is because the prostitute wants to remove the pungent odor of sex before her next "trick."

Choice of underwear is a personal issue. Smart, silky lace; fluffy, ribboned tucks; tiny, snappy thongs they all look charming. Underwear can be so pretty that it is hard to remember these garments play an important role in hygiene. Factors such as fiber content, fit, and absorbency should be taken into account.

The deflowering of a virgin can be perceived as male fantasy. It is linked to that other male fantasy of longing for a larger penis. A virgin, having no intimate knowledge of other men, would be impressed by the male organ, whatever its size. She would be in no position to make comparisons. Nowadays, most men have more respect for women; indeed, many prefer not to be responsible for a girl's first sexual encounter.

Bartholin was a physician who first described the tiny glands at each side of the vagina, (like Montgomery of the breasts). These glands are two small sacs at either side of the vagina. They function like Cowper's glands in men, which make drops of moisture to lubricate the tip of the penis before penetration. Bartholin's glands produce drops of mucus which moisten the vulva prior to penetration. The drops ooze from the glands through tiny ducts.

The outer lips (labia majora) are two folds of skin with pubic hair on their surface. In never pregnant women, the folds meet in the middle. In others, they can be slightly open, more relaxed. The skin can be dark, or pink. The outer lips are plump with fat tissue. These soft, squashy pillows act as cushions during the act of love. They protect the delicate inner structures, and keep the vulva moist. They react to temperature; the lips pucker and shrivel when cold, rather like the scrotum in men.