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Who else remembers that scene from Mean Girls when Cady hangs out with Regina, Gretchen and Karen for the first time? Regina, Gretchen and Karen are just casually looking in the mirror when they start ripping themselves apart, saying things like, “God, my hips are huge,” “Oh please, I hate my calves,” and the more ridiculous, “My nail beds suck.” Cady is totally confused and silent until they all look at her and she realizes that she needs to insult herself also, so she offers up a weak, and way too personal, “I have really bad breath in the morning.”

The scene is undoubtedly funny – but if you really pay attention to it, it’s also kind of sad. That’s because the reason the scene is so funny is because it’s relatable. How many of us have found ourselves in this exact same situation, insulting ourselves in front of friends because they insulted themselves first? I can’t even be a hypocrite and say I’ve never done it, because I have. Girls, this needs to stop. 

One of the most common ways of doing this is engaging in some good ole’ fashion fat talk. By fat talk I mean you and your friends sitting around complaining about how “fat” you all are. A lot of us do it and while it may seem like a harmless and very weird way to bond, it’s actually really, really hurting our self-esteem. I mean, is it any surprise that criticizing our own body in front of others is making us actually hate the way we look?

The topic was discussed on The Today Show recently and one psychologist called this kind of fat talk “disastrous.” She says that pointing out your “flaws” and talking badly about yourself is ruining your self-esteem and calls it “body bashing.” And she’s right – fat talk sucks! We don’t like when others talk badly about our bodies, so why do we feel like it’s okay to bash our bodies ourselves?

Not only is this horrible for our self-esteem and our confidence, but it’s also pretty annoying. Think about it: do you really like hearing your friend, who you think is gorgeous, complain about how fat she thinks she is? Um, no! It’s frustrating to hear because even when you try to tell her she’s wrong, she argues with you about it! It’s a lose-lose situation. No one likes to hear others bring themselves down – honestly, it comes off as kind of pathetic and a little desperate.

Don’t be like Cady.

So why do girls fat talk even though no one actually enjoys it? I think these are the major reasons:

Your friends are doing it and you feel like you have to join in. When all of your friends are whining about how fat they are, are you going to sit there silently or join in? Probably join in. But you don’t have to! You should never feel like you need to put yourself down for other people.

You feel ashamed of being confident/don’t know how to take a compliment. It’s practically a fact that the majority of women have trouble accepting compliments. How many times do you hear a version of this conversation: Friend 1: “You look so great in that dress!” Friend 2: “Ugh, I think my legs look gross, though!” Here’s how it should go: Friend 1: “You look so great in that dress!” Friend 2: “Thank you!” Simple.

You’re looking for a compliment. Sometimes when we say something like, “I’m soooo fat,” we’re waiting for our friend to be like, “No, you’re gorgeous!” Why? That little compliment feels good. But wouldn’t you rather get real compliments out of nowhere instead of having someone compliment you because they feel like they have to?

It’s an easy way to “bond.” Fat talk has been around FOREVER, unfortunately. And, also unfortunately, it’s an easy way to get girls talking to each other. Putting yourselves down almost makes you feel like you’re bonding, in a sick and weird way.

Whatever the reason behind your fat talk, you need to stop. Don’t be apart of this self-esteem ruining epidemic any longer! Fat talk is not as innocent as it seems – it’s making you feel crappy about yourself and guess what? That feels really, well, crappy. It’s not cool to put yourself down – it’s cool and inspiring to love yourself and accept your body. You should never feel like it’s a bad thing to be too confident. I mean, I’m not going to advise you to run around telling everyone how amazing and gorgeous you are, but a healthy dose of confidence can only be a good thing.

Do you ever engage in fat talk with your friends? What do you say when your friend says she’s fat? Does this make you feel worse about yourself? Tell me in the comments.

Scared to wear a bikini or be naked? Read this!

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We all know about the best ways to whiten your teeth: brush your teeth twice a day, floss, use whitening mouth wash, try white strips, get them whitened at the dentist, blah, blah, blah. But if you don’t have the time – or the money, because these things can be expensive – to do all of that, there are a few other ways to make your teeth look more white. Not only are these things all super easy to do, but they’re also much more fun than sitting around for a half hour wearing a white strip on your teeth that burns your gums. Check out these quick and natural ways to make your teeth look more white:

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Eat Crunchy Foods

Crunchy foods help clean your teeth as your chewing, scraping away icky bacteria like it's no big deal. Munch on apples, carrots, celery to get rid of annoying stains on your teeth.

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Wear Bronzer

Contrasting a tan against your teeth will obviously make your teeth look whiter - think about it! Although bronzer won't actually whiten your teeth, it will give the illusion that they're whiter - and sometimes, before a big date, that's all you need. Since tanning isn't a great option, go for some great bronzer.

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Eat Cheese

This is my favorite tip on this list because cheese is only the best food in the world. Not only does cheese remove food particles that will end up staining your teeth, but the calcium you're eating even helps to keep your gams strong. Yummy and effective!

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Stop Drinking Coffee

I know you need your caffeine to give yourself a boost in the AM, but coffee stains your teeth so much. Plus, too much caffeine isn't good for you! Is the promise of whiter-looking teeth enough to get you to quit?

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Don't Wear Gold Jewelry

I never knew this until now, but apparently gold jewelry can bring out the yellow color in your teeth. If you're looking for a super quick way to make your teeth appear whiter and brighter, pile on the silver jewels instead of the gold ones.

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Try Lemon Juice Mixed With Salt

If you don't want to spend money on teeth whitening supplies, you can probably grab a lemon from your fridge instead. Rub a little bit of lemon juice mixed with salt on your teeth - but not too much or it will sting. Just like lemon lightens your hair, it can also help get dark stains off our teeth.

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Wear Red Lipstick

Here's a perfect reason to buy a new red lipstick: not only will it spice up your whole look, but it will also make your teeth appear to be whiter. Just make sure you go for a red lipstick with blue undertones, like a berry shade rather than an orange one.

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Eat Strawberries

Who knew that the enzymes found in strawberries could actually whiten and polish your teeth? I didn't! Make these a daily snack or make a paste out of them and spread it over your teeth for a few minutes.

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Do you care about what your smile looks like? Do you wish your teeth would look more white? Are you going to try any of these? Tell me in the comments!

Stop telling me to smile!

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Your Vagina Is Self-Cleaning!

You know why docs (and we here at Gurl!) tell you pretty often not to douche or use weird washes down there? Because, like an awesome roommate after a party, your vag cleans up on its own without your help. Just plain old soap and water on the outside of it in the shower is enough--you can let everything else handle itself.

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You've Got A Lot Of Nerve Endings Down There.

Think guys have it the best? Think again. Your clitoris--which is one of the tiniest parts of you down there, though it does engorge when you're turned on--that tiny little button? That has 8,000 nerve endings. The whole penis? Only has 4,000. Score one for the gals!

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Don't Hate On Crotch Sweat!

While it may feel uncomfortable when it happens, sweating down there actually saves you from feeling truly awful. Sweat from your vulva and various other places down there keeps you from feeling too much heat and friction--yikes! So if you need to, just run the restroom, wipe off, change undies if necessary and thank Mother Nature for not making it worse.

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You Don't Look As Different As You Think!

Your labia can all look different, and so can your vulvas. But in terms of actual vaginas--as in the birth canal? Most of us look the same, so no need to feel like a special snowflake or a freak of nature down there.

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Your Pubes & Natural Scent Have A Purpose!

Paranoid about your pubes? Stressing over your scent? Don't. Experts say that pubic hair is actually evolution's way of making you more attractive: It traps scents, odors and pheromones that lure partners to you on an instinctual level. Of course, if you want to wax or shave to feel more confident, that's your prerogative--just know that you don't need to.

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You're Not Going To Get Loose!

You know the myth that if you have sex too much, your vagina's gonna loosen up? And you'll become a "loose woman?" Yeah, it's a myth for a reason: It ain't true. Your vagina's elastic, like a rubber band. You know how when you have a rubber band and stretch it how it snaps back into place? Same idea, so don't let anyone slut shame you into thinking differently. One exception, though? You may loosen up temporarily after childbirth--but you're probably not going to have to worry about that for a while anyway.

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It's Powerful--And The Name Reflects That!

Horny ninjas, rejoice! The word "vagina" comes from a Latin word that means "sword sheath."

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Your Vagina And Jaws Have Something In Common.

No, this isn't a "vagina dentata" (vagina with teeth) joke. Both sharks and our lil' old vaginas contain "squalene." Squalene exists in shark livers and is also a natural vaginal lubricant for us land lubbers. Do you feel a little more dangerous now?

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Were you surprised by any of these crazy and interesting facts about your vagina? Tell us in the comments!

Don’t put these in your vagina!

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This morning, I read an article about the big new plastic surgery trend: an upper arm lift. Apparently, upper arm lifts saw the biggest increase between 2000 and 2012.

Now, normally with this kind of thing, I would scoff and wonder who would go through that kind of procedure. I’m not normally big on plastic surgery. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t judge anyone who gets it (unless you’re Joan Rivers – guys, I met her once and she literally looks like a mannequin. It’s not okay!). I’m not exactly against plastic surgery, I’ve just never felt like it was for me before. I don’t like doctors, hospitals or surgery recovery – and anyway, the best way to love our bodies is to learn to accept them, not change them… right?

Why am I suddenly questioning myself? Well, here’s the thing: I absolutely hate my upper arms. And to be honest with you, getting work done on them to make them look better actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Who am I?! I’ve never wanted plastic surgery in my life! I’m feeling seriously guilty about this. I spend most of my time writing to you girls about how you need to learn to accept your bodies no matter what they look like and gain confidence and be happy with the body you were given. And here I am, seriously thinking about what my life would be like if I had an upper arm lift. Is that really wrong? I just feel like getting this surgery would really, really boost my confidence and make me feel better about myself. Am I totally vain?

It just feels like I’ve been fighting a never ending battle with my upper arms. They’re not fat, exactly, but they’re not thin either. I do a lot of arm exercises with weights to try and tone them up, but it takes FOREVER. It’s painful and I don’t always have the time for it. And if I don’t keep up with my arms on a constant basis, they just look terrible (to me, at least).

The issue I have with my upper arms has, unfortunately, gotten in the way of me living my life sometimes. I’m super, super self-conscious of them and so I try to cover them up as much as possible. During the winter, it’s no problem. I wear long-sleeved shirts or sweaters over short-sleeved shirts and I’m all good. But I’m sure you can imagine how annoying this is during the summer, when it’s way too hot to wear long sleeves. I go for as long as I possibly can before I have to break out my arms in tank tops and short sleeves. Last year, when I went on a boating trip with my boyfriend and his friends, I insisted on wearing a sweatshirt the whole time because I was ashamed of my arms. I obviously spent the whole day sweating. It totally wasn’t worth it – but that’s not the first or last time I’ve done something like that.

The other annoying thing about my arms is that it makes it difficult to buy certain items of clothing (and I already have enough of those issues!). If the material isn’t stretchy, a shirt or dress sometimes just refuses to fit my upper arms. Since they are bigger in proportion to the rest of my body, it’s really hard to buy a lot of different shirts, blazers or jackets – everything fits except for the arms, which need a size larger. I’ve had to put back so many cute things because they’re just so uncomfortable on my arms.

Honestly, even writing this post is hard for me! I’m SO self-conscious about my arms that I very rarely talk about how much I dislike them. In fact, this is probably the most I’ve talked about this issue ever (not exaggerating). I hate pointing out how I feel about my arms or what they look like because I hate to feel like people are staring at them (even though they’re most likely not).

My point is, thinking about a world where I don’t have to stress over what my upper arms look like sounds like a dream world to me. And if that world involves plastic surgery? It just might be worth considering.

But be honest with me: do you think this is ridiculous? Would you ever get plastic surgery on the part of your body that you hate the most? How do you feel about plastic surgery? Do you ever feel this way about your upper arms? Tell me in the comments.

10 things that kind of suck because of my big boobs

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A lot of girls think that with bigger boobs comes endless possibilities. Sure, those curves fill out certain styles of clothing differently than A-cups do, but trust me – big boobs do not make everything better. There are certain items of clothing I wish I could wear, but I can’t because they just don’t fit my breasts right. I have never given up hope on some things (I refuse to stop looking until I find the perfect strapless bikini), but honestly, most of the time these things are just a major fail on my body.

Here are 10 things that kind of suck because of my boobs. I’m sure many of you can relate. Let’s complain together:

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Button-Down Shirts

I think I have been on a never-ending quest to find the perfect button-down shirt since I was born. I'M NOT BEING DRAMATIC. I love, love, love the look of any button-down, but unfortunately, I have yet to find one that doesn't pop open in the middle of a group of strangers to reveal my bra. That happens if I can even manage to button it up to begin with - usually I have to wear a tank underneath, which is like, ugh.

Source: Forever 21

Loose Crop Tops

I see these kind of loose crop tops everywhere in New York during the summer. They're so fun and carefree and light and I want one. So I forgot the lessons I've learned in the past about baggy shirts and big boobs and bought one. The tank either slides down to show off my whole bra or slides over to show off major side boob or rides up so much you can see my stomach. No thanks. Dreams over.

Source: Forever 21

Elastic Waist Shirts or Dresses

Elastic waists are the bane of my existence. I think they were made solely to make me feel bad about myself (JK, JK, I'm not so self-absorbed). My boobs fill out too much of the top and the whole thing just ends up looking weird and lopsided or kind of giving me a pregnant vibe and it's like... pregnancy is cool and all, but I'm not pregnant. So...

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Bathing Suits

You know how you can run over to Target and buy a super cute bikini for, like, $30? That must be nice. I don't know what that feels like. I only order my bathing suits from Victoria's Secret so that I can get them in bra sizes - and even then, the tops usually don't always fit right. There's a lot of squishing and pushing and under-boob and side-boob action happening no matter what. I mean, can't a girl just be comfortable on the beach?!

Source: ShutterStock

Sports Bras

Any fellow large-chested woman will agree with me - sports bras are the worst. I've spent one too many workouts squishing my boobs into two different sports bras just so they don't painfully move around while I exercise... because that HURTS. It's so hard to find a good sports bra. Some of them squish you way too much (that's not support, it's just squishing) and some of them claim they're supportive, but... they're not. It's a lie. Personally, I enjoy high-impact Under Armour sports bras. Just a friendly tip.

Source: ShutterStock

Strapless Anything

I once heard someone say she envied girls with large breasts because we could pull of strapless things better. LOL NO. Strapless things, whether it's a bra or a dress or a top, make me miserable and I wish I were kidding. How do I explain a night full of constantly pulling up your shirt/dress/bra and wondering whether or not your boobs have turned into one giant long boob? Annoying. Terrible. Uncomfortable.

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Long Necklaces

Oh, check out how cute this look is. Wish I could wear it. Except I can't, because whenever I try to pull off a long necklace, it either gets stuck between my boobs and looks ridiculous or it just hangs two inches off my waist and bops around all day. No, thanks.

Source: ShutterStock

Backless Anything, Or A Low Back

I adore backless dresses. They're so sexy and sophisticated. Too bad I'll never be able to pull one off because I have to wear some sort of supportive bra and supportive means a thick band. Major, major sad face. Low backs are almost as frustrating - no one likes to see your bra hanging out of your shirt.

Source: Featureflash/ShutterStock

Spaghetti Strap Shirts

These little tanks are so cute and simple and I love spaghetti straps for the summer. Unfortunately, it's really hard for me to pull them off. Remember those supportive bras I was just talking about? Yeah, they usually involve thick straps that are completely visible under a spaghetti strap. And that kind of ruins things.

Source: Forever21

Cute And Cheap Bras

I used to work at Victoria's Secret and I spent a lot of my time there admiring the adorable and cheap PINK bras that came in all sorts of fun colors. Just admiring, though, because wearing a cheap bra like this is like wearing no bra at all. There's just no support there. Do you know how much my bank account wishes I could spend $30 on a bra rather than $60? Do you?!

Source: Victoria's Secret

(Okay, okay, in all seriousness though, I do genuinely love my boobs. I wouldn’t trade them in even though this stuff is all so annoying. Just wanted to throw that in there!)

How do you feel about your boobs? Do you ever have these problems? What can you relate to the most? What did I miss? Tell me in the comments!

Can wearing a bra be bad for your boobs?

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Summer is right around the corner (YAY!), which means that beach season is also right around the corner. And that means that it’s almost time to whip out your bikinis or tankinis or whatever it is you wear to the beach or the pool. This, as I’m sure you know, brings a great deal of anxiety to a lot of women (and dudes, too!) – some people are scared to wear a bikini. That’s probably why you might be seeing a ton of articles on how to get your “perfect bikini bod!” Ugh. Please make them stop.

In all seriousness, bikini season is not everyone’s favorite season, mainly because some people simply don’t feel comfortable wearing something that shows off so much of their body in public. In fact, a recent survey found that 45 percent of British women are more nervous about wearing bathing suits during the summer than they are about getting naked in front of a new partner for the first time. And apparently, this is a female thing. The men surveyed were twice as more confident about their bathing suit bodies than the women.

This seriously bums me out. I know this might make you roll your eyes, but seriously girls, neither of these things should stress you out this much. Being in a bathing suit in public is not as big of a deal as it might seem! Think of it this way: if you’re at the beach or pool, chances are, everyone around you is also showing some serious skin. And, chances are, the majority of these people don’t have “perfect” bodies (whatever that even means). And guess what? All of these people are probably more into what they look like than what you look like.

If you’re feeling these unfortunate bikini blues or if you’re beyond fed up with the barrage of “lose weight before summer!” articles that seem to have taken over the Internet and our magazines, I think I found a cure.

A clothing brand called Inner Subversion is apparently just as sick of these body hang-ups and the advice that go along with them as we are. Check out their amazingly awesome Facebook post that got them over 5,000 likes and shares:

“How to dress for your shape: are you human-shaped? Play up your confidence and natural sex appeal by wearing whatever the f*** you want.

Life Tip: As the weather gets warmer, continue to wear whatever the f*** you want. Flaunt everything or keep it cool under cover. Dress to make yourself feel rad.

How to get a bikini body: Put a bikini on your body.

Want sexy own-the-beach summer legs? Shave, or don’t because they’re your f****** legs.”

Um, couldn’t have said it better myself. Girls, going to the beach or the pool is supposed to be fun. Please don’t stress over how your body looks (because it probably looks hot).

Are you scared to wear a bikini this summer? Are you scared of getting naked in front of someone new? Which is scarier to you? Tell me in the comments.

How to be more confident

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A recent study has discovered that 41 percent of people who snore have regular nightly arguments with their partner over their snoring.  For those of you who live with, or sleep with someone, who has a little bit of a snoring problem, then you already know how frustrating it can be to deal with. And for those of you who tend to be the ones doing the snoring, then I’m sure you already know how embarrassing it can be to deal with. But how can you tell if you snore? And what are some tips on how to stop snoring? I’m here to help you out, girl.

I have personally always wondered whether or not I snore at night – after all, how would you know unless someone tells you? It’s not something you worry about until you know you’re going to be sharing a bed with someone else and then it’s suddenly something you might not be able to stop wondering about.

So, how do you know if you snore? The most obvious way to find out is to ask someone else. If you don’t share a room with someone, ask the person who sleeps closest to your bedroom or ask your BFF the next time you two have a sleepover.

If you don’t want to ask anyone or there is no one to ask, there are a few other ways to tell. If you get a full night’s sleep but wake up still feeling exhausted, it’s possible that snoring is keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you have a cold, allergies or a deviated septum, it’s totally possible that you’re snoring sometimes without even realizing it. It can also depend on your sleep positions. You’re more likely to snore if you sleep on your back than if you sleep on your side. Your only other option to finding out? Record yourself sleeping, which, I mean, is kind of creepy.

Okay, but what if you already know you snore and you just want to make it stop? Check out the tips below:

Source: ShutterStock

1. Change your sleep position. Like I said before, the way you sleep can affect snoring. Try sleeping on your side as much as you can. One expert recommends using a body pillow to keep you from moving throughout the night.

2. Don’t drink before you go to sleep. If you’re of age and you drink before bed, that can definitely cause you to become a snoring machine (if you’re underage, stop that!). Try to avoid alcohol before sleep as much as possible. Coffee is also a culprit and you really shouldn’t be having that before bed, anyway.

3. Open up your nasal passages. If you’re snoring because of a cold or allergies or something like that, try making things easier on yourself before bed. You’re more likely to snore when your nose is clogged up, so work on that issue and it may help. Use a decongestant before bed – when I have a cold, I love putting Vix VaporRub on my chest at night. It’s kind of a miracle-worker. You can also try sitting in the bathroom with the shower running with very hot water and breathe in the steam. And, of course, there are nasal strips you can buy.

4. Add some extra pillows. Lying flat on your bed isn’t going to help things. Prop yourself up with an extra pillow or two so that your head is higher than the rest of your body.

5. Prevent the air from being dry. Investing in a humidifier will help keep the air in your bedroom moist, which makes snoring a little more difficult. Dry air can sometimes be the problem.

It may take a few different attempts to cure your snoring habit – you really need to find what works for you. None of these tips are totally foolproof or guaranteed to work forever. But making these small lifestyle changes can definitely improve your snoring and your sleep. Now go try them!

Do you snore at night? Are you worried that you snore but you don’t know? Have you ever had to sleep with someone who snores? Tell me in the comments.

5 bad habits that aren’t that bad

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Is it normal to have a lower sex drive than usual if you’re on certain kinds of medication? Don’t freak out if you find yourself wanting to hit the sheets less and less when you start taking a new kind of medicine – it might not be because of whatever you’re taking. Find out more below. 

ChickRx expert Evelyn Resh, MPH, CNM (Certified Sexuality Counselor & Nurse Mid-Wife), says: 

The longer I practice, the more I believe that virtually anything is possible when it comes to side effects of medications. When you investigate side effects on websites or even in medication-specific inserts, you’ll see a list of the most common side effects reported, not any of the uncommon ones. Check the list of side effects out first and then talk to the doctor who prescribed you the medication to see if any other patients have reported this happening to them.

Additionally, if your concentration has been changed from the medication – which of course is the point of using it – then it’s possible that whatever change you’re experiencing in your cognitive state could reflect a shift in your feelings and thoughts about your current sexual partner or the sex you’re having now.

One common pill that a lot of girls take that can result in a lower sex drive is actually birth control. Some forms of the birth control pill come along with the side effect of a low libido. That sounds ridiculous – you’re on the pill so that you can have safe sex, but you don’t want to have sex as much when you’re on it – but a lot of women have reported it happening to them.

Other common medications that have been known to lower your sex drive include anti-depressants, diabetes drugs and anti-seizure medications. However, side effects from medications can vary from person to person – your best bet is to speak to a doctor about it.

Something else to note is that lower sex drive in women can be caused by more than just certain medications. Other causes are sexual problems like pain down there, hormone changes, serious fatigue, stress, alcohol and drugs, low self-esteem, a history of abuse and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Keep these factors in mind before placing the blame on your medication.

Got more questions? Post them in the comments below or head on over to ChickRx.com

Should I be taking breaks from my birth control pills sometimes?

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I totally understand why this is making you freak out – noticing blood down there when you’re not on your menstrual cycle is a little unsettling, especially if it’s never happened before – but before you go into a full-on panic, try to relax so you can find out what’s really going on. There are a few different reasons you could be spotting and they range from super serious to not-so-serious.  But even with the not-so-serious reasons, spotting isn’t something you should ignore.

First of all, and I know this might sound like a weird question, but are you positive you’re bleeding from your vagina? It could be coming from your urine, your rectum or maybe even a cut you got down there shaving. Pay attention to when the bleeding happens and try to investigate down there with a mirror – or insert a tampon and see what comes out. You should also consider how heavy the bleeding is.

Now let’s go into some of the reasons you may be spotting. Have you recently changed your method of birth control? IUDs are known to cause occasional spotting and also switching up your birth control pills can do the same in the first month or so. Other hormonal changes could also be culprit. Believe it or not, stress also plays a part in spotting – it can cause bleeding between periods as well. If you’re on birth control pills and skipped a day or two, this can easily cause spotting. If you’ve recently taken the morning-after pill, that could also be the reason.

As for more serious reasons that you most likely don’t need to worry about, it could be from an untreated STD, an infection in your cervix, an injury of the vaginal opening, pregnancy complications, an underactive thyroid or a sign of cervical cancer.

I know those serious reasons sound super scary and I’m not trying to freak you out more – but you should know what spotting may be a sign of, even if it ends up being from something innocent. I definitely think you should see a doctor about this issue – I’m not a doctor and I don’t know you, so I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on. Also, self-diagnosing isn’t the best idea.

I’d suggest telling your mom about this, since it’s a relatively common problem and not something she should get angry about. However, if you feel really uncomfortable doing that, go to a clinic or Planned Parenthood in your area. Make sure to keep in mind when you’re spotting and how heavy the flow is – these are definitely questions a doctor will ask.

take care,
Heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com

Crazy Period Myths Explained

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The truth? Bleeding during or after sex isn’t very normal and I definitely think you should see a doctor about this. But please don’t freak out – this doesn’t mean that there is something horribly wrong with you. There are a few things that could be going on, but since I can’t diagnose you (because I don’t know you or your body) and you can’t diagnose yourself, the best thing to do here is see a doctor who will be able to tell you for sure what’s going on down there.

So what are some of the reasons that you might have vaginal bleeding during or after sex? For one thing, it’s possible that you’re spotting from your period. You could be experiencing a lot of friction down there and this may be a sign that you need to use lube during sex. Vaginal bleeding could be from an inflammation that causes your cervix to be softer than normal – this is often found in young girls and women who take birth control pills.

Vaginal bleeding could be the result of an infection down there. It could be from an abnormal growth growing on your vagina, cervix or uterus. It could be from a condition called endometriosis or uterine polyps. It could be a side effect of an STD like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Bleeding during sex could even be a sign of cervical cancer. Obviously, you need to go to a doctor for any of these things.

I’m not trying to scare you here – I’m just trying to give you an idea of what could be going on with your body. I don’t want you to freak out and start thinking that you have an STD or cervical cancer. It’s entirely possible that it is the result of a smaller issue, but either way, only a doctor can tell you for sure.

If you really don’t want to tell your mom about your problem and admit to her that you’re having sex, you do have the option of going to a clinic like a Planned Parenthood in your area. Doctors there can help you and treat you without going through your medical insurance, so your mom won’t have to know. But if you’re comfortable with it, talk to your mom about seeing a gynecologist.

It’s best to get this taken care of as soon as possible. The sooner you diagnose the problem, the sooner you can treat it and make sure the bleeding stops. Please don’t ignore vaginal bleeding during sex – if you’re not on your period, you really shouldn’t be bleeding down there from sexual intercourse. It’s important to talk to a doctor about this and not assume that it was just a one-time thing. 

take care,
Heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com

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