So-called intimate hygiene products designed for women to use in the genital area are becoming increasingly popular, but Danish gynaecologists are warning against them, Metroxpress reports.

Gynaecologist Jørn Rolighed told the paper that such products are un-necessary and that some should be outright avoided. “It is a self-cleaning area that just requires rinsing with water,” he said.

“I wouldn’t advise using cleaning products and I would discourage using fragranced products,” he said.

Tine Tetzschner, the chairman of the gynaecological professional association Praktiserende Gynækologer, confirmed to the newspaper that the use of vaginal wipes, soaps and even deodorants is becoming widespread.

Perfectly-balanced ecosystem
The Daily Mail reports that a quarter of women over the age of 16 in Britain have used feminine wipes or feminine wash in the past six months.

The British gynaecologist Austin Ugwumadu said in the English newspaper that the way the products are marketed can be misleading. “The advertising and packaging of feminine hygiene products play on the impression that women need to be squeaky-clean – otherwise they'll be more at risk of infection,” he said.

“In fact, the opposite is true. The vagina is a perfectly-balanced ecosystem, and its bacteria play a crucial role in gynaecological health.”