HEALTH
GOING DOWN THERE
YOUR EMBARASSING GYNECOLOGIST QUESTIONS ANSWERED WRITTEN BY JULIE BURTON
G
“
ynecologist appointment” is probably not your favorite day on the calendar, but it’s a necessary one. It’s the only doctor that gets real up close and personal, so it’s easy for any woman to get anxious before heading to the gyno. We sat down with Dr. Jessica Pullen from Women’s Clinic of Johnson County and asked her the embarrassing questions for you. Her answers may make that next doctor’s appointment a little easier.
mend getting a wax or using a bikini clipper. We see so many women with ingrown hairs and folliculitis.
SKC: Are there different size
that are normal. Vaginal discharge is affected by your diet, lifestyle, and your activities. If there is a smell that’s foul or concerning, we want to check that out. I think women are more self-conscious about the smell than we really notice.
speculums?
Dr. Pullen: Yes, there are. There are
reassure us that every vagina size is normal?
metal speculums with two different builds. And plastic speculums that come in different sizes and shapes. It’s not associated with height. The vaginal cavity is larger after babies. Sometimes it’s just bone structure too. It’s nothing to be worried about.
Dr. Pullen:
SKC: Do you prefer women to shave
SIMPLYkc Magazine: Can you
All sizes are completely normal. I’ve seen tens of thousands of vaginas. To complete training, you have to do a minimum of 200 vaginal deliveries. Most programs are set up to do vaginal deliveries your first year. Then you do a minimum of 200
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C-sections your second year. You also must do 50 hysterectomies. And that’s not including the patients you see in the clinic. They want you to see as many patients as possible. So yeah, getting into the tens of thousands is easy to do. You’re normal.
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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AUGUST 2022
or wax before an appointment?
Dr. Pullen:
We don’t care at all. We’ve seen it all. Typically, I recommend against shaving with a razor. If you’re going to remove hair, I recom-
SKC: The smell … do you notice a smell when doing a pelvic exam?
Dr. Pullen: There are different smells
SKC: What is normal vaginal dis-
charge? When should I see a doctor?
Dr. Pullen:
The cervical mucus changes with the cycle. Normal discharge should be clear to white— maybe a slight yellow. But there shouldn’t be a strong odor, itching, or irritation. If you have something like cottage cheese consistency, you should get checked out.
