7 Ways to keep your Vagina Young Forever

Seven Anti-Aging Tips for Your Vagina That Don't Involve Surgery

Find out how to work your pelvic floor and how to avoid skin sagging.

Just as your face changes, your vagina will inevitably age over time — such is life. But the effects of aging on your vagina might come as more of a surprise than, say, the arrival of fine lines on your forehead. "Gynecologists don't tell women these things are going to happen, and then women come in shocked that their vagina and vulva have completely changed over the course of a couple years," says Karen Boyle, M.D., an expert in female sexual health and vaginal rejuvenation.

Beginning as early as your 20s, you may lose fat in your labia majora (outer labia) and mons pubis (the mound of fatty tissue above your lips). "Those areas can start to sag — it's volume loss, just like you'd have in your breasts or face as you age," says Dr. Boyle. That's often followed by changes inside your vagina (hello, stretching!), and as you approach menopause, the lining of your vagina starts to thin, blood flow decreases, and your pelvic floor muscles weaken, says cosmetic gynecologist Marco Pelosi, III, M.D.

These changes are completely normal and nothing to be ashamed of.  Unfortunately, though, a sagging vagina can still mess with your confidence and even make having sex feel different. A study in Psychology of Women Quarterly found that women who were dissatisfied with the appearance of their genitals had lower sexual self-esteem and satisfaction. "Not only do things look different, but things feel different," says Dr. Boyle.

That may explain why vaginal rejuvenation is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, a 2017 report from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found that the rate of labiaplasty procedures (a procedure that reduces the size of your vagina's lips) in the U.S. increased by more than 200 percent over the five preceding years. But you don't have to seek plastic surgery to keep your lady parts looking and feeling young. Here's how to tighten your labia minora naturally (as well as your labia majora and pelvic floor muscles):

Avoid Yo-Yo Dieting

Before you dive into how to tighten labia majora skin naturally (as well as the labia minora inside it), you should know one of the best ways to prevent sagging in the first place: avoid yo-yo dieting, as that can lead you to cycle between losing and gaining weight. "The more swings in the size of an area, the more stretching," says Dr. Pelosi. Equally important is maintaining a healthy weight. If you're very thin, your private parts can start to look as gaunt as your face might as soon as aging sets in. "We see women who are 35 years old, but look much older because they have no fat in their face," says Dr. Boyle. "Similarly, the labia majora can take on a saggy appearance — and once you lose that fat, you're not going to gain it back."

Keep Up with Kegels

You've probably read about the merits of Kegels a million times: tighter vagina! Better sex! But there's a good chance you're still doing them wrong. "Women don't do enough of them, and they don't hold them for long enough," says Dr. Pelosi. The routine he suggests: Contract your pelvic floor muscle five seconds, relax, and repeat 100 times, three times a day. Sound daunting? You can make Kegels fun by squeezing a few reps in during sex. You can imagine pinching your partner's penis with those muscles, which helps you target the right spot (and gives your guy an extra, pleasurable sensation), explains Dr. Boyle. (Wondering how to tighten labia minora naturally and not a fan of Kegels? This vibrating chair can help.)

Ditch Your Office Chair

For a little extra workout — for your vaginal muscles, that is — trade your desk chair for a Swiss ball for 15 minutes a day. This forces the muscles of your pelvic floor to contract, without doing a single squeeze, according to Dr. Pelosi. "It feels like nothing is happening, but it's a very efficient way to keep the pelvic floor toned," he says.

Stay Sexually Active

The whole "use or lose it" idea applies to your vagina. "If you're not getting stimulation and increased blood flow to that area, the tissue and muscle can change," says Dr. Boyle. Blood flow is critical for lubrication (and orgasm) — which you naturally start to lose as you age. Plus, if your partner has a penis, their semen may have an anti-aging effect, thanks to the hormones, fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory compounds, according to research published in the journal Andrology.

Re-Think Long Bike Rides

Training for a triathlon? It might set back some of the progress you make after finding out how to tighten labia skin naturally. Know this: The constant friction of crotch-to-seat contact can pull and stretch your labia, especially if you have naturally pronounced outer lips, says Christine Hamori, M.D., director of Cosmetic Surgery + Skin Spa in Duxbury, MA.

Stick to Mild Cleansers

You don't want to focus only on how to tighten labia skin, but also on how to avoid dryness. Scrubbing the living daylights out of your labia is not only unnecessary — a gentle cleansing will do, really! — but harsh soaps can leave you dry and irritated below the belt. "The labial tissue is so sensitive," explains Dr. Boyle. "You see women with very dry facial skin because they overuse products that suck water out of the cells. That can happen down there too." (If this tip about how to tighten labia skin naturally got you thinking about sensitivity down, err, there, you might want to read up on why your vagina might be itching, too.)

Switch It Up in Bed

If you're wondering how to tighten the labia skin naturally, take the reins and climb on top: "Being on the bottom can sometimes cause stretching," says Dr. Boyle. Why? Because your partner — not you — is usually controlling the pace and intensity of the thrusting, which means they may accidentally push past what's physically comfortable for you. By contrast, when you're on top, you're in control — and "it's much easier to contract those muscles when you're on top," he explains. (Now that you've caught up on how to tighten your labia majora and labia minora naturally, you might want to give the Amazon sex position a go for some woman-on-top action.)