ALTHOUGH we all have genitals, they’ll likely spend most of the day hidden away under clothing. So it’s unlikely that many of us are particularly up to speed with everything that’s going on down there. But our genitals, also known as sex organs, play important parts in our day to day life.
They not only allow us to have sex, but a woman’s genitals have a key role in pregnancy , childbirth , hormone production and menstruation . Meanwhile, men’s genitals also produce hormones and allow men to have children . So, it’s worth making sure they’re healthy.
Dr Susanna Unsworth, women’s health expert for INTIMINA explains that genitals come in all shapes and sizes, with a big range of ‘normal’. “However, there are changes that can arise that may indicate underlying problems, so it is important to examine yourself, to learn what is normal for you, so that you can then identify any new changes,” she says. Speaking of the female genitals, Dr Unsworth says: “The vagina is the internal part of the genitalia, as opposed to the vulva, which is the external part.
“Most of the time it is abnormalities in the vulva that you will be able to spot. “I often encourage women to get to know what their vulva looks, and feels like. Using a mirror can help.
“Once you have become familiar with things, setting yourself a reminder to examine yourself around once a month is sensible.” As for male genitals, regular checks for lumps, bumps and changes is also wise. Not sure .
