To Yoni Steam or Not To Yoni Steam

Photo by Rose Elena on Unsplash

What the heck is a Yoni Steam?

A yoni steam, a vaginal steam, a hip bath - they all describe a treatment that is meant to help with any issues that involve the vulva, vagina, ovaries, and related organs. It's a health practice in a variety of different cultures and countries, including South Africa, Thailand, Korea, and other Indigenous cultures. Though there isn't any scientific evidence of all the health benefits, many women and people with vulvas believe that it can aid in healing after childbirth, regulating menstruation and relieving menstrual pain, and treating yeast infections. 

Then white women learned all about it, and it became a trendy part of a spa experience (Thanks Goop).

It became synonymous with getting a "clean" vagina, which is not how it's spoken about in the cultures that regularly practice yoni steaming. Just a quick reminder: Vaginas don't need cleaning. Part of the job of the vagina is to help remove bacteria from the body to protect the uterus, which is why there is vaginal discharge. Vaginal steaming does not "clean" a vagina.

Okay, but, like, would you try it?

I have to be honest, when I first learned about it through the lens of white women, I was angry about the hype over it.  How could there be yet another procedure created to make people with vulvas feel awful about themselves? You might as well add some labiaplasty to your day!

When I learned that it was (of course) appropriated and more about the history of it, I softened up a bit. If non-Western cultures have practiced yoni steaming for thousands of years, then who am I to tell them it doesn't help in some way?

Look, I'm a huge fan of science. But I'm also a bit "Woo Light." I value evidence-based, comprehensive information, and I like to dabble in crystals and candles every new and full moon.

So, when I was with some fellow sex ed friends at a Korean Spa, feeling all relaxed and nurtured, and there was a sign for "hip baths," I had to give it a try. For science.

What did you have to do? What was it like?

Let's start with the fact that there are specific chairs being made out there just for yoni steaming. As no photography was allowed in nude areas, I sadly don’t have a picture of the stool.

Just go ahead and Google Image search "yoni steaming stools." Go for it. I'll wait...

*goes to pour a glass of wine*

*sips*

Oh, hey! You back?

Aren't you happy you did that Google search? It's amazing, isn't it? These adorable stools with little openings, made just for yoni steaming!

A little hot plate with a pot with water and herbs like rosemary, lavender, and mugwort fits right underneath. There are plenty of recipes online. I wouldn't suggest that you go and try to do this on your own unless you have an extensive knowledge of what the different herbs are for and how your body will interact with them.

Alright, so, not only are you sitting on this adorable stool, but you're also given a giant mu-mu-like covering. The elastic part stays around your neck, and the rest of it creates a tent around you, the stool, and the pot of herbs. The one I tried didn't have any sleeves or arm openings. It made for really awkward tea drinking, since the woman running the hip bath station gave us little cups of tea to enjoy while we steamed.

For the first 10 minutes or so while the pot is heating up to a boil, I didn't really feel much. It was certainly warm enough under the covering. I became really aware of the air between my vulva and pot beneath me. At around the 10-12 minute mark, all of a sudden, it becomes unreasonably hot.  I was then VERY aware of the heat. 

At some point, the woman turned the heat down on my hot plate so that the boil became more of a simmer. It was still quite warm, especially with the covering trapping most of the heat inside there. I could feel my whole body sweating. It was like my own personal sauna - except I was sharing the experience with other hip bathers in their own personal saunas.

Part of that sauna feeling was concentrated on my vulva. I was sweating around my vulva and mons so much, it almost felt like maybe I was accidentally urinating. I imagined that the sweat and the steam were mixing and dripping, which accounted for the urinating feeling.

Was my vagina absorbing all the nutrients from the herbs? Vaginas don't just randomly absorb things like that, especially since it's constantly trying to discharge any toxins. Also, it's not really about absorbing as it is about maintaining homeostasis. I assume that the vaginal walls are trying to compensate for all the heat and moisture from the herbal steam, thus discharging excess water and other toxins.

After about 30 minutes, the session is over. We got up, removed our mu-mus and placed them in a hamper. Then, we were happily on our way to enjoy the rest of our day at the spa.

So, what did you think? Would you do it again?

My friend reported that she felt much more refreshed afterwards. I personally didn't feel anything different per se. I don't do saunas very often, but I feel like it's the same "detoxed" feeling but just around my vulva. 

In the following days, I noticed that my natural smell around my vulva area was a little different, more floral and herbal in a way. It wasn’t “bad.” Just…different.

I would totally do it again, though my personal body doesn’t need it as a regular practice. But I also don’t really need saunas that often either.

As you would expect, I would rather float around in a pool or get a massage as my version of self-care.

Final thoughts?

If reading this personal account makes you go, Naw, I’m good, then there you go. Yoni steams are in no way a requirement for people with vulvas.

If a yoni steam is something that interests you, and you have access to a place that offers this service, I say go for it! Only you can know whether or not it’s something that you would both enjoy and feel is useful for your body. I encourage you to do more research into what’s available for you, what happens at the specific location that offers it, and what different people (of color) think about this practice.

As with anything sexual health related, as long as it doesn’t harm another person and it’s consensual, You do you, babes!

Mermaid Monday: Ep 8 Silicone-Based Lubricants

Mermaid Monday: Ep 7 Pleasure After Trauma!

Mermaid Monday: Ep 6 Consent is Continuous

Goddess Cecilia & The Traveling Sybian!

We were so stressed about packing the Sybian for the cruise that we didn't get to play with it until we were in Day 2 of the cruise itself! It had arrived safe and sound the Saturday beforehand, and were just too nervous about whether it was getting onto the cruise at all!

During the unboxing process, we had figured out all the necessary pieces, examined all the attachments and read all the instructions that came with it. Like true nerds and geeks - we wanted to get all the information first. Though a stool was part of the package, we decided not to take it along to save on some luggage room.

We were happy to find our luggage outside our cabin door when we arrived on the ship! I immediately opened everything to make sure that the Sybian (and my mermaid fin, which provided some padding inside the luggage!) were perfectly safe. As we proceeded to unpack, we realized a major potential flaw in our thinking. 

There's only ONE power plug in the whole of our inside cabin! And it's not right next to the bed!

Andrew jokingly said that we would need to use the Sybian on the floor, and that it would probably blend in to the other sounds on the boat. But I remained optimistic.

Day 1 on the boat was full of getting acclamated to the ship, schedule and general socializing. No chance to pull the Sybian out for play.

After an early dinner on Day 2, we found ourselves relaxing in our room, trying to decide what to do next. Since we had time to kill, out came the Sybian!

I decided to try the Orb attachment. I prefer external stimulation with toys, and that particular attachment has intrigued me in the past when I've seen the Sybian on display and on the website.

As I cleaned the attachment, Andrew proceeded to set up the Sybian. Then I heard a very pleased, "Oh!" When I peeked out from the bathroom, I see that the power cord was long enough to have the Sybian sit perfectly on the bed, maybe 6 inches from the edge.

Andrew expertly slid on the Orb. As I was undressing, he was testing the controller. He proceeded to slowly turn up the vibration dial. We watched the Sybian Orb vibrate/pulsate slowly, then more rumbly as it increased. He turned it all the way up and it echoed so loudly in our room! I was scared that it would cause concern for our neighbors!

The moment of truth had arrived. The Orb and Andrew stared at me in anticipation. I suddenly realized I was quire intimidated by the whole situation, especially by the Orb. It’s shaped like a large bulbous clitoris on top of a labia-like slope. It seemed obvious where I needed to place my body.

Maybe I was intimidated by the fact that Andrew himself up on the wall behind the bed. A wall that prominently featured a mirror. I knew I would end up catching glimpses of myself and my "O Face."

I straddled the Sybian, adjusted myself on top of the Orb. Andrew had quite the devilish grin on him, and asked if I wanted to try the controller first. I turned it on, and when I had a sense of what the vibration, I handed over the controller.

At first, I didn’t feel much. I had to readjust myself a bit more before I found my sweet spot. He started to turn the vibration dial higher. We went at a relatively slow pace. He told me he would follow my lead in all of this. As the settings increased, the sensations amped up as well.

At some point I realized that Andrew was gently encouraging me, checking in with me, helping me feel more comfortable. Then he said, "We're almost at half."

HALF??? I was shocked! It was already feeling so powerful between my legs, I couldn't believe it wasn't already at the highest speed!

At exactly the half-way mark, I reached orgasm!

The rumble isn't like anything else - and I've used a lot of toys in my day. Most of the time, I test toys on my own before introducing them to our bedroom. I had tried the Sybian the first time at Sex Geek Summer Camp, but this was definitely different.

When we were home from the cruise, Andrew wanted to try it himself. Using the flat top, he tried positioning himself so that he could get the vibrations on his perineum. Without any stimulation to his penis, it felt more interesting than pleasurable it seemed. While I was stimulating him, he could feel the vibrations throughout the length of his penis, but I think the sensation and the position he was sitting in was distracting him from fully giving in. Either way, it was a fun experience and he feels satisfied that he can speak to the sensations of the Sybian from his perspective.

It was fun to use it together! Having him there sharing the experience with me made it seem more intimate and exciting. Doing the testing experience on our cruise adventure together will definitely go down as something we’ll remember for a long time to come.

We definitely hope to play with the Sybian again! Wish us luck!

Some of my friends tried the Sybian on the cruise as well! Check out their videos on my Traveling Sybian Playlist!

Visit, learn about and buy the Sybian at www.sybian.com

Mermaid Monday: Ep 5.3 Sex Expo - Part 3