To many this concept is very unusual, however as one of the most searched topics on Google, and as my patients regularly inquire about it, I felt the need to explain from a medical point of view what this “Intimate bleaching” is all about.
Firstly, there is no bleach involved! When people discuss this terminology they mean lightening of the skin. As people age, or for women after hormonal changes like pregnancy and menopause, our skin becomes more pigmented, or darker. This unfortunately can really affect peoples self confidence and self esteem as their bodies don’t look like they used to.
Patients (Male and Female) find their intimate skin changes upsetting and this has consequences for their intimate relationships. They no longer want to be intimate, or are embarrassed by their bodies.
Treatment can be administered to the delicate skin of the mons pubis, vulva, groin, perinium and near the anus. But, this is very delicate skin so I recommend a delicate approach to prevent complications.
As a doctor, I believe in “Do no harm”, this is the hypocritic oath we all take, so if people are going to ‘bleach’ their private parts, I would encourage them to do it safely, with prescribed medications by a doctor registered with the GMC. Please do not buy products online, they are unregulated and can cause serious unwanted side effects.
So how can we safely lighten intimate skin?
There are various approved ways to lighten pigmented skin.
1. Lightening agents on prescription
This is the safest way and the service I provide to patients in clinic. However, patients must have realistic expectations, we can only expect to lighten skin to the same colour as your inner thigh, and this takes months to achieve with safe doses of prescribed medication.
2. Laser treatment
This is a well-recognised method, however, choose your practitioner wisely. Ensure they are a doctor or nurse with proper training, and they work out of a facility registered with the CQC. This ensures your safety as a patient, as all machines, equipment and training standards need to be upheld and maintained and audited to have CQC rating. Just like any hospital.
3. Chemical Peels
Peels are also known to help lighten the skin all over the body. There are now some licenced peels in the UK for Doctors to administer, but just as above with Laser treatment, choose your medical practitioner wisely. This is a sensitive area and the person administering treatment needs to know how to prevent ant treat any possible complications and side effects.
The purpose of this treatment is to improve the appearance of the intimate skin colour, improve the quality of the skin tone and give patients their confidence back.
For more information, or to book a consultation with Dr Sarah Jenkins to discuss your intimate health, please get in touch with The Door W4.
