No doubt you recently purchased either Yin-care®’s Herbal Wash 100 ml bottle or our combo pack that includes the 180 ml bottle plus a vaginal applicator. Our herbal wash has been shown to effectively work with damp and damp heat conditions as defined by diagnoses within the Chinese Medicine model. Since our knowledge base for these descriptors is not up to par from a western stand point, you might be asking, what actually is a damp or damp heat condition? Damp and damp heat is truly what it says. A condition of the affected area that is consistently maintaining too much dampness. In some cases the continued dampness can lead to the exacerbation of heat…meaning that the are feels hot or burning.
Within these conditions vaginally, women can develop western medical diagnoses such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis, and at an even later stage it can develop into what is referred to as toxic heat which is an environment in which hpv can then proliferate.
Since Chinese medicine works to correct the root cause or the base reason for which yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis may have developed, we like to explain that how it works is by gently nudging the environment back into balance. You likely received one of the following fliers packaged in with your herbal wash solution:
- Flier for Yin-care®’s Herbal Wash 100 ml bottle
- Flier for Yin-care®’s Herbal Wash Combo Pack with applicator
If for some reason, you have misplaced the flier, please click on the links above as it will assist you in knowing how to create the appropriate dilution.
Creating a 10% dilution
Ideally for a damp or damp-heat condition, you will be creating a 10% dilution. Studies done at Chinese medical Universities show that at a 10% dilution it will still kill yeast cells and those associated with BV but will still allow lactobacilli to proliferate. Lactobacilli is a healthy form of bacteria that assists the vaginal microbiome in maintaining a healthy balance. So the goal is to keep Lactobacilli around and happy and healthy. Other products will often work to obliterate all bacteria and then women have to start from square one to recreate a new microbiome balance which is incredibly frustrating. That is one of the reasons that Yin-care®’s Herbal wash is so loved. It still keeps healthy bacteria around while, like we said, gently nudging the “baddies” and asking them to skedaddle!
What’s the difference in the 100 ml bottle vs the Combo Pack?
Usually people who purchased the 100 ml bottle purchased this as they already have the vaginal applicator and are using this bottle as a “refill” or alternatively, they are using it for a compress or soak for a smaller spot, externally or potentially for a dermatological treatment. If you have been referred to using our product by a practitioner and the practitioner is providing you with instructions on how they believe you should be applying it, please follow their directions. These directions are here for those who were referred to this product by a friend, family member or colleague who suggested it and have no guidance for use.
If you are using the 100 ml bottle and have a damp-heat spot vaginally or potentially on bottom or anal area, which can definitely happen especially in hot sweaty summer months, create the 10% dilution and soak a cotton pad in it and apply the cotton pad as a compress. Please do not leave on more than 5-10 minutes.
It is important to remember that our wash is both an essential oil base and water based extraction of the herbs – a dual extraction; therefore, because of this the essential oils can irritate if for some reason the product is left on too long or at too high a concentration, especially if the area it is being applied is very sensitive.
That all being said, when it is the right dilution, the application is like magic and it can feel amazingly cooling and can be a huge relief!
The Combo Pack has a 180 ml bottle plus a vaginal applicator and is mostly purchased by those who are new to Yin-care®’s Herbal wash and are using it for internal vaginal application. For internal application, you will follow the directions provided or linked above and create the 10% dilution inside of the applicator bottle. You will then insert into the vagina while sitting over the toilet or in the shower and squeeze your kegel muscles to hold the liquid inside for as long as 5 minutes, if possible. After 5 minutes is up, you may release and let the liquid slowly come out. Please note that it may slowly trickle out over the next hour or two. If you have extra liquid that is not getting up and in the vaginal cavity, you may use it to squirt external all over the vulval area. It can feel quite nice! You will want to be applying it in this manner for a damp or damp-heat condition twice a day for a 5-7 day period until the issue has resolved.
How do I gauge if it’s working?
You generally should experience improvement by the 5th day of using our product. You may notice sooner that it is working; however, you should really see results by day 5 and for sure by day 7.
Some women require just a little more acidity in their wash and in order to create this, one can add 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar. Please try our product without this addition first and if for some reason, after 3-5 days you are not seeing improvement, you can add this addition.
If you are not seeing any improvement, chances are it is not just a damp or damp heat issue. There could be something else going on internally. Many of our patients at YAO Clinic under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Hudson, DAOM, LAc are instructed to make dietary changes and may also be prescribed internal Chinese herbal medicines. It may be that if you are not improving that other factors are at play. We would highly recommend that you choose to work with a Chinese Medical practitioner to assess what else might be going on and what can be done.
Has this been helpful?
We certainly wish that this article has been helpful to you. If you do require any further assistance or have any other questions, please feel free to take a look at our Practitioner Resource page that is coming soon here or alternatively, reach out to Contact Us! We wish you much success with Yin-care®’ Herbal Wash!