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Here at Float Well, we don’t shy away from taboo topics of conversation, particularly if it will help make your float experience more comfortable. So that’s why we’re diving into the subject of floating and vaginas. Yes… we said it – we’re talking about why some women experience stinging sensation in their lady parts! While fairly uncommon, this experience can put people off wanting to float again so we’d like to shed some light on the topic.
Ladies, there are a number of potential causes of vaginal stinging in the float tank and we’d like to offer you a few tips to a Happy Clam:
Don’t shave or wax for at least 24 hours before floating. This can not be overstated enough. Even if you don’t see cuts after a bit of lady-scaping, you will most certainly feel irritation if you hop right into a float tank. So save yourself the trouble and turn up to your float hair and all! If you’re super keen for a tidy-up, save it for after (maybe even pay our lovely neighbours at Strip Wax Boutique a visit post-float!).
No hanky-panky before your float. Similar to the above, you may not even know you have some small tears or cuts after sexual intercourse. You’ll be pulled out of your relaxed state pretty quickly if this is the case, so best wait!
Vaginal dryness. A drop in estrogen levels reduces the amount moisture available in the vagina, which is a common symptom of menopause, pregnancy and certain medications. This can cause slight irritation on its own and can certainly be exacerbated in the high salinity of a float tank. If you think your va-jay-jay might be a tad dry, you can help create a protective barrier with the papaw ointment provided in each of our float rooms.
Post-natal. Depending on how your birth went, we recommend waiting until you feel everything has healed inside and out prior to floating. We have had women float as early as 6-weeks post-natal and others that have chosen to wait 3-6 months. Listen to your body, speak with your midwife and ensure that any wounds have completely healed.
Hormonal changes. We all go through changes in hormone levels as women due to menstrual cycles, illness and age. If you notice you experience discomfort in a particular time in your menstrual cycle and want to give floating another go, schedule your float in at a different time to see if that has any effect on your experience.
Your body’s natural chemistry. Your vagina’s natural pH is 3.8-4.5 whereas our float tank solution sits between 7.2-7.8. This pH shift may also contribute to stinging to those who are particularly sensitive or prone to irritation.
Other vaginal disturbances. Things like thrush, UTIs or other general irritations in your southern hemisphere can feel aggravated by the salt water in the float tank. We always recommend waiting until everything has cleared before floating.
Ultimately we want everyone’s float experience to be relaxing and blissful, so if you think you might have made one of these pre-float muff mistakes than we recommend applying a generous amount of the provided papaw ointment to help create a protective barrier against the salt water. Often, any stinging or burning sensation will feel intense at first and subside within a few minutes; however, if you know you are particularly sensitive then do not hesitate to get in touch with us to ask any questions.
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