Celebrity Fact Check: Does Your Vagina REALLY Need Vitamin D?

Celebrity Fact Check: Does Your Vagina REALLY Need Vitamin D?

Shailene Woodley says she sunbathes below the belt. Here's what experts have to say about this.

We've heard of some pretty weird celebrity beauty secrets before, and this one definitely belongs on the list: Shailene Woodley exposes her vagina to the sun to give it some vitamin D, the actress told Into The Gloss. 

The Divergent star is a big fan of natural remedies and told the website that she got this idea after reading an article by an herbalist. "She said there's nothing better than vitamin D," says Shailene. "If you're feeling depleted, go in the sun for an hour and see how much energy you get. Or, if you live in a place that has heavy winters, when the sun finally comes out, spread your legs and get some sunshine."

MORE: What Does a "Normal" Vagina Look Like? 

Hey, we love learning new tricks to keep your vagina healthy—and we love Shailene!—but letting your nether regions bake in sunlight isn't safe. See, unlike other parts of your body that are frequently exposed to UV rays—such as your arms and face—your vagina spends the majority its life covered up (obviously). This doesn't allow the skin in your pelvic area to build up enough melanin—a skin pigment that helps protect your cells from UV damage—making it more likely for your private parts to burn and possibly develop melanoma even with SPF, says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

MORE: Skin Cancer May Increase Your Risk of OTHER Cancers 

There are certainly health benefits to vitamin D, like a better immune system and stronger bones, but few studies actually discuss vitamin D and vaginal health, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine. For instance, one study found that vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women was linked to a higher incidence of bacterial vaginosis (a vaginal infection), but this didn't apply to non-pregnant women, says Minkin. The fact is, no research has really looked at the benefits of soaking up sunlight down there. Besides, you should be getting your recommended dosage of vitamin D—Minkin suggests 1,000 IU—from your diet, not the sun. So the next time you're out under those warm rays, keep your pants (or bikini bottom) on. 

MORE: 8 Signs You Need To Be Getting More Vitamin D

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