Lifestyle

Women Are Apparently Putting Wasp Nests In Their Vaginas For "Health" Reasons

by Candice Jalili
Flickr CC / Ian Sane

Apparently, there's a new trend out there that has women sticking WASP NESTS up their private parts.

Yep, that's right. In case, sticking ~other~ things up your private parts just wasn't really doing it for you, now, people are actually sticking dirty, old wasp — specifically "oak galls" up there!

Oak galls are technically growths of plant tissue caused by a wasp. What makes them so "nest-like," you ask? Well, eventually, a type of wasp, called a gall wasp, will come out of the oak gall.

In case you were wondering what oak galls look like, check these out:

Sigur/Shutterstock

Not grossed out enough? Allow me to continue.

These nasty things (i.e. gall wasp larva) literally crawl out of wasp nests:

Shutterstock

Apparently, women are participating in this new trend as a means of rejuvenating their vaginas.

The Daily Mail reports that the oak galls are even being sold online, where they're advertised to prospective customers as a product that can be eaten to improve "women's health and well being." But, you know, in case eating wasp nests was just not doing it for you, you can ALSO shove them up your cooter!

While the wasp nests are rumored to also help "tighten and clean the vagina," gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter warns on her blog that this couldn't be further from the truth.

"This is a dangerous practice with real potential to harm," Gunter said. "Here's a pro-tip: If something burns when you apply it to the vagina, it is generally bad for the vagina."

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In fact, vaginas actually are self-cleaning, so doing things like sticking foreign objects inside of them to "clean" them (like douching) is not only unnecessary, but it also can result in more serious consequences, like yeast infections.

In addition to the physical risks that come along with sticking a wasp nest up your vagina, Refinery29 warns that products like the wasp nests could also affect you psychologically. How, you ask? Well, by convincing you that your vagina has something so wrong with it that you actually need to shove these things up there.

It all comes down to the importance of accepting who you are completely. No psychological insecurity about a body part is ever worth putting your body at physical risk by trying out risky treatments like this one.

Citations: PSA: Please Do Not Put Wasp Nests In Your Vagina (Refinery29), Don't put ground up wasp nest in your vagina (Dr. Jen Gunter), You're Probably Cleaning Your Vagina Wrong (Buzzfeed), Would you put ground-up WASP NESTS in your vagina? Gynecologist warns against dangerous new trend that promises to tighten, clean and rejuvenate your genitals (The Daily Mail)