First vajazzling, now vajacials? Vagina beauty treatments are catching on at spas across the nation including those in Philadelphia. V–Steaming, short for vaginal steaming, is said to be the ancient process used to cleanse the female genitalia. Called chai–yok in Korea, yoni steam in India, and bajos in Central America, the origin of the treatment is unclear. While practiced around the world, v–steaming remained largely unknown in the United States—that is, until GOOP founder Gwyneth Paltrow put her stamp of approval on the treatment. On her website, the actress–turned–lifestyle–guru wrote about her experience with v–steaming, claiming “it is an energetic release—not just a steam douche—that balances female hormone levels.”
The v–steaming procedure typically consists of sitting over herbal infused steaming water. However, it is not advised to be done at home as spas have special chairs to allow the steam to reach the private area while avoiding burns. While v–steaming has a long history, Western medicine largely debunks v–steam as a bunch of hot air. Many gynecologists, post–Goop popularity, denounced the procedure for being possibly harmful due to burns and destruction of healthy bacteria.
Still, many salons in LA and New York City have started to offer the treatment. The treatment is available at Total Serenity, a holistic day spa near Rittenhouse. Giavanni Scott, the owner of Total Serenity, has travelled across the world to learn Eastern health practices that she uses in her spa. “Everything we use is holistic, oils and herbs. Nothing is made in a lab. It is full oil and full flowers, full herbs. These are all things we learned abroad. We incorporate all of that knowledge into everything we use.”
Photo provided Giavanni Scott
Scott has practiced v–steaming long before celebrities popularized the treatment. When talk of v–steaming hit the mainstream, she saw a surge in popularity of the treatment. “It is really exciting for me. I have been doing this for years, so I was glad that more women are learning about it, and more women are getting into it, and more women are caring for their wombs. I hope it continues. Women should continue to keep looking to holistic medicine.”
According to Scott, many women who try v–steaming for the first time are skeptical of whether the treatment works. “Women come in because they want to see what it is and what it does. They see the benefit of what it entails afterwards.” Scott says. “The natural herbs aren’t just there for physical reasons, but also spiritual.” Many women receive the v–steaming to feel detoxed and healed from past abuses like “unworthy lovers to Brazilian waxing, pap smears, thongs,” as her website lists.
PMS symptoms are one of the more common reasons why people choose to v–steam. “They experience less bleeding, less cramping. It brings clarity, both mentally and spiritually. It [gives] them a positive mentality, spirituality, and physical health without medication or if they have tried medication and it didn’t work.”
After the first time, women often continue coming back monthly as a part of the spa's package deals. A single “Detox with an Authentic Yoni Love Vaginal Steam” costs $120 and a package of 12 costs $1,010. Scott advices receiving the procedure at least once a month, after the menstrual cycle has ended, for the best results. “Some women chose to do it twice a month. As your cycle is 28 days like the moon, when the 28 day cycle is ending, you might feel like you need a new one.”
While $120 might be a little pricey for those that are curious to try Total Serenity’s “Yoni Love,” the spa also sells all natural Yoni Fresh soap ($19.99) and Succulent Yoni tea ($15) to aid in caring for your V for less.
