Come again? (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
School sex ed lessons really did us dirty.
You probably know how to put a condom on a banana, but did you know that the vulva actually has more than two holes?
Obviously, there’s the hole you already know about – the vaginal entrance – otherwise known as the period hole or as we like to call it, the party whole.
Then there’s the entrance to the urethra, where your pee comes out. We’re guessing you’re well aware of this one.
But this is where things get wild. The team over at the Vagina Museum – the world’s first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and gynaecological anatomy – recently revealed there’s a whopping four other holes – and it’s honestly boggled our minds.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), our favourite experts said: ‘On either side of the vagina are another two tiny holes. These are the greater vestibular ducts, leading to the greater vestibular glands. Their job is to secrete a lubricating fluid when you’re aroused, which gets the vulva good and wet.’
The greater vestibular ducts are also known as Bartholin’s glands. Yes, they’re named after a man.
That’s four holes and counting, but wait, there’s more! The urethra has a pair, too, known as the lesser urethral ducts (also called Skene’s glands), which lead to the lesser urethral glands.
‘These are homologous to the prostate, and sometimes secrete a whitish fluid when aroused (female ejaculation),’ the experts said. ‘These glands aren’t usually counted as a main hole as they’re very small, but they can be seen with the naked eye.’
Caption: How many holes does the vulva have? Spoiler: it’s not two
Credit Getty
The four minute ‘holes’ in the vicinity are so small, they aren’t always counted as such. But that doesn’t mean they’re not important.
Almost 2,000 social media users have liked the post, suggesting we’re not the only ones who missed out on this biology lesson at school.
Dr Danae Maragouthakis from the Oxford-based sexual health start-up Yoxly, previously told Metro.co.uk about some other misconceptions related to the vagina and vulva.
Around 22% of people incorrectly think having lots of sex can change the shape of the vagina and make it looser, but that’s just not true.
‘The vagina is a really muscular and elastic organ, so it has the ability to stretch during sex but it returns to it’s original shape and size afterwards,’ she said.
And did you know that semen can change a vagina’s PH – but it’s not something to worry about?
What is the vulva and how it is different to the vagina?
A YouGov survey found nearly half of British women were unsure about the location of the vagina and how this relates to the vulva.
Although we use the term ‘vagina’ colloquially to mean the full shebang, its technically one of the ‘inside bits’ while the vulva refers to the ‘outside bits.
To help clear things up, bodycare brand Luna Daily provided us with these handy graphics to help readers get clued up.
The Vulva
‘Vula’ refers to the external female genitalia that is visible from the outside, and includes the labia majora (the outer lips), labia minora (the inner lips), and clitoris.
The Vagina
The vagina, on the other hand, is the internal canal that runs from the cervix to the vulva. The vagina is the passage that leads from the uterus to the outside of the body, through which menstrual blood flows, and where sexual intercourse takes place.
‘The PH of your vagina can be temporarily affected by semen. The PH of the vagina is naturally acidic – usually between 3.8 and 4.5 – so the acidity works to balance the natural microbiome that exists in the vagina to keep it healthy, protecting against fungus and harmful bacteria,’ Dr Danae explained.
‘One the other hand sperm’s PH is naturally alkaline. ‘It’s usually between 7.1 and eight, so that helps to neutralise the vaginal environment as sperm enters and travels through the female reproductive system.’
Before long though, things go back to normal on their own and this ‘doesn’t usually cause lasting problems for women’.
Every day’s a school day.
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Come again?