What are simple ways to take care of my skin? 

Our skin helps to protect us from germs. Although we need to clean our bodies of dirt and germs, the skin needs its natural oils to work well. Gentle washing with mild soaps and warm, not too hot, water is all that is needed. Buffing or other rough treatment should be used only on tough skin like our feet. Daily moisturizing with a cream containing a sunscreen will help protect our skin from the sun’s harmful effects, like skin cancers and wrinkles. Apply sunscreen daily to all body areas not covered by clothes.

What is the best way to keep the genital area clean? 

The skin of a woman’s genital area also works to protect her from germs. There are natural oils and discharge that keep this area healthy. The skin and the lining of the vagina are very sensitive. Any chemical or perfume can break down the natural protection of this area and even start infections. Gentle daily cleaning on the outside skin with mild soap and water is all that is needed.

What about vaginal discharge and odor? 
The body produces a milky discharge that naturally cleanses the vagina. When women douche or use tampons or pads, they are removing the natural protection of the body against infections and odor. Regular use of such things as minipads can even make the body form more discharge in an attempt to protect itself. Limit using these pads to the times when you may spot with your period. Do not douche unless it is recommended by your healthcare provider.

Everyone’s private area has a normal odor that cannot be removed or covered no matter how much we try. Deodorants and perfumes added to pads and tampons may cause allergy problems with this sensitive skin. If the odor is strong or the discharge yellow, this may indicate that something is wrong. An exam by your provider may be needed to find the cause.

How can I help vaginal dryness caused by menopause? 
Women in menopause may notice that the natural moisture of the vagina decreases. Sexual activities can become uncomfortable because of this dryness. The skin cannot protect itself and may need more wetness. There are several ways to take care of this. Hormones that are taken regularly can help with this problem. Nonprescription gels and inserts have also been made to help women with this type of dryness. Be sure to use unscented products.

What else can I do? 

Other important feminine hygiene tips include:

• changing underwear daily
• wearing underwear with a cotton crotch to help pull moisture away from the body
• wiping from front to back after going to the bathroom
• changing tampons and pads every 4 to 6 hours when on your period, and
• sleeping without underwear or in loose-fitting pajama bottoms.

Menstruation is a very complicated process involving many different hormones, the woman’s sex organs and the brain.

A woman’s internal sex organs consist of two ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, the uterus (womb) and the vagina. The ovaries contain the eggs with which the woman is born and, during each period, a single egg will usually ripen and mature due to the action of hormones circulating in the bloodstream.

When the egg is mature it bursts from the ovary and drifts through the Fallopian tube down into the uterus. The lining of the uterus – the endometrium – has been thickened by the action of hormones and made ready to receive the fertilised egg.

If the egg is fertilized and the woman becomes pregnant, it will fasten itself onto the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, however, resultant hormonal changes cause the endometrium to slip away and menstruation begins.

Menstrual discharge is composed of the endometrium itself, together with a little fresh blood caused by the breaking of very fine blood vessels within the endometrium as it detaches itself from the inside of the uterus.

The amount of blood lost due to the normal monthly period is usually less than 80ml.

Source: Mentruation  from womenhealth4u.wordpress.com

The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile female humans and apes. Overt menstruation (where there is blood flow from the uterus through the vagina) occurs in humans and some animals such as chimpanzees. Females of other species of placental mammal undergo estrous cycles, in which the endometrium is completely reabsorbed by the animal (covert menstruation) at the end of its reproductive cycle. This article focuses on the humanmenstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle, under the control of the endocrine system, is necessary for reproduction. It is commonly divided into three phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase; although some sources use a different set of phases: menstruation, proliferative phase, and secretory phase. Menstrual cyclesare counted from the first day of menstrual bleeding. Hormonal contraception interferes with the normal hormonal changes with the aim of preventing reproduction.

Stimulated by gradually increasing amounts of estrogen in the follicular phase, discharges of blood (menses) slow then stop, and the lining of the uterus thickens. Follicles in the ovary begin developing under the influence of a complex interplay of hormones, and after several days one or occasionally two become dominant (non-dominant follicles atrophy and die). Approximately mid-cycle, 24–36 hours after the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surges, the dominant follicle releases an ovum, or egg in an event called ovulation. After ovulation, the egg only lives for 24 hours or less without fertilization while the remains of the dominant follicle in the ovary become a corpus luteum; this body has a primary function of producing large amounts of progesterone. Under the influence of progesterone, the endometrium (uterine lining) changes to prepare for potential implantation of an embryo to establish a pregnancy. If implantation does not occur within approximately two weeks, the corpus luteum will involute, causing sharp drops in levels of both progesterone and estrogen. These hormone drops cause the uterus to shed its lining and egg in a process termed menstruation.

In the menstrual cycle, changes occur in the female reproductive system as well as other systems (which lead to breast tenderness or mood changes, for example). A woman’s first menstruation is termed menarche, and occurs typically around age 12. The end of a woman’s reproductive phase is called the menopause, which commonly occurs somewhere between the ages of 45 and 55.

Source: Menstrual Cycle