Vagisil commercials make me batty
I am getting SO fucking sick of seeing Vagisil commercials. Yes, Vagisil, I get it: you think vaginas are gross and smelly and that women spend all day trying not to scratch desperately at their shame-caves.
The above commercial isn't the latest one I've seen - I saw an ad not five minutes ago for Vagisil wipes that combined a cutesy colorful cartoon look with copy about feeling smelly.
Seriously, Vagisil, I know you're trying to make money by suggesting that women's bodies are in need of constant-deodorizing; but leave my vadge alone!
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Jessica, Feministing should make a t-shirt saying "Vagisil, leave my vadge alone!"
It would be a great fundraiser!
I guess I haven't been paying close enough attention to vagina cream commercials because I always thought Vagisil was a yeast infection cure. I'm a bad consumer.
"100% Woman.
100% of the Time."
What? Having "feminine itch" turns me into a man?
I had chronic yeast infections for over a year, and I went through a LOT of Vagisil, but it didn't eliminate odor, it just made my underwear smell like Vagisil and yeast. Now I use probiotics and a vinegar douche when I get yeasties and it works much better!
Can you tell me more about the probiotics? Where do you get them?
Not to step on Rachel's toes but probiotics are active cultures found in certain foods, such as yogurt. I used to get yeast infections a lot so I appreciate that there are treatments on the market but Vagisil's commercials are foul.
And I lol'ed imagining Jessica growling "I see what you did there, Vagisil! I'm on to you!!"
Probiotics changed the way I feel now.
The wipes were good to relieve the itch, but boo on the commercials for it.
And I agree with Jet Girl. Onward to CafePress, feministing! "Vagisil, leave my vadge alone!"
Greatest quote from this site ever: Fuck you, Vagisil. You don't even deserve to have "vag" in your name, let alone ever come in contact with one.
Alas, I think it inspired the Vagisil people, because the letters V, A and G flash by twice in this ad.
I saw the vagisil wipes commercial today... yuck. Quick question, what is vagisil supposed to actually do? Is it marketed as a yeast infection cure, or no? I've only had a yeast infection once, but I'm pretty sure if my vag ever suddenly got as itchy and smelly as these commercials suggest could happen *at ANY time*, my first thought would be "Ohshit what's going on time to call a doctor!" not "let me try this little wipe."
Ha! So true! And, btw, how often do we see anti-penis-scratching cream? Never! I see way more men scratching than women.
Are you sure we are not just adjusting?
Ball wedgies and all that.
There's still a double standard. In ninth grade I had a teacher call me out for adjusting my bra in class. It was absolutely humiliating at the time.
Can't you do that in private? In the restroom or something? I was walking down the hall at work the other day and some guy is adjusting himself as he walks by me. Everybody here has an office with a door that closes, allowing plenty of privacy for personal matters. I understand about the need to adjust, but the need to do so in public is vastly inflated.
http://www.powdermyequipment.com
Gold Bond. For that "not so fresh" feeling.
It's ironic because the ingredients used in those products actually cause vaginal irritation. You can check the ingredients at cosmeticdatabase.com
The itch you can't scratch? Says who?
Think of it as a preparation H commercial. If you have a yeast infection or some other imbalance that is causing you pain and itching you aren't really going to be able to itch it. You can't really "itch" your vagina which is why those kinds of feelings are so miserable.
Besides which it's not socially appropriate for men (or women) to sit around in public vigorously rubbing/scratching their crotches.
If you have an itch or an infection, you put creme on it to feel better. It's a dumb commercial but do any of us really want to be irritated and feel like we need to rub our crotches in public?
SCRATCH your vagina, not itch your vagina! Sorry, grammar police here.
Your vadge itches (transitive), so you scratch it (intransitive).
Dammit, I reversed transitive (needs object) and intransitive (no object):
Your vadge itches (intransitive), so you scratch it (transitive).
okay. I guess my attempt at humour went over like a big lead balloon. But that's fine :)
okay. I guess my attempt at humour went over like a big lead balloon. But that's fine :)
The makers of Vagisil should probably develop a product called "Dickasil" you know, for those men who hide in shame because they experience that "not so fresh" feeling during the day.
It would be a top seller.
Ok that is a DUMB commercial! She's being stalked in the mirror by... herself in sweats? Ack!
That being said, I have had a yeast infection and it was VERY uncomfortable and the itching was unbearable. This was my very first YI and I was so worried not knowing what the issue was. It cleared up in just three days with Monistat but let me tell you that the vagasil helped outrageously in the mean time.
I never noticed a smell but if there was one I would have been embarrassed. Come on, I am all for embracing our bodies but if you are sick and have a yeast infection, do ya really want that to come shining through? I sure wouldn't!
My understanding of vagasil is that you use it to help yourself feel better while you treat a yeast infection or something else. It works, and the itching IS bad so really if that's what you are experiencing... isn't that what you want to hear it does?
It's like those really cheesy and lame and dehumanizing diahrea/prepH commercials. They are still stupid and I don't like them but... it seems silly to dislike them for discussing what the product is for!
Like my mother would say..."use the soap..." but she;s really old fashioned and foreign.
These commercials throw me for a loop...
sweats= vagaygay smell? What?
I fail to see the sexism here. I don't think they're saying vaginas in general are foul-smelling. But let's be medically honest: one of the symptoms of vaginal infections is having a strange-smelling discharge. That's a fact. I don't feel offended at all.
I fail to see the offensive aspect here. I don't think they're saying vaginas in general are foul-smelling. But let's be medically honest: one of the symptoms of vaginal infections is having a strange-smelling discharge. That's a fact. I don't feel offended at all.
Yeah, I tend to agree with you here...To me it didn't seem like they were saying that vag is smelly, but that the discharge from a yeast infection causes a bad odor...And you are right, medically speaking, that's just one of the symptoms, along with itching that never seems to subside no matter how much you "itch".
I have severe asthma and get several lung infections including at times pneumonia each winter, I am frequently prescribed anti-biotics, and because the medicine destroys the good bacteria as well as bad, I have had to deal with a yeast infection almost every time I have to take these pills. I'm probably susceptible to yeast infections because I also have Endometriosis, which means I already have many complications "down there". Although in the past I have usually used monostat for the infections (I've tried vagisil a coupla times I think)... But, when you say things like these brands are yucky or disgusting, that just makes me feel like I'm yucky or disgusting for using them, because again, I've been very thankful that they are available for me when I've needed them. Maybe they could advertise a little better - but I don't think the existence of brands like vagisil and monastat imply that vagina's are inherently smelly or dirty...it's just the presence of the yeast infection that causes the odor and itching. (btw, I also use pro-biotics, but due to the strength of the anti-biotics, it doesn't work)
That aside, this commercial, although annoying - doesn't really offend me all that much. Really, the only thing that gets to me is the end tag line "100% woman, 100% of the time"...only because I don't agree with standard definitions of gender (i.e. the mutually exclusive polar opposite male=apples, female=oranges with nothing in between)
That made me laugh in the beginning when it said "a yeast infection not only itches, it also makes you dress like Eminem"
And Jessica talking about our "shame caves". LMAO. I love this blog so bad.
I've been complaining about this commercial since it was first aired. The idea that your vagina not smelling like flowers makes women dowdy and ashamed to leave the house is laughable, but apparently people are still perfuming between their legs, so I guess there's a market out there.
I wouldn't dream of leaving the house without my Vagisil deodorant mist!
inezcat, annietea, Like I said above, I've had to use monastat and vagisil for yeast infections in the past - they are not douches or vag perfume.
And, it's not that vag's in general are smelly, but, as PiscesLady said one of the symptoms of yeast infections is strange smelling discharge (along with the uncomfortable itch)...that's just common medical knowledge regarding yeast infections.
Lets at least get the facts right before we criticize.
I'm sorry I didn't make something clear in my previous comments - products like monastat and vagisil get rid of the odor by getting rid of the yeast infection (which is the cause of the funny smelling discharge). I can say from my past experience that they don't contain any perfume or "cleansing/douching" ingredients. They usually contain an anti-yeast (anti-fungal) such as Tioconazole or Miconazole to clear up the infection (which is an overgrowth of candida fungus).
This is all very confusing, the blog and half the comments seem to liken this to feminine deodorant spray, while the other half are saying it's yeast infection treatment. Which one is it? Because that totally changes the analysis.
Vagisil is a cream meant to temporarily relieve the vulva for itching, usually caused by yeast infection.
Not to mention that creams like this are very irritating to the skin and can often make the situation worse. Yeast infections need to be properly treated, not masked up. And smell...well, sorry but even the cleanest of vaginas get smelly sometimes. That's just something that modern society needs to understand. But honestly, I've never stood next to a woman in line or an elevator or whatever and been able to smell her vag. Seriously, unless you're naked with someone about to do some sexin', no one can smell you and no one is going to try. So stop feeling self conscious. And these companies need to stop trying to MAKE US feel self conscious!!
On the subject of yeast infections, several months ago I decided to go with a different brand called Yeast Gard, by Lake Consumer Products Inc., which claims to be "homeopathic, 100% natural relief". You get more for your money, since there's enough for several treatments in one box. It takes a bit longer than some others, but that's a good thing because it doesn't inflame or irritate. So, I recommend it, if you can find it (mine was at Duane Reade).
And also, if you are still using tampons and/or disposable menstrual pads and find you are getting chronic yeast infection, please consider that one is probably causing the other. I used to get them all the time, but now that I used cloth pads and a Diva Cup, that one infection was the first serious one in about two years.
You're right about disposables being a contributing factor - I switched a long time ago and there was a vast improvement. Unfortunately I still often have to take the antibiotics as well as corticosteroids, both of which make women much more susceptible to vaginal infections. So even with a combination of washable pads, homeopathic remedies and a probiotic diet/supplements - I still am vulnerable to infections :( But for anyone not having to take anti-biotics, prednisone and/or has other contributing health factors that cause susceptibility to infections, I definitely recommend all those homeopathic/natural measures as a means of preventing infections...they can work just as well if not better than standard western medical treatments.
This ad is really heaping on the shame, though. That's the problem with it. Not only are you suffering from a legitimate and real medical condition, but you're miserable because society dictates you can't scratch the irritation. Why can't you scratch it? Because, unlike when other parts of your body are irritated, you absolutely cannot be seen scratching your disgusting vagina. So you have a dirty secret. This in turn makes you an ugly, horrible person. Even if you're lovely on the outside, this commercial reinforces the idea that your malady makes you gross. Shame, shame, shame!
If this commercial were for a drug that, say, treated the equally not-too-great-looking sores from karposi's sarcoma, we'd all have a big problem with them so obviously shaming customers into buying this product, and calling them slobby monsters. Right?
The existence of Vagisil as a drug is not sexist. It's the advertising that goes way over the top to make you feel like this product solves the problem of you being a disgusting person for having a medical condition that pretty much every woman gets at one time or another.
The existence of Vagisil as a drug is not sexist. It's the advertising that goes way over the top to make you feel like this product solves the problem of you being a disgusting person for having a medical condition that pretty much every woman gets at one time or another.
This is the crux of the matter. Some of those posters in the "meh, didn't offend me" camp have confused criticism of the ad with criticism of the product. I am not a health practitioner, but I'm pretty sure Vagisil is a legit and needed product (not like the douches and perfumes of old or even... LYSOL for the vagina).
A reasonable ad would show a woman in a neutral public setting--say, sitting in an airplane surrounded by others--and looking uncomfortable with a voice-over about how she can't scratch in public. None of this is problematic. Most of us agree that scratching one's genitals is not an enterprise needed in or beneficial to public life.
But this ad is very problematic. It sets up genital itch as the source of a pathologized lack of self-esteem; overall uncleanliness (greasy stringy hair); and even--horrors--an inattention to the demands of fashion (the scruffy hoodie)! It indeed "heaps" shame on women whose genitals itch, normalizing the very idea it claims to want to alleviate: that women with itching genitals are naturally and understandably given to hiding out and covering their heads in shame. We sse this woman's abject shame and don't think "Gee, she shouldn't feel like that about a little ole itch!" Rather, we see her shame and are led to think, "God, look at what itch does to you. Good think I've got Vagisil to make me presentable to the world again!"
Will advertising ever become even marginally less reprehensible? Ever?
I say "If you itch, scratch it!"
But yes, I do think the bigger problem is the focus on shame, regardless of whether or not you think Vagisil is safe and/or effective (which I don't).
It seems like from this commercial and the comments above, that Vagisil is trying to market itself as a deodorant/perfume-type product. I bet young girls see this ad, have no idea it's for yeast infections, are completely self-conscious about the smell of their periods, and go and buy it.
Hopefully enough women know by now that douching and sprays are from the devil to effect the marketplace, but as a result Vagisil is filling in the gap.
It's so sad when products that are supposed to be "pro-women" end up taking advantage of that trust!
The really bad part about marketing a yeast infection cream as a deodorizer/ant-itch cream is that these creams should ONLY be used in the event of an actual yeast infection.
Using Vagisil when you don't actually have a yeast infection is like taking antibiotics when you have a cold. It won't actually help short term and may prevent the product from working in the future, by allowing the yeast to become resistant to the treatment.
(http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/candidiasis_gi.html#29)
Or, the problem might be an STD and that's not going to go away with Vagisil.
It's nice to have fresh feeling vagina, BUT! I refuse to be made to feel as though my vagina is a filthy place in need of constant maintenance.
There actually is a relationship between "sweats" and yeast infections. When you have a yeast infection it's very useful to wear loose fitting clothes. The more air that circulates and the cooler the genital region is kept, the better. Dresses are actually quite good in that situation, but sweatpants can also be an alternative. Slacks or jeans that are to be avoided unless they're really really baggy.
It's true that probiotics, different padding methods, etc, can help sometimes, but they're not a sure thing. And sometimes "homeopathic, 100% natural" is a marketing way of saying, "We haven't tested this at all, we really don't know if it helps, heck it might make things worse, but some people will buy anything labeled Homeopathic or Natural".
PS: Men also get yeast infections "down there", it's called Jock Itch.
PPS: No I'm not a woman and I don't play one on the internet, but my wife has a lot of health problems which contribute to her getting yeast infections quite often and so I've learned 2nd hand.