We’ve seen a lot of dangerous DIYs on the internet, so we’re hoping that this post contains the most accurate information on the subject and provides healthy guidance for those who want to learn more. We’ve added some additional information to this post since it was originally published to help you understand the subject and make a more informed decision.

When we do a DIY brightening hack, one of the most popular questions we get is, “Can we use it on our lady parts?” We always reply that this area is extremely sensitive and should be avoided. But, since so many of you have contacted us, we wanted to provide you with the full story. The thing is, everyone’s vulva (the external skin that surrounds your vagina) is unique, with various colors and shapes, which is perfectly natural. Some women may notice that this region has a darker hue than the rest of their body, which is caused by pigmentation – this is completely natural and not something you should be concerned about or alter.

Why is it possible for the vulva to be much darker than the rest of the body?

The issue with vaginal skin is that it has the highest density in melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) of any part of the body. It’s an area where walking and exercise can cause quite a bit of friction.

Is it possible to balance pigmentation on the vulva with lemon juice, yogurt, coconut oil, or egg white?

The number of DIY options for vaginal lightening pigmentation is extremely small. One of the better ones is lemon juice, but it’s not a good one because I don’t think it’ll help much. The theory behind yogurt is that it contains lactic acid, a mild exfoliant, but not in a high enough concentration to affect skin pigmentation. The egg white will have no effect, but it may be useful as a thickening agent to keep the other ingredients from dripping all over the place. Coconut oil is safe to use because it contains fatty acids and vitamin E, which can brighten skin, but results can take years.