Vagina is Not a Bad Word: A Bold Conversation on Feminine Health with Dee Seymour

Deannah: 00:00:00

Fighting with meta and with being able to run our commercials on tv.

Roxy: 00:00:05

Because vagina is a bad word, right?

Deannah: 00:00:07

Yes.

Roxy: 00:00:07

In the eyes of social media.

Deannah: 00:00:09

We had a billboard in Times Square that had the word vagina on it, and we were so proud and so excited.

30% of our website visitors are men, which I absolutely love that I have had men and women alike come up to me with tears streaming down their faces saying, your product saved our marriage.

Roxy: 00:00:30

Don't feel like you can't question things and be your own health advocate.

Deannah: 00:00:34

If your healthcare provider's not listening to you, go find another one.

Roxy: 00:00:38

Menopause is not a transitional period. Once you hit menopause, you're in menopause for the rest of your life. You are to douche or not to douche.

Deannah: 00:00:48

Yeah. So great question.

Roxy: 00:00:50

You can throw off your vaginal ph by wearing tight pants?

Deannah: 00:00:54

Absolutely.

Roxy: 00:00:55

Is that right?

Deannah: 00:00:56

Yes. These are things that we need to know about. Like, these products can actually help you.

Roxy: 00:01:07

When's the last time you had a real conversation about your vagina without awkwardness, judgment, or shame? Today we're going there with Dee Seymour, the unapologetic founder of PhD Feminine Health.

She built a powerhouse brand by tackling the topics no one wants to talk about. But every woman deserves to understand.

She's breaking down the real science of vaginal health, busting decades of misinformation, and helping us navigate the hormonal chaos midlife throws our way. From PH balance and BV to ditching the shame and the douche, this episode is unfiltered, overdue, and exactly what we need.

Follow heconicmidlife and add Red Carpet Roxy across all platforms. Tag us when you're listening and share this episode with someone who's ready for better conversations and better care.

And don't forget to follow the show, because midlife isn't quiet anymore. Oh, my gosh, Dee. Welcome to the iconic midlife. I'm so excited to have you here.

Deannah: 00:02:06

Thank you so much for having me.

Roxy: 00:02:07

Oh, this is gonna be great. I know you have such a busy schedule. In fact, you just flew in last night from Sacramento.

Deannah: 00:02:14

I did? Yeah.

Roxy: 00:02:15

No big deal. Just trying to change some laws, you know.

Deannah: 00:02:17

No biggie.

Roxy: 00:02:19

How was your Sacramento trip? What were you.

Deannah: 00:02:22

Oh, my goodness. Okay.

Never in a million years would I have thought that advocacy would be a part of what I do, but it really has turned into that, and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity.

It's kind of crazy how this has come about, but California was attempting to enhance their cosmetic safety laws, and in doing so, they included an ingredient that is essential for women's health. Not knowing that including this boric acid on this list would affect women's health. Had they known that, they wouldn't have done it.

So I stepped in as the founder of the original boric acid suppository brand.

I couldn't sit back and allow that to happen because I knew that if California banned boric acid and cosmetic products, then it would be banned nationwide because all the retailers nationwide have told me so. Tens of millions of women depend on this ingredient so much so that it's become standard of care.

It's on the CDC guidelines for sexual health, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. It's on their protocols, as well as Harvard and Kaiser and pretty much every major medical institutions. So.

And thankfully, we have their backing on this bill, too.

So I have been working feverishly for over a year to get that amended, get the law amended, and have so blessed and grateful to be working with California Senator Dr. Akilah Weber Pearson, who's an OB GYN. Okay, what are the odds of that happening? And totally divinely choreographed.

And so she has been helping me get this bill across the finish line and had a major milestone yesterday in the House Environmental Committee getting it over that. And hopefully, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it'll be on the governor's desk by mid next month.

And Bork asset suppositories will be protected for women everywhere.

Roxy: 00:04:36

Oh, gosh. Wow. Well, congratulations.

Deannah: 00:04:38

Thank you.

Roxy: 00:04:39

Huge for women.

Deannah: 00:04:40

I know. That was quite a mouthful, too.

Roxy: 00:04:43

It's good because you're showing your journey, and it has been such a multifaceted journey for you. It's not just creating a product. It is the advocacy.

So what is it about boric acid that women should be implementing in their regime, in their feminine care regime?

Deannah: 00:05:02

Do you know boric acid has been used for over 100 years in feminine care? And, you know, I like this quote, that life is not happening to you before you.

Which I think my journey has been a perfect example of that, because in this small, rural Mississippi town that I grew up in, in our family farmhouse, has been there for over 100 years, there is a bottle of boric acid in every bathroom. Even my great great grandmother was using it for her feminine hygiene and care, you know, over a hundred years ago. And it's such a unique ingredient.

It has antimicrobial effects and antifungal properties. So in Canada, we're required to market as a yeast infection treatment. And that's actually what the CDC and ACOG recommend its use for.

But in the US we're required to market as a cosmetic for vaginal odor. But it is kind of this miracle ingredient that is great for both of those instances.

Vaginal itch and odor, two of the top reasons a woman will visit a doctor in their lifetime. These things are very common, but you really don't talk about them a whole lot, which something we're trying to change and remove that stigma.

But, you know, anything can throw off, you know, our balance.

You know, it could be intercourse, it could be your period, it could be menopause, hormonal fluctuations, sweat, gym, bathing suits, all of those things. So it's a great product.

Ph.D. boric acid suppositories to have, you know, in your cosmetic bag if you're traveling, just to help restore things and get things back to normal or to help you if you're suffering from any of those issues.

Roxy: 00:07:06

You know, it's quite a bold move to create a product specifically for feminine hygiene and feminine health. So what was the impetus behind that?

Especially because, you know, generally speaking, feminine health and hygiene are sort of these taboo topics that are filled with shame and stigma and really silence. There's not a lot of education about it. So why step into this market and create a product like this?

Deannah: 00:07:31

Yeah, you know that saying, necessity is the mother of invention. My story is epitome of that.

I spent 20 years working in the pharmaceutical industry and have a degree in biology, so love science and the business of science. I had been on so many antibiotics for sinus infections, and we know when we're on antibiotics, it completely disrupts our flora.

I was looking for a holistic alternative backed by science, and I found it in this ingredient, boric acid. But nobody was making it commercially. You could only get it made in a compounding pharmacy. And it was so expensive.

And I just was sitting there thinking, like, there are millions of women who could benefit from having this product readily available.

rket. And we'd launched it in: 2014

We knew we were onto something because of the velocity, but most importantly, because of the reviews of women who. Who had used it, particularly when it came to vaginal odor. So we don't typically talk about vaginal odor ever.

I think we're one of the first companies to Do a commercial about it and to create a platform for women to discuss it. It's very, very common. And like I said, so many different things can cause it. But it's deeply personal.

And most women feel that sense of shame and stigma associated with it, like it's their fault they've done something wrong to cause it. And so to see these women's stories with the reviews, one thing about that condition is that it's recurrent 50% of the time in women who have it.

So if you think about that, you know, half of the women who get it, they get it frequently.

And women were talking about how, you know, of course they didn't want to be intimate, they didn't want to go to the gym, put a bathing suit on, or even get a pedicure because they were too ashamed that someone might smell them.

And so to really remove that shame and stigma and let them know it's not their fault and that there's a simple solution that can help, you know, with this condition has been one of the most gratifying aspects of this whole journey.

And to be in places like I'm at a lot of conferences and where I interact with healthcare providers and with consumers, and I have had men and women alike come up to me with tears streaming down their faces saying, your product saved our marriage. Because intimacy is such a huge part of that journey.

And if you're not, that's not part of the equation, then you know, the relationship is going to suffer. So. Or having healthcare providers say, you know, you've changed hundreds of our patients lives.

So it's been so validating to know that that nudge that I had, you know, 11 years ago is in the right direction.

Roxy: 00:10:54

Absolutely.

And really, like, you're saying that can affect quality of life for so many women and men totally for their partners, you know, so because this is such a still taboo subject to talk about, what are some of the myths that you want to bust about feminine health and feminine hygiene?

Deannah: 00:11:13

Yeah, that, you know, it's not your fault. This is crazy. We even get calls from partners who are saying, you know, I think my wife's had an affair.

Cause all of a sudden she's got vaginal odor and she's never had it before. Like, what's going on? And we're like, well, pump the br, Dude.

Roxy: 00:11:35

Yeah, hold up.

Deannah: 00:11:37

Yeah.

So there is just so much misinformation out there about, you know, these conditions and that it's a natural thing for these to occur and that there's ways to, you know, get the treatment that women deserve and need so really to let them know that it's not their fault. And there's simple solutions to help them along their journey. And, you know, it's.

We're hopefully, you know, creating this platform for women to have these conversations.

And I love it that women are constantly tagging their friends and our ads and really helping to develop this dialogue that, you know, we shouldn't be ashamed. We're women and need to, you know, have this sisterhood and help each other out every way possible.

Roxy: 00:12:29

You know, it's interesting too, because it is a holistic, science based, you know, back to Caroline. So what challenges did you face from people, even retailers, about when you were starting this company?

Like, were people saying, no, don't do this, or we're not interested in this product because of what it, what it was for?

Deannah: 00:12:49

Yeah. So it's interesting. I, I kept this venture of mine a secret.

Roxy: 00:13:00

As so many of us do when we're starting a new business. Women. Right.

Deannah: 00:13:03

You know, I'll tell you why I did it and you can tell me if it's the same. I didn't want the negative energy associated with somebody putting down my idea to help cloud my vision or my drive. I don't know if that's how you.

Roxy: 00:13:18

Felt, but yeah, I mean, I definitely, you know, I totally get that. Cause you just don't want that outside noise. And it also kind of shakes your belief in yourself too, right.

You know, where you're just like, oh my God, can I do this? Because so and so maybe so and so thinks it's not a great idea. And then you take that in and there's so many women that like.

And men, I mean, everybody. But, you know, there's so many people that won't go forward with their idea because they listen to the outside noise.

Deannah: 00:13:48

Absolutely. And I think that I saw that potential, so I kept it close and I only told a few people about it.

So it was my side hustle for three years before I left my corporate job because I was a single mom and had all of the, you know, security that I thought that I needed with my health insurance and all the things. And so I kept it quiet while I was. Kept my head down and doing it on the side.

And it was interesting when I finally left my corporate job to come run the company full time, One of our first goals was to get it in the hands of women when they needed it most at a retailer. Because Amazon prime back then was much different than it is today. It was only in major Cities.

And we know when something's not right with our hoo ha that we have to, we gotta get something, we gotta get it fixed. So went to this speed dating session, if you will, with retailers and brands and was able to pitch my product.

And Target and CVS fortunately took me in. Target chain wide, CVS and half their stores.

And so Target, I recently, last fall had an opportunity to reconnect with the buyer who brought me in because we were both at this drugstore news top woman in retail event. And it was such an emotional time for me because I went up and it was a full circle moment.

nk you for, you know, back in: 2018

And back to your point, what I knew was healthcare professional marketing and how effective that was, having spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. And so that was part of my pitch, was how I was marketing the product. But she said, I had to fight so hard to bring in your one sku and.

And particularly with the category that it covered, you know, as we were talking about, she goes, but I saw the reviews of the women and I was dumbfounded by them and I knew that you were onto something, so I had to fight with senior management to do it. But on top of that, you know, fighting the shadow banning that we we face with meta and with being able to run our commercials on tv, are.

Roxy: 00:16:35

You still dealing with that? I mean, is it.

Deannah: 00:16:36

We are. We are.

Roxy: 00:16:40

Because vagina is a bad word, right? In the eyes of social media.

Deannah: 00:16:44

Oh my goodness. It has been one of the most frustrating experiences.

We had this wonderful ad campaign, so we knew we couldn't say the word vagina on tv, so we used to euphemisms instead where we said earlier, I said, hoo ha and I should have said the word vagina.

Roxy: 00:17:04

Let me correct that.

Deannah: 00:17:05

I need to practice what I preach. But so we use euphemisms in the commercial to describe our lady parts, if you will, because that was the title of the commercial, lady parts.

So hoo ha, cootie, cat, beaver, taco, all the things. And we're like, okay, this should be safe, we should be able to air this because we need to have a conversation on TV about vaginal odor.

And so we, we attempted to and it got shut down like everywhere. So here we had paid all this money for this amazing campaign. And by the way, it just won an addie. We found out yesterday.

Roxy: 00:17:47

Congratulations. Thank you.

Deannah: 00:17:51

Our Commercial along with the dude wipes commercial from this agency. So we're super proud of it.

So we had to, we had to pivot and we went to sponsor to put in commercial in Oprah's menopause special a couple months ago. And we whittled the commercial down and took, we had to take the supers, which are the words on the screen off that, that say beaver or taco.

They wouldn't allow that because I guess it's one thing if you're just saying them, but if you're reading them, it's different. I don't know.

But we had to completely edit the commercial, shorten it, edit the text, the verbiage, everything, in order to get it past the folks at the networks who were. So it's been incredibly frustrating.

And an instance that we had actually here in LA last year, they were highlighting women owned brands on a local station. So our product was right next to Kate Somerville Cosmetics and it was our vaginal moisturizing gel. That's the name of the product.

Ph.D. vaginal moisturizing gel.

And the producers came on, you know, minutes before it was going to air and they told me, the hosts are like, you can't see the name of that product on air. And they're like, what do you mean? Like it's the name of the product, right? And like, sorry. Cause it said vaginal. So they, it was kind of ridiculous.

When you see the clip, they couldn't even zoom in on the product. So the host blessed them. They were like, well, here's a product. And if, you know, you know, and I'm like, no, you don't know.

We got to talk about these things. So, yes, it's something we continually face.

And it's my understanding that the word menopause was only able to be used like on meta and everything else until it was just recently, like two or three years ago. Which is insane. So we still have a long way to go. Very, very long way to go.

Roxy: 00:20:06

So vagina is a bad word. Menopause is a bad word. I mean, this is crazy.

Deannah: 00:20:11

And every man came from a vagina.

Roxy: 00:20:14

In some form or fashion, you know, and every biological woman will go through menopause at some point, you know, and it's, it's. If she's lucky enough to live that long.

Deannah: 00:20:24

Right?

Roxy: 00:20:25

And it just, it's baffling to me that it's such a bad word still.

Deannah: 00:20:30

I know, right? And we, especially if you think about it, we spend a third of our lives in menopause. A third and you know, I watched my mom suffer.

I don't know if yours did the same, but it was just like she suffered because there weren't really many alternatives out there.

And I, as a founder, I had the ability to help improve the lives of women, particularly those women going through menopause, because no women should have. No woman should have to suffer through a third of their life and anything. So it's. That's been a huge part of our mission, too.

Roxy: 00:21:07

I think that that's one of the. The things that people don't realize is menopause is not a transitional period. Once you hit menopause, you're in menopause for the rest of your life.

You are. There's no, like, turning back. You don't just get to leave menopause, you know, and so I. I, like, really want people to know that that is like the.

That's the. It's a part of life. Like, once it starts, you're in menopause.

Deannah: 00:21:31

Yeah.

Roxy: 00:21:32

So having products like your products can be so helpful for not only people in menopause, but before, you know.

Deannah: 00:21:39

Totally.

Roxy: 00:21:40

And, you know, I think too, you know, there's hormonal changes that happen. Your hormones go everywhere. Like, how does that affect. Especially when we're in midlife. Right. I mean, our hormones are constantly in flux.

Deannah: 00:21:52

Yes.

Roxy: 00:21:52

How does that affect. Affect your vaginal health?

Deannah: 00:21:56

Yeah. Oh, my goodness. It's very affected by your hormonal fluctuations.

So many, many women, millions of women will all of a sudden get vaginal odor for the first time, even though they've never had it.

I was actually fortunate enough to have brunch with an old friend from high school today, and we were talking about that, and she was like, all of a sudden, I woke up one day and I thought something had crawled up inside of me and died. And I'm like, yes, I know. And so. And then again, look what happens. We take that inwardly. We're like, what have I done wrong?

It must be something that I've done. And it's not a hygiene issue. You can, you know, scrub yourself to death, and that's not going to help.

But a lot of times, because of these hormone fluctuations, estrogen's up and down, up and down, and testosterone, and it can cause an overgrowth of bacteria, which then causes odor. So it's nothing that women do. It's not their fault. But in addition to that, the vaginal dryness, of course, that occurs.

And not only that, but also our. Our. Like, my skin has changed dramatically.

I have much drier skin now that I'm in menopause and our labial skin gets really dry and can become really irritated, particularly if because we now have incontinence, you know, and some women are wearing liners and the liners can rub, especially if your skin is dry.

So there are so many different things, things that are happening to our bodies, not to mention, you know, the night sweats and the joint pain, the frozen shoulder. I mean there's so many different brain fog. Like you walk into a room and forget why you went in there.

Roxy: 00:23:52

Yes. Or you can't remember what you were about to say even you're like, yes, grabbing for words. And I'm like, what was I just about?

Deannah: 00:23:59

What was I a thing? Like, it is, it's a thing. So we're really focusing on being that brand that provides solutions for every stage of a woman's life.

And because there's so many needs in menopause, we've really focused a lot on that because we are. Science is at the heart of everything we do. So I want to make sure that we're including those science backed ingredients.

And so with our vaginal moisturizing gel, it has hyaluronic acid, acid which is fabulous. Vitamin E and coconut oil.

I had a friend, close friend, who experiences severe vaginal dryness and when she would go get her pap smear, she wanted to die because it hurts so bad.

And so she started using, I didn't mean for this to be a commercial, but actually she started using her vaginal moisturizing gel and, and she was like, I got there, spread my legs and was talking to the doctor and she's like, okay, I'm done. She's like, what? I didn't even know you did anything. So. But these are things that we need to know about, like these products can actually help you.

And I'm so grateful that we're not alone in this.

And there's so many other brands leaning into menopause solutions, you know, with products for our vulva, like our vulva bomb that we have and you know, moisturizing products and you know, supplements too that can help with those night sweats and. But the really thing is to have a conversation and start doing your research.

And I really, you know, strongly suggest to women, I have these conversations all the time, that if your healthcare provider is not listening to you, go find another one. The statistics are just incredible. I think it's 83% of women who were in menopause visit their doctor and feel like they're not heard right.

Roxy: 00:25:57

And they're gaslit, you know, by the doctor.

They're just sort of blown off or like, you know, and it's such a shame because these are real problems that these women are having, you know, and to not feel like your doctor's listening to you or to not even feel comfortable enough to tell your doctor is another issue that I've been hearing about, you know, so true.

Deannah: 00:26:17

And so be the advocate for yourself. Find somebody who will listen to you. And that was the conversation I just had with my friend. She finally found somebody and now she's on hrt.

She's been on it two weeks and feels like a completely different person. Completely different person.

So we're raised, I feel like, to believe that because you're a healthcare provider and you're telling me this information that you have to be correct. Well, that's not always the case. You have to be an advocate for your own health as well as the members of your family too.

It's so important, very important.

Roxy: 00:26:53

Now, I know there's a lot of confusion too about specific vaginal infections, like for example, a yeast infection or bv or just feeling off down there. Can you sort of clear up and like let women know what the difference is? Because I do think there's also shame.

Shame and not knowing what's going on, but also using the wrong product if you're not 100% sure of what's happening. So can you kind of differentiate between those three things?

Deannah: 00:27:20

Yeah, so mind you, I'm not a medical doctor and the first thing we tell consumers is consult your doctor if you are facing any of these things. So yeast infection typically has that discharge that's pretty noticeable, that's kind of a milkish whitish discharge.

And the itch is usually oftentimes unbearable. And it can also be internal and external itching. And a lot of things that can cause a yeast infection are antibiotics.

Of course, you know, even intercourse. Many, many men can be carriers of yeast on their penis and unaware because they're asymptomatic.

So in the women, oftentimes that's a trigger for them is intercourse. Because sometimes, not always, but sometimes their partner is a carrier of yeast. Oftentimes.

A lot of women will get yeast infections during menstruation during their period too. So it is important to see a doctor determine which is which.

Their bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of the bacteria that's not beneficial, the odor causing bacteria. And that's typically a grayish discharge. Sometimes.

But interesting stat there is that over 60% of women who have BV don't know they have could be that they just feel a little off. And sometimes I think as women, we know when we've had that feeling, something's just not quite right.

So, and a lot of times if they have bv, it's much more noticeable after intercourse because the odor causing bacteria that's way up in the vaginal canal then comes out and you're able to smell it.

A lot of women get BV while they're menstruating because or after intercourse because semen and blood can both elevate the vaginal pH, which then causes the odor causing bacteria to grow and causes an overgrowth of that and not the good bacteria, the lactobacilli, which we want to preserve.

So in addition, there's a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine recently that was pretty profound and showed that men can actually be carriers of the bacteria that causes bv. So much so that this study demonstrated that by treating the male partner, the incidence of BV went down significantly.

So that also opens up a whole new, you know, can of worms, if you will, when it comes to that. I mean, you don't have to be sexually active to get bacterial vaginosis. Your, you know, your blood can elevate your ph and your vagina too.

So, you know, many women who have never been sexually active will get bv. So it is, it's an evolving science too when it comes to that infection in particular.

So there are other things that can cause abnormal discharge like STDs too. So that's why it really is important for women to determine.

But one thing that has been part of the heart of what we have done is to make our product available in the healthcare deserts that exist in the US because there's so many women who don't have access to an ob GYN or a healthcare professional, you know, and I back to Mississippi, where I'm originally from, the nearest healthcare provider was about 45 minutes from where I grew up.

And a lot of women, because it's the poorest state in the country, the lack of access to health care and you know, the poverty level there, we're making sure that we have our products even at Dollar General. So that, because there's a Dollar General, even in those healthcare deserts to make sure that there is an option for these women to have.

So but yet they, a lot of women will use PhD to, you know, after intercourse or after their period, just to help reset things too.

Roxy: 00:32:00

Oh, that's a good tip to use It. After you've had intercourse?

Deannah: 00:32:03

Yeah.

Roxy: 00:32:04

Okay. Because it will it. Is it like an immediate effect? Will it right away kind of make your ph. Ah, yeah. Okay, that's good to know.

Deannah: 00:32:12

Yes.

Roxy: 00:32:13

Put that in your checklist, ladies. Literally the tip after the tip.

Deannah: 00:32:22

I love it.

Roxy: 00:32:25

Oh, that's so great. So what are some of the mistakes that you think women are making when it comes to feminine healthcare?

Deannah: 00:32:33

Yeah, well, for one thing, over like the use of all these perfumed and scented products, we are very intentional about if we have scent and you know, our washes and such that they're plant based and they're not synthetic. So. And I think a lot of women are trying to. They're focusing on the external, you know, treating odor when it's.

That's not the issues, it's internal that they need to address, but they just don't understand where it's coming from.

So a huge part of what we're trying to do at PhD talking about, you know, we were talking about using the word vagina, is trying to educate women so that they're more body literate. We have found that huge percentage of women even in the quizzes that we have put out there recently.

We have a campaign called Raise youe Vagina iq and it stemmed from conversations we've had with consumers and also with healthcare providers where they're seeing their patients who can't really describe what's happening with their bodies because they don't know the correct body parts. They don't know the difference between their vagina and their vulva, which is on our. The quiz that we have out right now.

It's over like close to, I think 70% don't. Couldn't tell the difference on a diagram. So in what is at the root cause of that is the shame and stigma that has existed for decades.

We know more about the anatomy of a frog when we graduate from high school than we do our own bodies. And we've got to change that.

In order for us to be back to being an advocate for our health, to being advocates for ourselves so that we can, you know, have these conversations with our healthcare providers or even our partners, our loved ones, be advocates for our moms and our daughters.

We need to know how to pronounce the body parts, what they are, the differences, and be educated on things like discharge and menopause and our periods, all these things that are beautifully part of our lives. And just to embrace that as women and to normalize the conversation so that vagina is not a dirty word anymore.

And that we can hopefully one day be able to proudly say the word on tv. And it's why we've started this raise your vagina IQ campaign to educate women on that and also the functions of their body that are totally normal.

Roxy: 00:35:20

You know what?

And you bring up a really good point about our daughters and the next generation, because I have a 10 year old, and I know when I was growing up, I mean, I maybe grew up a little differently. I grew up in a medical family. My dad's a retired oncologist. So body parts were part of our, like, dinnertime conversation. Right, right.

I mean, that is one of the things that I am grateful for because it was never sort of a dirty word. It's like, oh, your vagina is like your head or your arm or, you know, whatever it is.

Deannah: 00:35:48

That's the way it should be.

Roxy: 00:35:49

Right? It. Absolutely.

And so that's what I really, you know, instilled with my daughter because I think it is important for her to identify, you know, mommy, you know, my vagina. This that, you know, like, using the correct terminology, means everything.

And I think it also protects our children, you know, from people who are unsavory characters, pedophiles that like to make names for different body parts and these kind of pet names and things like that. Right. And I think it actually is a safety issue.

Deannah: 00:36:18

That's a great point.

Roxy: 00:36:19

Right. It's a safety issue. We need to, like, say what it is. It's a vagina, you know, or it's a vulva or whatever the part is. Would you agree with that?

Deannah: 00:36:29

Absolutely. And I never really thought about it like that as a safety concern, but it totally is, you know, and if.

Because that could be, you know, a way for women to be victimized and, you know, so. Great, great point. And also, you know, for men to be educated as well, it's interesting, 30% of our website visitors are.

Are men, which I absolutely love that because I have been there and had conversations with men and dads who want information for their daughters and who are partners who want to help improve, you know, that relationship or help improve, you know, her health as well. So for men to be educated, too, I think it's a huge part of the equation which ultimately will hopefully lead to less censorship. Yes.

You know, down the road.

Roxy: 00:37:27

I mean, it's still mind blowing. You cannot say vagina on tv. I mean.

Deannah: 00:37:31

But, Ed, we can talk about all day long.

Roxy: 00:37:33

All day long. Right. Because it has to do with men, you know.

Deannah: 00:37:36

Totally.

Roxy: 00:37:38

So, so ridiculous. Yes. So ridiculous. So what is next for the brand. What exciting things do you have coming down the pipeline?

Deannah: 00:37:46

Oh my goodness. We've got some really exciting things. Yeah, I have just the past two weeks I was in Bentonville at Walmart and then in Minneapolis with Target.

And we. One of the things that we're really focused on is in talking about women's health is funding clinical research when it comes to women's health.

And I am so honored and privileged and just so happy that I'm in a position to use the proceeds of sales from our products to help fund research that is so needed in women's health.

And I mean we have been set aside for decades and even to the point where the, you know, say you need 8 to 10 hours of sleep or whatever, however many it is, that was actually done on men, not on women.

Roxy: 00:38:48

Right. Because the medical community doesn't test on women, test for women. Right.

Deannah: 00:38:53

We need more sleep.

Roxy: 00:38:54

Right. We need way more sleep.

Deannah: 00:38:56

We're doing everything.

Roxy: 00:38:58

Yes, it's true. They almost treat us like little men or something when they're testing and like going, you know, trying all these things.

Deannah: 00:39:06

So we are spending tens of millions of dollars in clinical research and we've got several different research projects going on right now that I can talk about more later. But one important one is that will be in a major menopause journal is a. It is an ingredient that has become very hot.

But it is done on a specific form of creatine. Not your typical creatine monohydrate that is out there, but a specific form that will show a huge decrease in menopausal symptoms.

But more to come on that. So we are actively working on innovation when it comes to those products not only for menopause, but also for brain health.

And so stay tuned on that or that'll be hopefully launching Q4 of this year. In addition, using the insights and findings from the research that we're doing to help innovate in women's health.

Because I again grateful that I'm now being presented with opportunities for products that were set aside by Big Pharma because women's health was not a priority for them.

And we now have researchers coming to us with really solid clinical data of new products that we're investing in so that we can be the brand that brings them to market. Because you know, they might not have brought them to market because it's not a multi billion dollar drug.

Well, so what if it can improve the lives of women? I don't care how much money it's going to make us, you know, it's something we have to do.

We have to, you know, take care of each other and invest in, in that research and continue to innovate.

Roxy: 00:41:17

We are our best advocates totally for ourselves and for other women.

Deannah: 00:41:21

And absolutely.

Roxy: 00:41:22

So important, like you're saying, oh, I thought of something because I do think that there is still kind of like, you know, rumors out there about this kind of product. To douche or not to douche.

Deannah: 00:41:33

Yeah. So great question.

The traditional douches that have been around forever were the perfumes, you know, from a major brand products, and they were found to interfere with the lactobacilli that is in the vagina that we want there. We want it to remain there. So we created. It's actually a little history here. It's the way I developed PhD.

So when I tried boric acid for the first time, I didn't have access to a gelatin capsule like to make my or boric acid. So I did it the way it's been done for over 100 years, the way my great grandmother did it.

I created a douche out of water and boric acid and it changed my life. And so that product we found that boric acid does not kill lactobacilli, which is fabulous.

You can, but it does get rid of the unsavory things that we don't want. So I felt compelled to bring that product to market because it was the way PhD was founded and born. I knew how amazing this product works.

So we hope to be doing some research on that product to prove, unlike the other douches that are on the market that aren't recommended, that that douching with a boric acid product actually has substantial benefits. I mean, I've witnessed it firsthand and so have millions of other women.

So I would say if you're going to douche, don't use the perfumed ones that have the data that demonstrates that it's not safe, but use one that has boric acid. Because boric acid has actually been dozens of clinical trials done on it and for its safety and use and vaginal health.

Roxy: 00:43:36

So in general, is fragrance bad for your vagina?

Deannah: 00:43:40

So the synthetic fragrances that are typically inducious, not a good thing, that actually can have the opposite effect of what you're trying to achieve. And even in the washes and everything that we use, just make sure it's a plant based version of that like ours is.

And there's some other brands that have that too. So just be careful about any scents that you use down there that It's a natural form and not a synthetic.

Roxy: 00:44:10

Okay, and what advice would you give your 25 year old self?

Deannah: 00:44:16

You know, it's so funny you brought this up because I was thinking about this on the plane. One plane I've been on this week. I don't remember they've been students on so many.

But you know, I kind of took a step back over the past couple of days of what we've been able to accomplish and getting a law amended.

You know, I mean, and I was thinking if I, if somebody would have told me this, you know, even 10 years ago, I would have, I would have, wouldn't have believed them. That we can do really hard things.

And I think that's one of the gifts that we have at our age, at this stage in our lives, being in our mid lives, is that wisdom and that confidence and that ability to really do things that we never in a million years could have imagined us doing before that it's possible. You know, anything is possible if you roll up your sleeves. I didn't know how to get a law amended.

Roxy: 00:45:26

Now you do.

Deannah: 00:45:27

I do.

Roxy: 00:45:28

Right.

Deannah: 00:45:29

But I'm like, I'm gonna figure this out. Like, I can't sit back and allow this to happen. I have to have to save it so we can do hard things.

And it's have faith and confidence in yourself because it's in here. We just have to believe, believe it.

Roxy: 00:45:47

We have to believe it, we have to unlock it and we have to put it out in the world, you know, and that fear just has to be. I mean, it's so hard.

I understand that fear is, can be crippling, you know, and we've, we all have it to some degree, but it's like at some point you just have to be like, fuck it.

Deannah: 00:46:04

Right, Right, Absolutely. Okay. So is Xavier your producer?

Roxy: 00:46:08

Yes.

Deannah: 00:46:09

Okay.

While you were out of the room, he and I were having a chat and I was telling him how brave he was to move to Hollywood from the small town where he's from. And he talked about, I was like, well, you took a leap of faith. And we started talking about that and I said, well, my motto is faith over fear.

And it has been because, you know, it's like faith and fear are both. And I was, there's this quote and I can't, I'm going to butcher it completely. But I'll give you the Cliff Notes version.

Faith and fear are both unseen, untangible things. So you choose which one you're going to give power to. And I choose faith every Single day.

Roxy: 00:46:52

That's a great motto to live by. That's a great motto to live by. So this kind of ties into it. How are you living iconically right now?

Deannah: 00:46:59

Okay. Wow. How am I living iconically?

I have to say that doing things I never thought were possible, like being an advocate for women, it's now, it's something I, I'm proud of that it's, I'll have to say it's hard. I mean it. The past few months have been exceptionally hard trying to get this across the finish line.

I won't go into detail, but there's been a lot of obstacles that have popped up along the way that just really made. Make me shake my head and wonder what kind of world we're living in.

But so I, I feel like I'm being that women's advocate that I never thought would be part of my, my DNA and my makeup. But it's become a huge part of who I am. And now that I've been successful, I feel an obligation to continue doing that.

So I think that's part of, of what that means for me at this stage right now.

Roxy: 00:47:59

That is great. And on the iconic midlife, we like to play games. Are you down for a game?

Deannah: 00:48:05

I'm down for it.

Roxy: 00:48:06

Okay, great. So this game is going to be called and put the glasses on for this one.

Deannah: 00:48:14

I feel. Yeah.

Roxy: 00:48:17

All right, so it's called fact or femme myth.

Deannah: 00:48:20

Okay.

Roxy: 00:48:20

It's going to be a rapid fire game and basically you say if it's fact or if you need to set the record straight and say it's a myth. Okay, so okay, here we go. Number one, you should wash your vagina with soap every day.

Deannah: 00:48:37

I would say that's somewhere in between.

Roxy: 00:48:40

Explain please.

Deannah: 00:48:41

Yes. Because we have odor causing bacteria down there in our own on our vulva, just like we do in our armpits. So that's up to you.

If you're okay with having some odor causing bacteria, you know, you know, on your vulva just like you do in your pits, then you, you do you boo is what I say. But as far as internal washing the vagina, absolutely not. You do not put soap up inside.

Roxy: 00:49:15

There because that can throw the ph off. Right? Okay.

Deannah: 00:49:17

Yes.

Roxy: 00:49:18

So no soap inside the vagina.

Deannah: 00:49:19

No.

Roxy: 00:49:20

Okay. Number two, vaginal odor means something is wrong.

Deannah: 00:49:29

Typically. Yes. That, that is a fact. That something is not quite right. Back to one of. We were talking about yeast and bv. There are many, many times.

And you'll have health healthcare providers will tell me this, that I have A patient who is not testing for anything, but something's just not quite right. And it's not trichomoniasis, it's not bv, it's not yeast. Like, I can't figure it out, but something's not right.

And as women, we know that, like, we just know, like, this does not quite feel right. And that saying, your body doesn't lie, I love, because I have to remind myself of that oftentimes.

So, yes, that generally means something is not quite right because your vagina should not smell malodorous. It should have its own. Every vagina smells differently. You kind of know what your smell's like.

If you don't, you need to figure out what normal is for you so that when it's off, you need to seek some help for that.

Roxy: 00:50:38

Okay. So generally speaking, just so women know now, this is. It could be different. So you should always go to your doctor.

But generally speaking, is there odor? With yeast infections, there is not. So usually it's BV. And STDs could have an odor as well. That is correct. Okay.

And always go get checked out by your doctor, ladies.

Deannah: 00:50:59

Indeed.

Roxy: 00:51:00

Right. Number three, you can throw off your vaginal PH by wearing tight pants.

Deannah: 00:51:06

Absolutely.

Roxy: 00:51:07

Is that right?

Deannah: 00:51:08

Yes, because it needs to breathe. And sometimes if we're wearing tight pants like that, don't breathe. Like leather or pleather, it's even worse.

It can cause the odor causing bacteria to grow internally.

Roxy: 00:51:28

Okay. BV and yeast infections are basically the same thing.

Deannah: 00:51:33

No, not at all. Completely different organisms that cause each.

One is candidiasis and one is a bacteria that causes bv, which I'm completely drawing a blank on right now. And I shouldn't know this. It's part of my life. But anyway, back to what we were saying about menopause.

Roxy: 00:51:55

Exactly. You know, there it is. It's like. What's that word? Lord, no. That's funny. Okay. Midlife hormonal changes can impact vaginal pH 100%. Okay.

Deannah: 00:52:10

Yes.

Because when we experience fluctuations in our hormones, and this is proven with and research studies, that our PH of our vagina fluctuates tremendously.

So back to, you know, my friends who think something crawled up inside of them and died when they started experiencing menopause symptoms, it's because they're. They're possibly getting BV or an imbalance because of their fluctuations in hormones. And actually, the same thing can often happen to in pregnancy.

A lot of women experience BV in pregnancy. And by the way, you cannot use boric acid while you're Pregnant.

Roxy: 00:52:55

Okay, so don't. What about when you're breastfeeding?

Deannah: 00:52:57

Yes. Okay, but there's been no research done with pregnancy.

And then two, a lot of women get vaginal odor near their periods and that could be due to the fluctuation hormones or the actual blood itself, which is very alkaline and can cause the pH to become off.

Roxy: 00:53:22

Oh, okay, interesting. Okay, I have heard this one before, but you tell me if this is true or not. Vaginas are self cleaning.

Deannah: 00:53:30

So they are. Normally when everything is copacetic, status quo. When you don't have any imbalances or infections, they are like, you just leave it alone.

And they're, they're fine.

But if something causes you to be off, whether it be you notice a difference or a change in your discharge or odor or something to that effect, then you need to seek advice or attention or look for a product that can help. But yes, if you're, you know, not everybody will need a boric acid suppository. If they have never have an issue with their vagina, which. Yay.

Use this. I hope that's you. Then you don't have to do anything. Your vagina is perfectly fine.

Roxy: 00:54:23

Okay. So you should only use the supplements if you find that there's something wrong. Okay.

Deannah: 00:54:28

Correct.

Roxy: 00:54:28

Got it, Got it. Okay. Eating certain foods can affect how your body vagina smells.

Deannah: 00:54:34

So I have heard that there is some research that pineapple can cause the sweetness. You know, I have to look deeper into that to see if it's clinically sound research. I'm not sure.

But I have also been told, anecdotally mind you, that heavy garlic, you know, meals can also affect the way a woman smells. But I'm, I don't know that there's any clinical evidence to that. So. Okay, I'd say dig a little deeper on that one.

Roxy: 00:55:14

Might be a question for the partner.

Deannah: 00:55:16

Yes.

Roxy: 00:55:17

Right.

Deannah: 00:55:17

There you go. If they're spending time, do your own little trial.

Roxy: 00:55:21

Right, There you go. Make it a little spicy on first Friday night. Yeah, that works. Okay. All vaginal health products are created equal.

Deannah: 00:55:33

No, that definitely is not the case. And it's been very interesting to be a disruptor in this space because prior to us it was really the legacy brands that have been around forever.

And I know that being a woman owned, woman run company who's innovating in this space because it's what I'm called to do, I'm coming at it from a different mindset. Whereas we're only one of two certified woman owned companies in the entire aisle at a grocery store or Target or Walmart.

Roxy: 00:56:16

Is that right? Just your company. And what's the other company?

Deannah: 00:56:19

The other company is a vaginal suppository company that makes a probiotic vaginal suppository. So now there's a lot of woman founded brands that have now been acquired or have taken on funding and don't have that certified woman owned anymore.

But there's. Some of them are still doing great things.

But those legacy brands that have been around forever aren't using ingredients that are necessarily the best thing for your vaginas, like the scents and, and all of those that your, your health care providers tell you to avoid. So no, they are not created equal. They're created cheaply.

The ingredients are cheap and they're not created with really for a mind on what's best for, for women's health. So a lot of differences.

Roxy: 00:57:07

Okay. Discharge is always a bad sign.

Deannah: 00:57:11

No, we discharge normal, healthy discharge. Most women have it every single day. And it's a sign that, you know, we're, we're working, it's working like it should.

Roxy: 00:57:23

So what is normal, healthy discharge that.

Deannah: 00:57:26

Is different for every single person? There are some women who have a lot of discharge and sometimes it's when they're, they're at different phases in their cycle.

Maybe sometimes when they're ovulating they might have more. Just depends woman to woman. But some women don't have as much. You know, sometimes you might notice it in your panties that it's been there.

But if I would say really get to know your own body and what is normal for you.

And then when things feel off, when the color changes, when the scent changes, if there's itching or burning, that's when you really need to pay attention. But focus on what's normal so that then when things are abnormal, you can know when it's not. Right?

Roxy: 00:58:18

Sure. Okay. And last one, you shouldn't have to whisper about vaginal health anymore.

Deannah: 00:58:23

Amen. Right? Yes.

Roxy: 00:58:27

We need to make vagina not a bad word, right?

Deannah: 00:58:31

So we were so proud like two or three weeks ago. Time flies when you're having fun. We had a billboard in Times Square that had the word vagina on it. And we were so proud and so excited.

It was kicking off our campaign of raise your vagina iq. So we are just going to make it every day an everyday word for people, you know, that it's okay.

Say the word vagina so that hopefully the sensors and everybody else will allow us to really then have conversations focused around women's. Health and normalizing them so that we can, you know, help improve the lives of all of us women out there.

Roxy: 00:59:14

That's the goal, right? That is the goal with what we're both doing.

Deannah: 00:59:17

Absolutely.

Roxy: 00:59:18

We need to improve the lives of women everywhere. And I definitely think you are doing that. Thank you. Thank you so much, Dee.

Deannah: 00:59:26

Thank you so much for having me.

Roxy: 00:59:27

Absolutely.

Deannah: 00:59:28

It's been a great, great chat. I loved getting to meet, getting to know you.

Roxy: 00:59:31

Oh, me too. I feel the same. I feel the same.

And ladies out there who might be listening, always check with your doctor if you feel like something's off in your body, please don't hesitate to do that.

But I do hope you enjoyed this conversation and now you know a little more about your body and don't feel like you can't question things and be your own health advocate. So I think that that's so important.

Deannah: 00:59:57

Great message, right?

Roxy: 00:59:58

Yes, absolutely. Well, thank you so much.

Deannah: 01:00:00

Thank you so much.

Roxy: 01:00:01

Thank you for joining us on the iconic Midlife.

Deannah: 01:00:04

Thank you.

Roxy: 01:00:05

Midlife isn't the time to go quiet. It's the time to get loud about the things that matter. And vaginal health. Yeah, it matters. Matters.

Huge thanks to DC Moore for not only building a brand that serves women, but for helping us take back the narrative 1 ph balanced, shame free conversation at a time. If you loved this episode, share it with a friend who needs to hear it. And remember, your body isn't a mystery. It's a masterpiece. Own it.

Follow the show, leave a review and stay tuned because we're just getting started. This is midlife, but make it iconic.