Internal picture of the vagina

What exactly IS a vagina? It's a surprisingly commong question, and one a good old vagina diagram can sure help out. You might think you've got it all down pat down there, but we use a lot of code words to talk about it, and we use the technical word itself in the wrong way — after all, it's not entirely accurate to call the extended network between your legs just the "vagina. Since knowledge is power, it's super important to know the anatomy of your vagina. To get to the heart of the matter, we chatted with Melanie Davis, PhD, a certified sexuality educator and sexuality education consultant, who gave us a virtual tour of the vagina and beyond. First of all, Davis recommends using a mirror and a light and taking a good look between your legs.

When was the last time you looked at your vagina? Like, really looked at it? Real talk, looking at yourself while squatting over a mirror can feel weird. This is true in the sense that you have complete control over who or what you allow down there. For some people, the only info they get about what vulvas look like is from porn, which can give a very disillusioned sense of what's normal.

Clue is on a mission to help you understand your body, periods, ovulation, and so much more. Start tracking today. In a non-aroused state, the walls of the vagina are collapsed against each other.

Performing a vaginal self-exam at home can help you familiarize yourself with your own body, as all vaginas are different. It can also help you identify changes and abnormalities. A gynecologist can check you for symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases STDs and perform a Pap smear test to screen for cervical cancer.