So Apparently “Vaginamaxxing” Is A Thing Now & Experts Are Not Here For It

Look, by the time you’re in midlife and you’ve had kids and you’re more confident in who you are than when you were young, chances are you don’t give a hoot what your vulva looks like. But you’ll remember what it felt like to be young and feel shame when any part of your body didn’t match up to what you saw on TV, in magazines, and online. Well, just like looksmaxxing, vaginamaxxing is apparently a thing now. If the term is new to you, here’s everything we know about where it originated, what it entails, and what women’s health experts have to say about (nothing good).

What is “vaginamaxxing?”

In short, it’s a social media trend that encourages people with vaginas to optimize the tightness, the smell, and the appearance of their vulvas. It’s all about making their genitals generally more appealing. The question is, for who?

The trend stems from longevity influencer Bryan Johnson, best known for sharing his extreme efforts at biohacking online. In an incredibly TMI post to X, Johnson declared he had just performed oral sex on his partner, Kate, and was turning in for the night. He followed this up by explaining that she has a one-percenter vagina with “a 100/100 vaginal microbiome report,” and that she is essentially immune to pesky vaginal infections. In the replies, other X users began tossing around the term: “If you aren’t vaginamaxxing in 2026 as a woman, what are you even doing?!”

Since then, the term has come to encompass a host of habits and products meant to alter the vagina for the better, from tightening gels and lightening creams to multi-step hygiene routines and diet and supplement recommendations. Some folks even pursue more intense procedures like getting laser treatments on the skin of their vulvas and labiaplasty, a plastic surgery to change the shape or size of the labia minora or majora.

What do experts think about vaginamaxxing?

In a detailed video addressing vaginamaxxing, OB-GYN Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith explains that vaginal microbiome screenings like the one Johnson shared are not really trusted medical products, but ones sold by wellness companies; they can be costly and provide unreliable results. She also provides evidence-based data about vaginal microbiome health and makes clear that you want a healthy mix of bacterial strains, unlike Johnson’s belief that having only one kind is in some way superior.

According to the American Sexual Health Association, it’s important to see a medical provider if you have a vaginal infection so it can be properly diagnosed and treated; they discourage trying to self-treat with supplements or over-the-counter products alone. They also make clear that douching or washing with anything other than gentle soap and water can cause irritation and disrupt the vagina’s microbiome even more.

Medical experts also warn that tightening and bleaching creams contain irritating chemicals. “Unfortunately, almost all of these products are actually harmful. Anything that causes dryness or irritation can increase the risk of tears, and increase the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, HIV, or syphilis,” says Natalie Paul, family nurse practitioner and founder of Lavender Spectrum Health in Washington.

Bleach-based products are also known to cause chemical burns, she says. But perhaps the biggest concern (at least, the one that might be most widespread) is that the conversation around vaginamaxxing might teach a new generation to feel shame about their genitals.

“Any product designed to ‘improve’ your vagina is preying on your insecurities,” Paul adds.

“Vulvas, like the women they belong to, come in all shapes and sizes — unique, varied and beautiful,” said Laura Dowling, author of Love Your Vulva, told The Times. “And yet here we are, in an era where the surgical reshaping of women’s intimate body parts is one of the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures in the world.”

If you have questions about your sexual health, it’s best to talk to a licensed medical professional rather than source wellness tips or products online, Paul says. Here’s hoping this social media trend comes and goes as quickly as all the rest.