Doctors are warning people not to put this glitter capsule up their vaginas

In what may come as a total shock to some of you, doctors are warning people not to put glitter dust up their vaginas.

Why are they having to state the obvious?

Well, because an online retailer claims to have sold out of capsules apparently designed to be placed in your vagina so that you and your partner can get your bits glittery when having sex.

Pretty Woman Inc’s Passion Dust Intimacy Capsule is a gelatine tablet that dissolves inside the vagina, supposedly releasing a ton of glitter and "creating a sparkly, flavored orgasm".

It’s being marketed as “The pretty little pill that makes you ‘magically delicious.’”

Medical professionals aren't so sure.

That said, the site has stopped selling the products after apparently selling hundreds of items in just a few days. And this is despite offering this kind of safety advice:

"Any gynaecologist would tell you that NOTHING s hould go in your vagina! and nothing concerning the vaginal region comes without some possible risk.

"We are women here so we know that women who hate the idea of our product will say:

* 'OMG, you shouldn't put glitter in there'

* 'This is so awful!'

* 'Ewww gross!'

* 'Yeast infection!'"

Funnily enough, gynaecologists - with their many years of medical training and expertise – are saying just that.

“Don’t glitter bomb your vagina,” writes Dr Jen Gunter, a Canadian gynaecologist, external who’s written a blog post outlining the potential dangers of using the capsules.

“Depositing sugar in the vagina lets the bad bacteria go wild. Is it possible the goo might damage the good vaginal bacteria leading to infections as well as in increased risk of STIs? You bet.”

“What impact will this have on vaginal pH? Unknown. Could the vehicle be an irritant and cause a vaginal contact dermatitis? Yes and ouch. Think vaginal sunburn!”

But Pretty Woman Inc's Q&A claims that “PASSION DUST is safe”.

In fact, the company has issued a statement, external that soberly engages with the criticisms being levelled against the capsules.

“Well duh! Basically, use at your own risk--as you should with anything. We know that 'glitter' is not something commonly used in the vagina but that does not mean that it can't be used in the vagina for the purpose that we have intended Passion Dust to be used for."

The company goes on to say, “Nothing we could ever say is going to stop haters from hating.”

But Dr Gunter is far from the only medical professional 'hater'.

“The vagina contains a delicate balance of good bacteria, which are there to protect it,” says Dr Vanessa Mackay, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

"If women place foreign objects inside their vagina, they risk disturbing this balance which may lead to infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush, and inflammation.”

Social media isn’t best impressed either.

So all this raises the question, how on Earth have vagina glitter capsules made it to the market, let alone sold out?

Well it seems that this is the latest fad in a long line of concerning and unnecessary vagina treatments that are being marketed at women, with other offenders including womb detox pearls, external, vaginal steaming, external and even wasp nests, external(???!!!).

“For years, women have been force fed society’s rigid beauty standards - and our vaginas are no exception,” writes Huffpost’s Natasha Hinde, external.

“Women are led to believe their vaginas should look and smell a certain way, influenced in part by pornography and a lack of understanding among men and women when it comes to the female anatomy.

“As a result, a number of products or treatments have appeared over the years, promising to make us smell like rose petals or 'tight and wanted again'.”

Here, Passion Dust’s own marketing proves to be rather insightful: “The flavor is sweet like candy but not overly sweet, just enough to make your lover feel that your Yara (water-lady or little butterfly) is what all vaginas are supposed to look, feel and taste like; soft, sweet and magical.”

This might strike some as not exactly body-positive...

Well, Dr Gunter has some choice words. “Vaginal injury and granulomas aside, the point of the vaginal glitter appears to be 'for him', you know because a vagina au naturel just isn’t enough.

“I hate, hate, hate the messaging behind this (and all other vaginal 'enhancement' products). Why do we have to shame women inside and out?”

Ultimately, this Twitter user has probably got the right idea.