My girlfriend has a problem with her vagina but is scared to go to the doctor. Any advice?

I love this question. When it comes to talking about private issues, I even get nervous about sharing them with a doctor. But here are a few comments that I hope provide some reassurance.

First, remember why doctors are here. We exist BECAUSE of patients. We trained a LONG TIME to be able to examine your body and answer your questions professionally and without judgement.

Second, what you tell us is in the exam room is not shared with others (unless it suggests danger to yourself or someone else) — there are protection laws for that.

Third, there are SO MANY of us! I suggest doing some research into the doctors at your office (checking out the website is a great start) and see if there are any that seem like a good fit. Lots of times there will even be bios that show what a doctor is interested in (things like adolescent medicine, birth control, LGBTQ+ health, etc) which might help you in your selection process. It’s also absolutely fine if you prefer a doctor of the same sex or gender. And if you don’t find someone who appears to be a good fit, check out other clinics that are covered by your insurance.

Lastly, even if you have a family doctor or pediatrician that you’ve been seeing for a long time, it’s okay if your needs and comfort change as you grow. What I’m saying is that there’s no shame in deciding that a doctor you usually see is no longer the right doctor for you.

There will be the right doctor out there for you that you can trust and feel comfortable with. It might just take a little research up front. And don’t worry about offending us if you want to see someone else. We would prefer you feel comfortable and SEE a doctor versus feel uncomfortable and AVOID doctors.