Cleanliness Question

[jessalae.livejournal.com]

I've heard over and over that it's a bad idea to get soap anywhere near your vagina because it will mess up the pH and lead to infections. Is this true? If so, what exactly is it in the soap that causes problems?

I ask because I've tried to follow this advice, but sometimes (especially around my period) cleaning with lots of water and a washcloth doesn't quite seem good enough. I know that the vagina is self-cleaning, so obviously putting anything inside there is a bad idea, but would it be okay to use some soap when cleaning in the general area? I use The Body Shop's Strawberry Shower Gel (link with ingredients) on the rest of my body; would that be all right to use? Thanks!