A new viral TikTok trend has caught the attention of doctors for its potentially harmful effect on reproductive health. This new trend is called "vabbing," in which women use their vaginal discharge as a perfume to attract the attention of men.
London-based gynecologist Dr. Paraskevi Dimitriadi told MailOnline that this new trend could lead to problems and even infertility. The bacteria from women's fingers could cause pelvic inflammatory disease that leads to scarring in the fallopian tubes, which is more difficult for fertilized eggs to reach the uterus.
What Is Vabbing?
According to MailOnline, vabbing is a combination of "vagina" and "dabbing" and was first used on TikTok in June this year. TikTok user Mandy Lee is one of the first to introduce it to younger audiences, although her video is no longer available on social media.
Dr. Dimitriadi said the act is unsafe because dirty fingers inside the vagina to collect vaginal discharge can potentially traumatize vaginal tissue and spread an infection that could lead to a serious pelvic inflammatory disease. Moreover, dirty fingers can cause bacterial vaginosis also known as thrush, which can be malodorous and will not help in attracting the opposite sex.
Sex expert and author Shan Boodram coined the term vabbing in 2019 and claimed that even she has been using the method to attract men for more than a decade. She claims to feel like an enchanted goddess with a delicious secret every time she does vabbing.
Lee said that vabbing is putting a dab of vaginal discharge behind the ears, wrist, and a little on the neck. But Dr. Dimitriadi said this could not replicate a person's smell and personalized chemicals.
Plus-size OnlyFans creator Jewliah even created a "Vabbing 101" that has now been viewed over 2.2 million times. She tells people to wash their hands before and after vabbing and to not do it during their period. She also noted that those with sexually transmitted diseases or an unusual smell should not do it.
Experts Warn Against Viral TikTok Trend 'Vabbing' That Could Cause Infection and Even Infertility
No Evidence Humans Have Pheromones
According to Insider, there have been studies pinpointing pheromones in mammals and that humans are likely to emit these chemical signals too. However, there is no research yet that has found evidence of pheromones in humans.
Scientists said this might be due to limited research because pheromones have no particular medical use. On the other hand, pheromones found in animals, like lobsters, mice, and insects, are not purely sex-related. For instance, rabbit pheromones allow babies to find the nipple of their mother.
Finding pheromones and their use in mammals is difficult because they release varied smells compared to other animals. For example, humans smell differently before and after puberty which could signal the existence of sex-related pheromone. But still, there is no research to confirm this and that makes human pheromones still a mystery.
Confidence-Boosting Placebo Effect of Vabbing
The potential for humans to detect pheromones is still unclear and somewhat unlikely, Euronews reported. However, if it is indeed real, experts said that it is unlikely in vaginal discharge, given that it is also capable of producing odors that are not particularly enticing.
More so, evolutionary biologist Tristram Wyatt who studies animal scents and pheromones, told Insider that vabbing could have a placebo effect that makes some people feel confident. The novel act could get stuck in their head and convince themselves of its benefits despite the lack of evidence.
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