Many essential oils have infection-fighting properties and are helpful for treating vaginal infections. They can easily be added to baths, sitz baths, and vaginal rinses to help ease uncomfortable symptoms such as itching, inflammation, and discharge. In general, use approximately ten drops of essential oil in a sitz bath and five drops to one quart of warm water for a vaginal rinse or douche. Lavender has soothing and healing properties and relieves itching and inflammation. Although gentle, it is a potent antimicrobial. It has a sweet, floral, herbaceous fragrance.
Tea tree has powerful antiseptic properties and kills a wide variety of infectious microorganisms. Always dilute tea tree oil before using it on tender mucous membranes such as the vagina. Tea tree oil has a pungent medicinal scent reminiscent of eucalyptus.
