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The Goop Lab episode that managed to win over an actual gynaecologist
Stuff.co.nz Jan 29 2020
Critics might have deemed it "irresponsible" before it was even released, but Gwyneth Paltrow's new Netflix show The Goop Lab has found an unlikely fan — a Kiwi gynaecologist.
The six-episode series, which showcases Paltrow's controversial lifestyle brand, guides viewers through an array of wellness topics, including psychedelics, cold therapy, energy healing and psychic mediums. While many were skeptical about the show and what it would promote, the third episode — centred around female pleasure — has won praise from both viewers and health professionals.
"I thought I was going to hate it," said Dr Olivia Smart, a consultant gynaecologist in Christchurch.
"I was initially very skeptical about what the content might be around. In the past, she's talked about vaginal steaming and jade eggs and all that sort of nonsense which, from a medical standpoint, we've frowned upon. But I was pleasantly surprised by the content."
The episode features 90-year-old sex educator Betty Dodson and her business partner Carlin Ross, who begin by schooling Paltrow on the difference between a vagina and a vulva.
"The vagina is the birth canal only," Dodson explains.
"You want to talk about the vulva, which is the clitoris and the inner lips and all that good s... around it."
A series of photos of real women's vulvas are later shown as part of a "genital show-and-tell" session.
Smart said in her own practice, she often used resources like the "Labia Library" to dispel common myths about female anatomy, and praised Paltrow's show for employing a similar tactic.
"We're seeing a rise in women seeking cosmetic revision of their labia, wanting to change the shape or size of what is essentially normal genital anatomy," she said. "Often all they need is reassurance. I thought it was really good to show the wide variation in labial appearances."
Another groundbreaking moment sees Dodson explain her "rock and roll" orgasm technique, with Ross giving a demonstration — and achieving an on-camera climax.
"Some people may feel shocked or affronted by seeing female orgasm on television," Smart said. "But it challenges the status quo and it brings down the walls and the stigma that's associated with it."
Goop, which Paltrow founded in 2008, has frequently come under fire for its dubious health claims. In 2018, the company had to pay US$145,000 (NZ$218,000) after claiming products such as jade and rose quartz eggs, designed to be inserted into the vagina, had medical benefits.
Smart has also spoken out against Goop previously, saying a "vagina" scented candle the company was selling sent the wrong message to women.
While she remained wary of Goop, she said the female pleasure episode contained something for any woman who is interested in her own sexual pleasure — and for that reason, it could be "very useful".
"With all the information bombarding us from the media, you're led to believe that if you drink fresh celery juice and don't eat for 23 hours a day, you're going to fart magical unicorn dust," she said. "We have to appraise all the information that's given to us at an individual level and where you want to evaluate outcomes there should be a scientific approach to that.
"But I think this fell outside a scientific scope and it was more of a holistic approach to sexual wellness."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/119125042/the-goop-lab-episode-that-managed-to-win-over-an-actual-gynaecologist
Gwyneth Paltrow's 'vagina-scented' candles send dangerous message, says doctor
stuff.co.nz January 15 2020
Gwyneth Paltrow's "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle is sending the wrong message to women, according to a Christchurch gynaecologist.
Dr Olivia Smart of Oxford Women's Health said she was uncomfortable about the way the candle, which is currently sold out with a waitlist on Paltrow's lifestyle website Goop, was being marketed.
According to the product description, the candle has "a funny, gorgeous, sexy, and beautifully unexpected scent" derived from "geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed."
But that's not how any real vagina smells, said Smart, and Goop's description could cause distress or even damage to women.
"The ingredients for Gwynnie's candle don't smell like any vagina I have seen," she said.
"I think it's sending the wrong message to women about what their vaginas might smell like, or should smell like, which is always an area that women can be self-conscious about and you don't want to do anything that could exacerbate or enhance that."
She was concerned that "likening vaginal smell to fragranced candles could encourage the use of scented cleansers or, even worse, vaginal douching."
Chemical products could be very irritating to the genital area and could cause problems like bacterial vaginosis, while douching could interrupt the healthy bacteria in the vagina.
Vaginas, Smart said, are "self-cleaning" and have a natural odour which could vary according to factors like what part of her menstrual cycle a woman was in or whether or not she had recently had sex.
"Even general well-being and stress levels can affect the balance of the naturally occurring bacteria called the vaginal microbiome."
In general, Smart said the scent of your vagina "shouldn't be something that you worry about", although a particularly foul odour could be a sign of infection and should be checked out by a doctor.
While Smart appreciated that the name of the Goop candle was a marketing strategy, it was part of a bigger mechanism that traded in "women's vulnerabilities and self-consciousness".
"That's the premise of the vast majority of marketing to women, be it your hair's not long enough, you're not slim enough, you've got too many wrinkles... (This is) just an extension of that."
She said women were generally becoming much more comfortable talking to each other or their doctor about concerns related to their genitalia and encouraged anyone who was concerned to seek out good information that could answer their questions "in a sensible and medically justified way".
And listen to doctors, not celebrities, Smart said.
"A healthy vagina can smell like a lot of different things - but bergamot is not one of them."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/118782690/gwyneth-paltrows-vaginascented-candles-send-dangerous-message-says-doctor
3-D tech helps surgeons get full picture
The Press/stuff.co.nz January 29 2018
Surgeons at a private Christchurch health clinic say new 3-D imaging has revolutionised their work and will speed up patient recovery time. Gynaecologists at Forte Health Hospital are the first to use the equipment, the first of its kind in the South Island, in procedures to treat endometriosis and hysterectomies. Previously specialists could see two-dimensional images of surgical sites using a camera attached to a laparoscope, an instrument used to view organs through a small incision in the abdomen.
To navigate the surgical site, they relied on the 2-D images, their knowledge of anatomy, and the ability to sense where their instruments were without being able to see everything. The new three-dimensional equipment allows them to view the surgical site in full.
"What you have got now is a 3-D image where you can see that depth and you can progress more quickly and accurately," Oxford Women's Health gynaecologist Mike East said.
The equipment had made the procedures easier, faster and enabled surgeons to be more precise, he said.
"Very often the endometriosis is very close to vital structures or the rectum and also the reproductive area so you have to be mindful of protecting them, so you have to move very carefully and this has made it a little bit easier."
In many cases patients could have shorter recovery time as a result of the equipment. Beyond this, it was difficult to assess improvements for patients, East said.
"We believe we did a good job with the previous equipment . . . it's hard to measure because complication rates are low anyway."
East said he felt much more confident using the new technology, especially in difficult procedures for more advanced endometriosis.
Despite a price tag of $250,000, the equipment would become standard throughout operating theatres in New Zealand in future, he said.
The Canterbury District Health Board did not respond to queries about plans to purchase the equipment for use by public hospital surgeons in time for publication.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/100912470/3-D-tech-helps-surgeons-get-the-full-picture-in-Christchurch
Christchurch specialist, a leading light in women's health
25 June 2015
A Christchurch gynaecologist is taking a leading role in improving the lives of women with incontinence and prolapse across Australasia.
John Short, a gynaecologist at Oxford Women's Health, Christchurch, has recently been elected to the prestigious Executive Board of the UroGynaecological Society of Australasia (UGSA). He is the only New Zealand representative on the committee, joining five specialists from Australia.
It is the first time a Christchurch specialist has served on the Board and Short says it's an honour to be involved in helping to set standards for health care and advance the science of urogynaecology.
Urogynaecology is a branch of gynaecology, focusing on incontinence, prolapse and associated problems. UGSA members include gynaecologists and specialists in fields such as urology and physiotherapy.
Short says about 25 per cent of New Zealand women suffer from incontinence (loss of bladder control) and vaginal prolapse (bulging). The costs to the New Zealand economy have been estimated at $8 billion per year in direct health care, lost productivity, carer support and other costs.
While they are not fatal conditions, they can make life miserable, Short says. "Unfortunately many women do not seek treatment. There has been a tendency to accept these problems as a normal consequence of childbirth and ageing and many women persevere with their symptoms thinking there is no help available."
At Oxford Women's Health, Short provides a range of non-surgical and surgical treatments for his patients.* He says it's important all women experiencing incontinence or prolapse are thoroughly assessed and treatments are tailored to their needs.
"Whilst obviously not the most glamorous area of medicine, this work is hugely satisfying," Short says. "These problems can severely affect all aspects of life, from work to recreational activities to interactions with friends and family. The sense of satisfaction from fixing someone's problems and helping them get back to enjoying life is enormous."
Short is also a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Christchurch Women's Hospital. He is a RANZCOG training supervisor and an advisor to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
*O&G Magazine recently published an article by John Short, summarising the non-surgical management of prolapse. The link is https://www.ranzcog.edu.au/editions/cat_view/38-publications/409-o-g-magazine/410-o-g-magazine-issues/719-vol-16-no-1-autumn-2014.html
