More Than Half of U.S. Women Have Avoided Talking About an Intimate Wellness Concern Because They Felt Embarrassed or Uncomfortable, New Summer's Eve® Survey Finds
While 63% say women are more comfortable discussing intimate wellness than five years ago, new research reveals a gap between cultural progress and personal comfort
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Women may be talking more openly about intimate health and wellness, but that does not necessarily mean the discomfort has disappeared. New research from Summer's Eve® finds that while nearly two-thirds of U.S. women (63%) believe women today are more comfortable openly discussing intimate health and wellness than they were five years ago, more than half (52%) have personally avoided talking to someone about an intimate health and wellness concern because they felt embarrassed or uncomfortable.
The findings are part of Summer's Eve's "Let's Talk About It" initiative, which uses humor and candid conversation to help make intimate wellness easier to talk about — because even as the culture becomes more open, many women are still navigating embarrassment, euphemisms and uncertainty around how to have these conversations.
The survey of 2,000 U.S. women, conducted by OnePoll, found that only 18% believe vaginal/vulvar intimate health and wellness is discussed openly and comfortably in society today. Nearly one-third (32%) say the conversation is becoming more open, but stigma or awkwardness remains.
And when women do talk about female anatomy, many are still speaking in code. Fifty-seven percent say they always, often, or sometimes use a euphemism, nickname, or coded language instead of anatomical terms such as "vagina" or "vulva." Among women who use this type of language, the leading reasons include that it feels less embarrassing (32%), more socially acceptable (28%) or helps avoid making others uncomfortable (27%).
"Women are clearly telling us that we've made progress, but there's still a disconnect between believing these conversations should be normal and actually feeling comfortable having them," said Krista Kiisk, VP of Marketing at Prestige Consumer Healthcare. "Summer's Eve has always been part of women's intimate wellness routines, and 'Let's Talk About It' is about helping create more space for honest, straightforward conversations — without embarrassment or shame."
Humor Can Help Open the Conversation
The research also suggests humor may be one way to lower the barrier. More than half of women surveyed (56%) say humor makes conversations about intimate health and wellness more comfortable, compared with just 11% who say it makes them more uncomfortable.
But women also made clear that humor alone is not enough. When asked which approaches they find most engaging when brands talk about women's intimate health and wellness, 42% selected women sharing their own experiences, followed by expert or doctor-backed information (30%), educational information (29%), and straightforward, plainspoken language (28%). Twenty-one percent selected humor.
That insight helped shape "Let's Talk About It": use humor to start a conversation, then make room for the candid, useful information women say they want.
Even Gen Z Is Still Navigating the Awkwardness
The discomfort is not limited to older generations. In fact, the survey found that 61% of Gen Z respondents have avoided talking to someone about an intimate health and wellness concern because they felt embarrassed or uncomfortable, compared with 46% of Boomers.
Gen Z respondents were also more likely to say they always use euphemisms, nicknames, or coded language instead of anatomical terms — 24%, compared with 11% of Boomers. At the same time, 60% of Gen Z respondents say humor makes intimate health and wellness conversations more comfortable.
The findings suggest that even for a generation often associated with greater openness around health, sexuality, and identity, talking about intimate wellness can still feel surprisingly difficult.
From an Awkward Conversation to an Unexpected One
Summer's Eve is bringing that philosophy to life in an unexpected place: BeaverCON, a conference dedicated to beaver conservation, restoration, and education.
What began with an unmistakable double entendre became an opportunity for two quite different communities to lean into an unexpected conversation. Summer's Eve joined BeaverCON with a sense of humor — and respect for the conference and the important work of its conservation community — as part of the brand's broader effort to make conversations people might otherwise avoid a little easier to start.
"When Summer's Eve first approached us, we certainly did not expect the Beaver Institute and a women's intimate wellness brand to have much in common. But the more we talked, the more we saw an opportunity to have a little fun while introducing two vastly different audiences to conversations they might not otherwise be having," said Ariel Rogers, the Executive Director of the Beaver Institute, the nonprofit that puts on BeaverCON. "BeaverCON is fundamentally about bringing people together, widening perspectives and building greater understanding of beavers, wetlands, and the significant role they play in a healthy ecosystem. If an unexpected partnership helps more people discover that work, we are happy to welcome them to the conversation."
What Women Want to Talk About
When asked which intimate health and wellness topics women should be able to discuss more openly without embarrassment, respondents identified a wide range of subjects:
- Sexual health and wellness — 53%
- Menopause and perimenopause — 51%
- Menstruation and periods — 48%
- Intimate hygiene and care — 47%
- Vaginal odor — 46%
- Bladder leakage — 45%
- Vaginal/vulvar irritation and discomfort — 43%
- Vaginal dryness — 43%
Summer's Eve is sharing additional findings from the research on the brand's website, along with content designed to continue the conversation around women's intimate wellness.
About the Research
The research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Summer's Eve among 2,000 U.S. women from September 10–17, 2026.
About Summer's Eve®
Summer's Eve® has focused on cleansing products just for women since 1972. As the trusted leader in intimate care, the brand is known for developing personal care products that are gynecologist and dermatologist-tested for safety and help women feel fresh every day. As the needs of women around the world change, Summer's Eve® is dedicated to evolving and offering a wide range of products that fit within a woman's life. Learn more at www.summerseve.com.
About Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc.
Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. (NYSE: PBH) is a leading consumer healthcare company growing trusted, category-defining brands. Headquartered in New York, the Company markets, sells, manufactures, and distributes its products across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and select other international markets. Its diverse portfolio of iconic brands includes Breathe Right®, Monistat®, Summer's Eve®, BC®, Goody's®, Dramamine®, Fleet®, Hydralyte®, Gaviscon®, DenTek®, TheraTears®, Clear Eyes®, Compound W®, Dermal Therapy®, Chloraseptic®, Luden's®, Little Remedies®, Boudreaux's Butt Paste®, Nix®, and Debrox®, among others. Learn more at www.prestigeconsumerhealthcare.com.
SOURCE Summer's Eve
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