A Physician’s Perspective on Vaginal Wellness
Share
Dr. Evelin’s trauma-informed, integrative approach to vulvovaginal care is a profound example of what inclusive and empowering medicine can look like. Her expertise, compassion, and real-world application of our plant-based formulas underscore our shared mission: to provide gentle, effective and clinically aligned support for vulvovaginal care.
We’re honored to partner with a practitioner who embodies the values we care so deeply about: education, empowerment, and healing.
Join us for a Q&A with Dr Evelin and Founder Lindsay Wynn.
1. Can you share a little about your background, specialty, and approach to vulvovaginal care?
I’m a family medicine physician with a specialty in integrative sexual health and the founder of Wild Woman Wellness. Here, I support women and people with vulvas through transitions like perimenopause, menopause, and sexual healing. My approach blends Western medicine with holistic, trauma-informed care, emphasizing empowerment, education, and body literacy.
I’m also the creator of the STARS Talk (MakeTimeForTheTalk.com), a globally recognized communication framework for conscious dating and sexual health conversations. I served as the Executive Director of Sex Positive Portland, where I helped guide people toward more empowered, connected, and informed relationships with their bodies and each other.
What makes my approach unique is how I center consent, emotional safety, and intuitive body wisdom in all aspects of care. I don’t just treat symptoms—I help people reclaim their voice, their pleasure, and their relationship to their vulvas as sacred and vital parts of their health and identity.
2. What drew you to your particular field of medicine/practice? Why are you passionate about it?
I’ve been drawn to women’s health since medical school, and for the first ten years of my career, I practiced obstetrics, supporting people through pregnancy and birth. Over time, I became increasingly focused on the long-term health and healing of women, especially those with medically induced trauma—folks who felt harmed, dismissed, or retraumatized by the medical system.
I was drawn to vulvovaginal care in particular because I saw how often concerns in this area were minimized, misdiagnosed, or met with shame. I’ve heard too many stories from patients who felt unheard or gaslit, especially when their symptoms didn’t appear on a lab test. My passion lies in creating a safe, affirming space for people to talk openly about their bodies, helping them reconnect to their intuition, and offering treatments that support the body’s natural healing capacity.
Read: Shedding sexual shame after really bad sex ed.
As a recognized educator and speaker, I also train other healthcare professionals on how to take a compassionate, inclusive sexual history, talk about sex without shame, and improve STI prevention and communication strategies—because real change begins with better conversations.
3. What drew you to Momotaro Apotheca, and what stood out about our formulations?
What stood out immediately was your commitment to transparency, plant-based integrity, and the fact that your formulations were designed with real patient concerns in mind. I appreciate that your products are pH-balanced, non-toxic, and formulated with ingredients that are both traditionally used and supported by modern research. You’re filling a gap that conventional medicine often overlooks.
But honestly, what really stood out is how well it works. I first heard about the Salve from a patient who’s also a herpes educator, but it wasn’t until my friend Eleanor O’Brien handed me a sample that I actually tried it myself. I was immediately impressed by how good it felt—so soothing, clean, and effective. From that moment on, I started carrying the Salve in my office and recommending it to my patients. It’s rare to find a product that aligns with both my clinical standards and my personal experience, and this one absolutely does.
Learn More About Our Best Selling Salve
4. How does Momotaro Apotheca align with your philosophy of care and approach to vaginal wellness?
Your products align perfectly with my belief that less is often more when it comes to vulvovaginal care. I’m a strong advocate for gentle, non-disruptive ingredients that support the vaginal microbiome rather than challenge it. Momotaro Apotheca’s formulations respect the body’s intelligence and honor the innate balance of this ecosystem, which is in line with my whole-person, integrative approach.
Why Plant Based Products Really Work
5. How can we overall improve patient care for vulva and vaginal health in general?
We need to normalize conversations about vulvovaginal health and educate both providers and patients. This includes incorporating vulvar anatomy and care into routine health education, encouraging providers to slow down and listen without judgment, and integrating options beyond pharmaceuticals—like plant-based products, pelvic floor therapy, and lifestyle interventions—into the standard of care.
6. Are there specific ingredients in our products that you find particularly effective or beneficial?
Yes—ingredients like goldenseal, echinacea, calendula, and tea tree oil all have antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory properties that can support healing without disrupting the microbiome. I also appreciate the use of jojoba oil and coconut oil as nourishing carriers that protect and soothe sensitive skin.
Learn More About All Our Ingredients
7. Have you recommended Momotaro Apotheca products to your patients? If so, what has been their feedback?
I recommend it all the time, often giving out samples during my pelvic exams—right alongside a packet of UberLube and a Lindt chocolate truffle! It’s my way of bringing care, comfort, and a little pleasure into what can often be a stressful experience. My patients love it. They appreciate having something gentle, natural, and thoughtfully formulated that actually works.
8. Can you share any anonymized patient success stories or testimonials that highlight the impact of these products?
One of my stories isn’t even about a person with a vulva! I had a male patient suffering from severe hemorrhoids. He had tried everything—suppositories, Preparation H, hydrocortisone creams, specialized wipes—with little to no relief. His wife gave him a sample of another brand of vulvar salve, which helped a little, and that gave me the idea to offer him a sample of the Momotaro Salve. The very next morning, he called me asking for more—it had given him immediate relief.
Another story that really stands out is from a woman I was treating for Lichen sclerosus. We had started her on clobetasol and Vaseline, but after a month of consistent use, she wasn’t experiencing any relief. I performed a vulvar biopsy and gave her a sample of the Momotaro Salve to use on the biopsied area. When the biopsy came back, it revealed vulvar cancer. I advised her to stop the clobetasol immediately but continue using the Salve for comfort while awaiting definitive treatment. She told me it was the only thing that brought her relief during that incredibly stressful waiting period.
9. What common concerns or conditions do you believe Momotaro Apotheca products are best suited for?
While acute vaginitis and Lichen sclerosus are obvious uses, I’ve expanded how I integrate the Salve into patient care. I now use it to help manage herpes outbreak pain and genitourinary syndrome of menopause, where soothing and restoring the integrity of the tissue is key.
I’ve also recommended mixing estradiol cream into the Salve for patients needing external vulvar support—especially those at risk of developing vulvar synechiae. It’s an elegant, nourishing base that supports skin healing. I’ve used it for patients with vulvar vestibulitis and have even started mixing clobetasol into the Salve to lower the required steroid dose while maintaining excellent symptom relief.
Read: A whole new sexy chapter - sex after menopause
10. How do you see natural and plant-based remedies fitting into conventional and holistic approaches to vaginal health?
I see plant-based remedies as essential tools in a truly integrative approach to vaginal health. They offer a gentle, effective alternative—or complement—to pharmaceuticals, especially for chronic or recurrent conditions.
Natural products like Momotaro’s Salve fill the gap between “watchful waiting” and prescription medications, giving patients relief and a sense of agency. I often pair the Salve with treatments like estradiol or clobetasol to improve outcomes and reduce dependence on high-dose steroids.
These types of products also invite patients to engage more intimately and compassionately with their own bodies, which is transformative—especially for those with trauma or shame around their vulvas.
11. Do you believe there’s a gap in traditional medicine when it comes to vaginal and vulvar health, and how do you envision bridging that gap?
Yes, without a doubt. Vulvar conditions are under-taught, under-researched, and often misdiagnosed. Many providers still feel uncomfortable even saying the word “vulva.”
Bridging this gap starts with education. I teach providers how to have shame-free conversations about genital health and encourage patients to learn about their own anatomy through self-vulvar exams and education. By integrating trauma-informed care, plant-based remedies, and patient empowerment, we can shift the standard of care to something much more inclusive and effective.
12. Do you personally use any of the products? If so, which ones and why?
I use the Salve, mixed with estradiol cream, almost every night. As an almost-60-year-old sexually active woman, I prioritize the health of my body. I’ve used the suppositories for potential yeast infections, and I also love the probiotics.
Shop: The Momotaro Apotheca Infection Defense
13. What would you say to other medical professionals who are considering recommending Momotaro Apotheca to their patients?
I would say this: your patients are looking for clean, effective, respectful care options. Momotaro Apotheca offers products that are thoughtfully formulated, research-informed, and deeply aligned with vulvovaginal wellness. Recommending them is an act of trust and empowerment—for both you and your patients.
14. In one or two sentences, how would you summarize why you trust and recommend Momotaro Apotheca?
I trust and recommend Momotaro Apotheca because their products are thoughtfully formulated, plant-based, and incredibly effective—offering gentle, science-informed support for vulvovaginal health. They fill a critical gap in care with integrity, compassion, and respect for the body’s natural healing wisdom.
15. Is there anything else you’d like to share about vulvovaginal health in general?
Yes—vulvovaginal health is an essential part of whole-person wellness, not a niche concern or an afterthought. We need to normalize these conversations, prioritize patient comfort and autonomy, and offer care that is inclusive, trauma-informed, and rooted in both science and self-compassion. Every person with a vulva deserves to feel seen, heard, and empowered in their care.
Further Reading:
6 reasons you have a dry vagina
Radical Self Love After Motherhood
What causes vaginal infections?