"A popular, new trend in the United States is vaginal steaming and it is being offered through spas and holistic health centers from southern California to New York..."

"While it is technically not new as it has been used in ancient medicine for centuries, it is a re-emerging trend to those in the United States and is also known as 'chai-yok' in Korea and 'bajos' in Central and South America. For those not familiar with what vaginal steaming is, think of it like a medicinal, herbal, steam facial for the vagina...."

After you have determined the best herbs to use for your personal health needs and are ready for the vaginal steam, you can boil as little or as much filtered water as you like...

So, basically, whatever the hell you want...

... After the herbs have steeped for about 10 minutes, pour half of the contents in a bowl and proceed to squat over it or sit on a vagi-stool (a stool with an opening in it). To maximize the steam, have a large towel or blanket that wraps around your waist, making a tent around the bowl and allowing the steam to go up into the vaginal opening. To increase the absorption and effects of the herbs, you can do a self-massage on your abdomen using your hands or a vibrator.

Hmm. That's the self-treatment. But it's "a re-emerging trend" in spas and holistic centers? If the massage part is included, shouldn't this run afoul of the same laws that get you arrested even if you limit your prostitution practice to hand jobs? Or is everything just viewed in a candy-colored light when it's for women only? I would regard that article as possibly just a hoax, but I arrived there via the UK Telegraph where the columnist nattered about whether the steam might burn and why would it be any better at cleaning than taking a shower.

So, still skeptical, I Googled "vagi-stool." Man, that is an ugly word. It doesn't convey the notion of cleanliness at all. The first hit went to Glamour magazine, where you can see a picture of the damned thing, which resembles a children's potty. It costs $120 and, according to the manufacturer, it "can be used for vaginal steams or as a birthing stool," and (seriously!), "Every wombmyn needs one! Lovely heirloom to pass down to the wombmyn of your family." (Uh, thanks, grandma, but could I just have the gold jewelry or the silverware?)

There now, you've learned (perhaps) 2 new words this morning: vagi-stool and wombmyn.  I wonder if for "vagi-stool," they considered "steaming stool" and rejected it because it called to mind the legendary steaming pile of shit... which was just a tad too accurate.