No lady wants to take off her panties and see a big, sticky, icky blotch. Especially on date nights... with high chances for things to get hot and steamy.
In this article you'll learn:
- the different kinds of vaginal discharge,
- how to know if your discharge is completely normal, and
- what to do about it when it's not.
Discharge is normal
To start... vaginal discharge is completely normal.
It's the vagina's way of taking out the trash... of removing dead cells and bad bacteria... of “cleaning house” and making sure that what's in there is great.
Discharge is how the queen keeps herself clean.
So how does discharge happen?
You may know already that the vagina has an army of good bacteria that work hard to keep it clean.
Your good bacteria are your own personal army.
They fight the bad infection-causing bacteria.
Think of it like this: when you clean your house, you probably mop the floor, right?
And after that, you don't keep the dirty water around, do you?
No, you throw the dirty water away. Good.
Releasing discharge is the vagina's way of "throwing its mop water away."
The discharge flows from the uterus to the cervix... and then it comes out through the vagina, cleaning out the bad bacteria and dead vaginal cells.
That's exactly how the vagina works. Once it's completely clean and it feels alright, it throws the mop water away.
That's why everybody gets a little bit of discharge every now and then... and some people get it every single day.
So, I hope you understand that vaginal discharge is completely normal.
But… *SOME* kinds of vaginal discharge can be a sign of an infection…
It’s the vagina’s way of letting you know that something is probably wrong with her… and she needs your attention.
How do you know what's right or wrong…
by looking at your discharge?
Your discharge can give you a great idea when something is about to go wrong with your vaginal health.
It’s so accurate that you don't need to confirm with lab tests (more on this later).
Here are four things you should know about your vaginal discharge:
- The color
- Smell (and what it smells and feels like)
- The volume and
- The consistency of your discharge
#1. The Color of your discharge:
So the first thing about vaginal discharge that can tell that something’s wrong is the color.
Normal vaginal discharge is sticky (like egg white most times). It can look creamy or white. It can also look completely transparent (completely depends on the woman).
It normally gets thicker in the middle of your cycle... but the color ranges anywhere from light grey to colorless to creamy white.
Any other color is USUALLY a sign of something going wrong in there. (For example plain white usually indicates a yeast infection.)
What can go wrong?
Keep reading to find out!
Red-colored discharge:
If you notice a red-colored discharge, it's usually a sign that your period is about to come. A bit of blood mixed with your discharge, and that’s completely fine.
But if you get a red tint discharge in the middle of your cycle (when your period is nowhere close)...
Or if you see blood in your discharge... that is not good.
It's likely that you have an injury in there (for example, a tear in your lining) through which blood flows out. See a doctor ASAP.
Brownish discharge:
Right before or after your period... you may get a brownish discharge.
This is also normal.
It's because some blood (from your recent flow) is present in your vagina. And because a healthy vagina is normally acidic... it digests the blood and turns it brown.
This should only happen before and/or after your period.
If it happens in the middle of your cycle... it's important to go check it out. It can be a symptom of a vaginal tract or pelvic infection.
Now onto the scarier part of vaginal discharges...
Remember this:
Whenever you notice something you don't expect to see in your underwear, do not keep quiet about it.
Let’s continue:
Bluish, greenish and yellowish discharge:
This usually happens when there's an overgrowth of bad vaginal bacteria.
It's usually accompanied by some level of inflammation or irritation. And you should go to the doctor as soon as possible.
Greenish and yellowish discharges are (usually) a sign of an STI... and the sooner you get treatment the better.
The most common STIs that give green and/or yellow discharge are chlamydia and gonorrhea.
And even if you have been celibate and have no reason to suspect an STI in there, still go and get yourself checked out.
Some infections can stay in the body without manifesting any symptoms. They can decide to show up whenever they decide.
#2. What your discharge smells (or looks) like:
So here we’ll talk about the texture and smell of the discharge.
Curdy discharge:
If your discharge starts smelling like food or looks curdy, your alarm bells should start to ring.
This curdy-white discharge is a sign of a fungal infection (also known as a yeast infection).
Fungal or curdy-white discharge usually comes with itching. You'll want nothing better than to sit and scratch away down there.
So if a discharge (curdy) comes with an itch... then go see a doctor. It's probably a fungal infection.
Fishy (or foul-smelling) discharge:
This is very common. It’s when the vagina smells like rotten fish or ammonia. The smell is usually pungent and can be very offensive.
A fishy smell means that your pH is knocked off-kilter and you need to visit a doctor to find out why that is.
The usual culprit is an infection known as bacterial vaginosis (BV).
It means that the healthy, good bacteria... that are supposed to live happily ever after in your vagina... are dead.
And the bad bacteria are having a great time.
The two most common solutions for BV are antibiotic and boric acid suppositories. Boric acid is far superior because it has a 94.8% success rate. And you see results in 24 hours.
FlowerPower’s boric acid suppositories have 1,600+ five stars reviews. Top OBs in the United States recommend it to their clients as the best solution for BV and vaginal odor. Get your FlowerPower Boric Acid Saver Bundle here.
#3. Volume (how much discharge is normal for you?):
This is as simple as it sounds. Some ladies see a decent amount of discharge each time. And some see very little or nothing.
Let’s look at what your discharge volume can tell you about your vaginal health.
Copious or abundant discharge:
It's normal to get abundant vaginal discharge during intercourse (especially when you're aroused). This is also known as wetness and it is very normal.
Ladies that are in the habit of drinking lots of water will usually get more abundant discharges.
But if you notice that your discharge suddenly got heavier than usual, you should visit a doctor to find out why. This is important whether it's accompanied by any other symptom or not.
Vaginal dryness:
On the flip side... very little or no vaginal discharge (also known as dryness) is a sign too. It means (for any reason) your vaginal cells are not producing enough moisture.
This usually happens to menopausal or post-menopausal women because of hormonal changes.
Sex becomes painful and you find it difficult to lubricate like you used to. But vaginal dryness is easily managed with a good vaginal moisture supplement.
If you want to reduce your vaginal dryness… or even get a wetter, juicier vagina... our vaginal moisture supplement She Juicy💦 is for you. Give it a try!
#4. Consistency of the vaginal discharge:
Your vaginal discharge should be consistent. It should be so much… or so thick or with a consistent color each time it comes.
For example, if you’re used to seeing a good amount of discharge... and suddenly you start noticing your discharge trickle down to little or nothing… it may be time to see a doctor.
The same thing applies to its color too.
If it's usually creamy white and changes to transparent or grayish, that's a sign right there.
There you have it!
So when your vaginal discharge tries to pass a message to you, don’t ignore it!
Do you have any questions?
Email us at hello@getflowerpower.com
Or you can click here to take a look at FlowerPower’s best-selling vaginal health products