Is My Discharge Normal?

Is My Discharge Normal?

BY: VAGINAL HEALTH

UPDATED: 19/03/2024

General Vaginal Health . Puberty

The onset of vaginal discharge usually starts around puberty for most of us. From then on it's typical to experience discharge nearly every single day.

It's not gross and there's nothing you need to do to try and stop it. It's simply just the vagina's way of cleaning itself, having a bit of an internal wash and spitting out the junk basically.

Some prefer to wear a panty liner or more frequently change their underwear to stay fresh, but a little bit of gunk in the knick knocks is nothing to feel ashamed about!

Becoming more familiar with our vaginal discharge can also help us to figure out when something might not be quite right downstairs. Below are several examples of changes in discharge and what these may indicate:

Normal Discharge

There are several different shades and consistencies of discharge that are nothing to worry about:

Clear, milky, thick or slightly watery discharge are typically normal.

You may notice changes between these during different times of the month or upon sexual arousal.

Healthy discharge doesn't usually have much of a smell, but can be sticky or gather in thick lumps in your underwear.

Thrush

One of the most common causes for abnormal discharge is a Thrush infection.

This can typically cause, yellowish lumpy discharge that kinda resembles cottage cheese. It also has a bit more of a noticeably unpleasant smell.

This change in discharge is usually accompanied by an itchy and inflamed vulva.

Thrush can be really easily cured with antifungal medication which can be found in pharmacies or even in most supermarkets. If this is your first time experiencing Thrush however, maybe best first to discuss with a healthcare professional before starting new medications.

To read more about Thrush, check out this blog page.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

Another super common cause for abnormal discharge is Bacterial Vaginosis.

BV is a bacterial infection caused when there PH levels in the vagina become unbalanced. This can happen for a number of reasons: new sexual partner, using harsh or scented products on the vulva & changes in hormone levels.

BV discharge can either be slightly green or grey, it is very watery in consistency and has a rather strong fishy smell.

Many will silently suffer with BV, thinking that the unpleasant smell is due to a lack of cleanliness. But this is not the case!

If you've got funky smelling discharge, it can be a little unpleasant but it's so easily sorted out with creams or a short course of antibiotics. Just means your PH is a little unbalanced is all! So best to book yourself in for an appointment with your GP or local sexual health centre and they can help you sort it out in no time.

To read more about BV, check out this blog page.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

We can also notice changes to our discharge if we have picked up a sexually transmitted infection.

Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Trichomoniasis can all cause changes to vaginal discharge consistency, colour and smell.

If you have had unprotected sex with a new partner, or believe you may have been exposed to an STI and start to notice changes to your discharge, it's best to get yourself booked in at a sexual health clinic asap.

Normal Discharge - During Your Period

Changes in discharge can also occur around our period or time of ovulation.

Its normal to experience slightly pink or brown discharge in the days coming on or off your period.

Also many of us sometimes have a couple of days of pink discharge around when we ovulate.

If you think you might be pregnant however, then pink discharge is one to watch out for as it might indicate implantation bleeding - this sometimes happens around 10-14 days after conception when the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterus.

If you are concerned or unsure about your discharge, or experience any heavy, abnormal bleeding during pregnancy, it is strongly advised to get in contact with a healthcare professional as soon as possible.