Vaginal discharge: what its colour, texture, and smell can tell you

There’s nothing fishy about wanting to know more about vaginal discharge. In fact, it could save your life.

Women and people with vaginas have body-confidence-shattering obstacles thrown at us by society time and time again. But, when it comes to our sex organs, we’re often at the mercy of derogatory cleanliness myths and STI shame.

Navigating through myths associated with the body as a young adult (and a fully grown adult, for that matter) can be difficult. That’s because we attach a lot of focus and shame to the vagina and vulva, especially when it comes to the way it smells. 

You may have heard the pretty grim rhyme: “if it smells like chicken get licking, if it smells like trout get the fuck out.” And, if you haven’t, I’m sorry to have brought it into your life. But, it’s playground-ish rhetoric like this that finds its way into lad-culture discourse that can make it feel shame-inducing to own a vagina and vulva sometimes. So much so, that according to a study by Vagisil in 2019, over two-thirds of women are self-conscious about their smell. This affects things like pleasure, with over 50 percent of women avoiding oral sex and a staggering 58 percent of women avoiding intimacy altogether. 

Discharge is part of the (and I cannot stress this enough) totally natural way the vagina self-cleans. Sometimes gooey, sometimes a bit smelly, one hundred percent normal. Often found in underwear, or in folds of the inner and outer labia, discharge can come in a range of textures, smells and colours, depending on what’s going on with your body, your diet, and your menstrual cycle. And, it can tell you a lot about your health and fertility.

Where does discharge come from and why is it important?

Dr. Deborah Lee, of Dr. Fox Online Pharmacy, tells me that having some discharge is completely normal (told you). “During the reproductive years, the female genital tract produces secretions quite naturally, as a way of lubricating the genital area and cleansing it,” she says.

Discharge is part of the (and I cannot stress this enough) totally natural way the vagina self-cleans.

She goes on to explain that when ovulation begins, young women start to notice their vaginal secretions. During the menstrual cycle, the ovary produces oestrogen, which leads to a natural increase in vaginal discharge. “The fluid is a transudate – tissue fluid that is found naturally throughout the body – which exudes from the mucous membranes in the pelvic floor and genital region,” she tells Mashable. 

As the fluid seeps downwards, it picks up desquamated (read: scaly) epithelial cells from the endometrium (womb lining), the cervix, and the vagina, along with white blood cells and a range of bacteria, “Especially lactobacilli,” she tells me. “Lactobacilli produce lactic acid, meaning the pH of the vagina is naturally acidic. The fact it is acidic makes the environment hostile and stops other bacteria from growing.”

What’s a normal amount of discharge?

It may not surprise you to find out that a normal amount is different from person to person, and there are things like the progesterone-only contraceptive pill that can affect how much your body secretes, as well as pregnancy.

Lee explains to Mashable that when oestrogen levels peak around day 14 of the monthly cycle and then fall if no pregnancy occurs, this means vaginal discharge often becomes more copious, in the second week of the cycle, in the run-up to ovulation. The cervix also produces mucus which becomes thin and stretchy mid-cycle – like raw egg white – to facilitate the passage of sperm towards the egg. After ovulation, in the second half of the cycle, this mucus becomes thicker and more yellowy.

How to tell if your discharge has become abnormal

Every now and then our discharge can change. When this happens it can be indicative of something that’s out of balance in the body, an STI, or a bacterial infection — none of which are worthy of shame. 

While we shouldn’t be ashamed if we contract an STI or bacterial infection, we absolutely should go and seek treatment. Discharge can be considered abnormal if, there is more of it than usual, it has changed in colour and consistency, it smells (perhaps of rotten fish), there are associated symptoms such as itching, irritation, or soreness or if it is blood-stained

What’s the difference between non-STI and STI-related abnormalities?

Lee explains that non-STI abnormalities may be caused by candidiasis (thrush or a yeast infection) or bacterial vaginosis (BV). And, while many people might automatically associate anything wrong with their genitals as thrush, it’s most likely to be BV. 

This is because of the acidic environment of the vagina. It’s perfectly balanced to protect the microbiome from being colonised by other bacteria. “If you constantly wash and use hygiene products, these raise the vaginal pH, making it more alkaline, and the natural protection from the lactobacilli disappears, meaning other bacteria can now grow,” she explains. “You can see that by washing and washing with the wrong products, you are washing away the healthy lactobacilli, and simply making BV worse.”

Lee advises that the only way to treat BV is with a course of antibiotics, but that you’ll also need to change your hygiene practices so that you don’t end up with recurring BV. “There is no need to use any soapy products in, or anywhere near, the vagina or vulva. You can simply shower the outside of the vulva and leave the inside alone.”

She also explains that abnormal discharge can be indicative of other things upsetting the body, such as allergic vulvovaginitis (a sensitivity to hygiene products which includes soap, douches, vaginal deodorants, shampoo, bubble baths, and shower gels); a foreign body in the vagina such as a forgotten tampon, or sex toy; Or, a gynaecological diseases. And, while the latter is rare in young women of reproductive age it’s worth knowing that cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers can all cause an abnormal discharge. 

STI discharge is a little different, as it may be caused by chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, or trichomoniasis. Though it is easier to catch an STI if you have sex with multiple partners, engage in risky sex or if you don’t use barrier protection, such as condoms and dental dams. Anyone can catch an STI and so regular gynaecology health checks, especially if you’ve encountered a new sexual partner, are essential. 

What else can you do about it?

If you’re unsure about anything, then it’s best to pop to the GP. If you’re worried about copious amounts of discharge, and you’re taking hormonal contraception, Lee suggests changing to a less oestrogenic pill, such as a 20 mcg pill, or a progesterone-only method of contraception, as this generally thickens the secretions.

She also stresses the importance of avoiding soaps and washes that alter your natural PH balance. “Keep your vagina safe, and save yourself a lot of money by not buying feminine hygiene products,” she says.

Vaginas and vulvas are supposed to smell like vaginas and vulvas. Not sugar and spice.