Ever bought a cute pair of panties, only to find a bit of discolouration in the crotch area after only a few wears? Thrown away more underwear than you can count because they were ruined?
Here, exactly why your vagina is causing those weird stains – and whether it’s something you should be worried about, or not…
Vagina Stains 101
You heard (er, read?) right – your vagina could totally be bleaching your underwear. That’s because the discharge the vagina produces is acidic, which leads to those orange or white stains on your panties.
READ MORE: 3 Insane Reasons Women Feel Embarrassed By Their Vaginas
Dr Kim Sonntag, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, explains: “The vagina naturally has an acidic environment, with a low pH. Lactobacilli, good bacteria found in the vagina, help to keep the pH at the right level so that one is not prone to infections.” So, yes, your vagina is bleaching your underwear – but for a very good reason.
Should You Be Worried?
So, the big question: is this something you should worry about? Not at all, says Sonntag. “If the discharge is not offensive in smell and not an abnormal colour (yellow, green, brown), then this is part of your vagina cleansing itself,” she explains.
READ MORE: Your Itchy Vagina Might Be Caused By One Of These Hidden Culprits
Unless your discharge has an abnormal smell or colour, your vagina is doing her thing by self-cleaning and keeping you healthy.
And Your Undies?
What about you saving those cute undies? Well, the best you can do is wear pantyliners to prevent discolouration. Or try wearing lighter coloured underwear so the stains are less noticeable.
READ MORE: 6 Things You Might Not Understand About Vaginas
Discharge – and the discoloured panties that come with it – are nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s totally normal and happens to way more women than you think. As frustrating (and expensive) it might be to regularly replace bleached underwear, try to look at those stains as little badges of honour for having a healthy vagina that’s doing what it needs to do.
