This clear, white stuff is “a very normal part of puberty. It signals the uterus that it needs to get ready for changes that are about to occur. It’s sort of a warning signal that your first period will probably start within the year.
About six months before you get your first period, hormones spur your vagina and cervix to start producing mucus, or discharge. You’ll start seeing clear, white, or yellowish fluid in your underwear, which can really freak you out if you’re not expecting it! But vaginal discharge serves a super important purpose. Your vagina is like a self-cleaning oven! Discharge enables it to stay moist, fight off infections, and create a friendly environment for future sperm sailors (but you don’t have to worry about that yet).
Once you begin having menstrual cycles, you may notice that your vaginal discharge looks different throughout the month.
This is completely normal, and a handy way to check in with your body! Right after your period, you may not have very much discharge at all. As your estrogen levels rise, it will become white and creamy-looking. Before and during ovulation, your discharge is clear, slippery, and stretchy, almost resembling egg whites.
This cervical mucus provides a first-class passage for sperm to reach the egg. After your fertile window is finished, the discharge becomes thick and white again until your next period. What’s going on in your underwear is a great window into what’s going on in your cycle.
And that’s not all your vagina can tell you! When you’re feeling turned on, your vagina secretes yet another kind of fluid or gets wet. This is triggered by extra blood flow to the vagina when you become aroused (or turned on). What your vagina is doing doesn’t always match up with what your brain is feeling, but your climate down there can sometimes give you clues into what you’re into (or not).
Get comfortable with what’s going on with your vaginal discharge!
Your vagina (and its many fluids) is part of your body, and you should feel empowered to explore it. This can also help you notice any changes that could indicate an infection. Your vagina should smell like a vagina, not a flower, but a discharge that smells strongly or looks different than usual could indicate that something is up down there, like a yeast infection or BV. If that’s the case, check-in with a medical provider to get your personal ecosystem back on the right track!
Your vagina can also be a little itchy sometimes, thanks to new hair growth, discharge buildup, or even a yeast infection. Yeast is usually present in the vagina but can multiply due to hormonal or Ph-balance changes in the vagina, and that can get itchy. If you have a yeast infection, you might notice a fishy odor and clumpy white discharge. When you notice any unusual smell or irritation, see your doc.
To prevent infections, we suggest washing thoroughly with mild, perfume-free bath soap and wearing clean cotton underwear. Stay away from nylon panties, which can cause odor and trap sweat, leading to itching or infection.
Once you begin having menstrual cycles, you may notice that your vaginal discharge looks different throughout the month.
This is completely normal, and a handy way to check in with your body! Right after your period, you may not have very much discharge at all. As your estrogen levels rise, it will become white and creamy-looking. Before and during ovulation, your discharge is clear, slippery, and stretchy, almost resembling egg whites.
This cervical mucus provides a first-class passage for sperm to reach the egg. After your fertile window is finished, the discharge becomes thick and white again until your next period. What’s going on in your underwear is a great window into what’s going on in your cycle.
And that’s not all your vagina can tell you! When you’re feeling turned on, your vagina secretes yet another kind of fluid or gets wet. This is triggered by extra blood flow to the vagina when you become aroused (or turned on). What your vagina is doing doesn’t always match up with what your brain is feeling, but your climate down there can sometimes give you clues into what you’re into (or not).
Get comfortable with what’s going on with your vaginal discharge!
Your vagina (and its many fluids) is part of your body, and you should feel empowered to explore it. This can also help you notice any changes that could indicate an infection. Your vagina should smell like a vagina, not a flower, but a discharge that smells strongly or looks different than usual could indicate that something is up down there, like a yeast infection or BV. If that’s the case, check-in with a medical provider to get your personal ecosystem back on the right track!
To prevent infections, we suggest washing thoroughly with mild, perfume-free bath soap and wearing clean cotton underwear. Stay away from nylon panties, which can cause odor and trap sweat, leading to itching or infection.