Discharge is normal and healthy. It often starts before your first period, and some people notice a little every day.
What does it do?
Discharge is fluid made by glands in your vagina and cervix, which is the opening at the bottom of your womb. It keeps your vagina moist and carries away old cells. This helps protect you from infection.
Healthy discharge is clear to milky white. It can be thin and watery or thicker, and it usually has little or no smell. The amount is different for everyone.
How it changes through your cycle
Your hormones change your discharge across the month. Just after your period you may have very little. As oestrogen rises towards ovulation, you may notice more of it, and it often becomes clear and stretchy like raw egg white. After ovulation, progesterone makes it thicker and stickier. If you take hormonal contraception, you may notice fewer changes.
Your vagina cleans itself, so there's no need to wash inside it. Scented washes and sprays can upset the balance of good bacteria and make infections more likely. Water on the outside is enough, with a mild unscented soap if you want one.
Signs of an infection
A change from what's normal for you is the main thing to look out for.
| What you notice | What it might be | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Thick, white discharge like cottage cheese, with itching or soreness | Thrush, a yeast infection. Very common and not an STI | Pharmacy treatment, or a doctor if it's your first time or it keeps coming back |
| Thin grey or off-white discharge with a strong fishy smell, often after sex or around your period | Bacterial vaginosis (BV), when the balance of bacteria changes | See a doctor, as it needs antibiotics |
| Yellow, green or grey discharge, or a change in smell | A sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as chlamydia or trichomoniasis | See a doctor or sexual health clinic for a test |
Many STIs cause no symptoms at all. If you're having sex, regular testing is the only way to know. Clinics for young people are confidential.
A very strong, bad smell can also mean a tampon has been forgotten. If you think this has happened and you can't remove it, see a doctor the same day.
When to see a doctor
Get checked if you have:
• a change in the colour or smell of your discharge
• itching or soreness that doesn't go away
• pain when you pee or during sex
• bleeding between periods or after sex
• tummy pain with a high temperature