You just bought that pair of underwear, wore them once, and threw them in the wash. Why are they already stained with lighter patches?
This is the curse of anyone who likes black undies.
No matter how much you wash them or how few times you wear them, you might spot areas in the crotch that look like they’ve been hit with bleach.
That’s not down to a dodgy washing machine or over-wear – your vagina can actually ‘bleach’ your underwear.
But don’t worry, it’s perfectly natural.
Why are there ‘bleached’ patches in your underwear?
The vagina’s discharge – which is a normal, healthy thing, by the way – is naturally acidic, which can leave white or yellow stains on your underwear’s crotch region.
Your vaginal discharge’s pH level is on the naturally acidic side, varying between 3.5 and 7. A healthy vagina will produce more acidic discharge, but the pH can fluctuate due to all sorts of factors, including your sex life, hormones, and the menstrual cycle.
When you wear lighter coloured pants, you might not notice these stains. But when you wear white underwear you might spot lingering yellowish, off-white marks, while black underwear will look like it’s been bleached in little patches.
This is nothing to worry about.
Dr Alex Eskander, consultant gynaecologist at The Gynae Centre, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘The vagina contains ‘good’ bacteria, like lactobacilli, which keeps the vagina healthy by maintaining the optimum acidity level, in turn preventing bad bacteria from causing infection.
‘This discharge increases during ovulation and pregnancy due to an increase in cervical mucus.
‘When exposed to the air, the discharge can stain underwear a mild yellow colour due to oxidation.
‘Having bleached patches on your underwear is quite normal and generally nothing to worry about.’
How to prevent ‘bleach’ stains in your underwear
As we said, bleached thongs aren’t an issue you need to panic about, but if you’re fed up of your fancy black pants getting wrecked by your vagina, there are steps you can take to preserve their colour.
First off, you could prevent the stains entirely by wearing pantyliners throughout the day. These will create a barrier between your vulva and your underwear, preventing that slightly acidic discharge from hitting the underwear fabric directly.
You can also make sure to rinse underwear immediately after wearing them, rather than letting them sit in your laundry basket until the next big wash. This will stop the bleaching agent from sitting on the fabric and taking effect.
Stains from discharge can also be broken down by cleaning products with enzymes, including a lot of those spray-on stain removers. Spray the affected area, leave to soak for a couple of hours, then wash.
And of course, if you really want to get your black underwear back to its former glory, you could also home-dye it. Simple.
Is your discharge normal?
Whenever we chat about anything related to discharge, this worry comes up: am I normal?
So let’s cover it.
Yes, having discharge is normal and healthy. Usually you’ll produce up to 4ml of discharge a day.
Discharge is part of the vagina’s magical and natural self-cleaning process. It’s a type of mucus produced by the cervix.
Dr Virginia Beckett, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, tells metro.co.uk: ‘It’s normal and healthy for a woman to produce a clear or white discharge from her vagina.
‘The amount of vaginal discharge varies throughout a women’s menstrual cycle, and most pregnant women will get a pregnancy discharge.
‘Healthy discharge doesn’t have a strong smell or colour, but women may feel an uncomfortable wetness.’
Your discharge won’t be entirely odourless or smell of roses, so don’t panic if you have a slight scent.
A strong smell or a change in smell can be a sign of irritation and infection, so if you notice that it’s worth heading to your doctor or gynaecologist.
In terms of colour, clear, white, or cream discharge is normal. If it’s yellow, brown (when you’re not on your period), or green, this could also be a sign of infection.
Consistency-wise, everyone’s different, so it’s vital to know what’s normal for you and check for any changes. If discharge becomes thick and lumpy, like cottage cheese (sorry for that visual), talk to a medical professional as this could be another sign of infection.
The vagina is pretty good at telling you when something’s wrong, and it’ll often do that through changes in your discharge.
Dr Eskander says: ‘If you notice any changes to the colour and smell of your vaginal discharge this could indicate bacterial vaginosis, a common bacterial infection.
‘If a change in colour and smell is accompanied by itching or irritation, this could indicate a candida infection.
‘Gonorrhea or chlamydia may also lead to excessive yellow mucus discharge. If you experience any changes that aren’t normal for you, you should visit your doctor or gynaecologist.’
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