After you start your period, you’ll keep having discharge during your cycle. Usually, it will be thick and sticky right after your period, clear and watery in the middle of your cycle, and then thick and sticky again right before your next period.
Discharge starts as we enter puberty and continues throughout our life. It only begins to reduce as a woman enters menopause: discharge is how the vagina stays clean and healthy which helps to maintain your fertility.
Nature’s Ways to Keep You Healthy
You don't need to “do” anything about it other than learn from it, as discharge can be a good indicator of where you are in your menstrual cycle and of your vaginal health. It’s nature’s way to help to keep the vagina clean: due to the discharge, the vagina is self-cleaning and actually, fresher than your mouth! Discharge also helps to keep the vagina lubricated: lubrication is required to prevent the tissues of the vagina walls from drying out, as well as to serve as a barrier against harmful bacteria.
Discharge can tell you a lot about your vaginal health, as sudden unusual changes – such as bad odor, unusual texture, unusual color, or irritation – can all be indicators that there is something wrong, so you’d need to see a doctor. As discharge changes with hormonal changes, it is a means of monitoring your menstrual cycles and fertility. For example, it can be lighter just after menstruation and heavier just before menstruation, which can help you determine when you’re fertile or due to menstruate.
And finally, discharge helps you to get pregnant. Hormonal changes provoke the body to produce fertile cervical mucus. As you approach ovulation, this mucus changes in order to flow into the vagina and help to protect sperm from the acidic pH of the vagina. Discharge provides a medium through which sperm can swim up to go on to reach the egg.
Dealing With It
While most women experience vaginal discharge at some point, some of us have it more often — and in larger amounts — than others. Is there a way to manage vaginal discharge when it’s heaviest? Yes! A pantiliner is the answer to any woman’s prayer if she's struggling with discharge. We understand that many women think it’s a good idea to wear pantiliners often – just to be on the "safe" side. But should you wear pantiliners every day? It depends.
Experts say some pantiliners can irritate the sensitive skin of the vulva — the external part of a woman's genitalia. This is especially true if the panty liners are scented. If they sit there all day, every day, such pantiliners can create a moist environment down there and hold irritants (like perfumes) on the delicate skin. This is the perfect storm for getting a nasty rash on your private parts, bringing redness and itchiness.
Moderation is Key
This information might be a bit daunting, but you don’t need to worry: these feminine products are usually only potentially harmful when used excessively or for extended periods of time. To use pantiliners safely, remember to change them whenever they start to feel moist. We know that “moist” might mean different things to different people, but a good rule of thumb is that pantiliner definitely shouldn't be worn for longer than a day. We recommend switching them at nighttime if you plan on sleeping in one.
For Maximum Safety
Normal discharge is clear, smooth, or creamy and has a very slight smell that can be described as sweet or soapy. Sometimes if it gets in your underwear and gets exposed to air it may turn a little crusty, but this is normal too. The only thing you should look out for is discharge that is itchy, irritating, discolored, or smelly because this might be a sign of infection and a reason to see your doctor.
If you are concerned about the health of your lady parts but don’t want to have to forgo your trusty and beloved pantiliners, we have the optimal solution for you: innovative Genial Day organic liners with an anion strip. Organic pantiliners are safer versions of the standard supermarket pantiliners. In fact, many women report that wearing Genial Day pantiliners made their periods less painful and more harmonious.