‘Discharge scooping’ explained after doctor warned against doing it

First, there was 'period scooping,' and now 'discharge scooping' is the latest bizarre idea to make its way onto social media.

Yes, this is real - after some women on TikTok admitted to 'scooping out' their period blood each month in an effort to move the process along faster, others have come forward to admit they do the same with discharge.

This has prompted alarmed doctors to come forward and firmly warn against the trend, as it can bring with it a variety of health issues.

Discharge is a mucus that leaves the vaginal canal, and is designed to keep it clean, moist, and free from infection.

Changes to your discharge can even let you know there’s a problem, like a pH balance issue, a sexually transmitted infection, or simply transitions in your reproductive cycle.

For example, many people find that they will have larger amounts of discharge that has an egg white appearance around the time of ovulation.

Attempting to remove it using your hands can introduce new bacteria and cause infections, and forcefully digging down there can also understandably do more harm than good.

'Discharge scooping' is apparently a thing (Getty Stock Images)

It’s completely natural to have, but for some, as we say, they’ve found that they have more than they’re comfortable with... and so they’ve admitted to finding a solution in the form of the ‘scoop’.

It comes right off the back of a TikToker claiming that their OB-GYN offered to ‘scoop’ their period out during a routine check, causing mass confusion, and admissions of people doing it themselves.

However, when a Reddit user posed the question of ‘scooping’ discharge too, it turned out that several women used the same method to ‘clear themselves out’, so to speak.

“When there’s a lot of discharge, do y’all ever like ‘scoop it out’?” the person asked in the subreddit forum, r/HealthyHooha, which was created for people to ask questions about their vaginas.

However, it notes that the 'sub does not take the place of IRL medical advice, but aims to provide a safe space for questions and commiserations'.

The person added that they just can’t get by each day without scooping, which they admitted to doing using a finger.

They wrote: “Idk if anybody else does this or feels a need to, but ever since I was a teenager, normal amounts of daily discharge for me are enough to warrant daily panty liners if I do not do this. So I’ve made a habit during my daily shower to kinda swish a clean finger around inside (no soap) and sort of scoop out the majority of the contents.”

An expert has warned against 'scooping' (Getty Stock Images)

They explained that this has ‘never’ caused any ‘issues with smells, irritations or infections as a result of doing this’, but they simply want to know if it’s common, or if this was something only they figured out how to do when noticing ‘too much’ discharge.

As it turns out, this person is not alone, as one commenter replied: “I do the same.”

However, a second user said they too scoop, but only when they have a yeast infection - which is when there is a buildup of bacteria in the vaginal canal, leading to a thick discharge and itchy groin.

Another person claimed it sounded like something to talk to a health professional about, sharing that excessive discharge could be an issue.

Lastly, someone else admitted to doing it when their ‘period seems ready to be over’ but there are still speckles of blood.

While this may seem like it could be a natural way to dispose of discharge, Dr Shannon Clark, an OB-GYN and professor at the University of Texas, shared her thoughts on the controversial method.

In a video response to the period scooping event, which also applies to scooping discharge, she said: “No OB-GYN, or any provider for that matter, should be offering to scoop anything out of anyone at the end of a routine procedure.”

Dr Clark added: “There are things we can do to help someone who’s having irregular or heavy menstrual cycles. But people can’t just sign up for an appointment to just ‘scoop it out’ so they don’t have to have a menstrual cycle.”

Both methods could actually cause pain and infection.

“You need antibiotics to prevent sepsis and infection,” the expert explained. “But if you give too many antibiotics too routinely, you have the potential to cause bacterial resistance.”

So, maybe keep fingers out of the area?