Featured Image Credit: Cheekypants.com
Topics: Women's Health, Health, Science
Mia Williams
A gynaecologist has explained why some women might find bleach stains in their underwear, as some suggest there could even be holes over time.
There are many aspects of women's health that are enormously overlooked, which can lead to many girls believing that something they are experiencing is abnormal - when it's actually completely healthy!
Vaginal discharge is one of those rarely-acknowledged, never-discussed topics that is generally very normal.
Some women may even experience their underwear becoming bleached from time-to-time, and while it feels like something that shouldn't be happening, a gynaecologist has reassured people.
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Dr Jen Gunter even took to TikTok, showing her own discharge during a clip, which could actually be a first for the platform.
She noted that it is important for women to know what discharge 'actually looks like', but also to emphasise that it's really not a big deal at all.
Discharge is produced by the body to keep the vagina and vulva moisturised, and to maintain a balanced environment.
And while some women might think it's something that looks or feels wrong, it's actually a sign that your body is doing its job.
But why does it have the ability to bleach underwear?
The gynaecologist spoke to Dr. Phil Knutson, a textiles chemist, to find out why.
It seems that only cotton underwear is easily bleached, in comparison to those made out of synthetic materials.
Knutson said: "Synthetic fibres like polyesters, polyamides, and rayon are dyed very differently than cotton."
Dyes for cotton underwear are applied in a bath, leading to a 'chemical bond between the cotton and dye'.
But when the fabric meets acid, it can undo that chemical reaction.
And it turns out that discharge is acidic, with a normal pH of around 3.8-4.5.
Healthy discharge also contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which could be a contributing factor.
While bleaching can be annoying, especially when underwear can be quite expensive, women should never try and stop their discharge.
It's a healthy way of the body carrying out germs, bacteria, and debris that enter the vagina.
However, women can use cloth panty liners when their discharge is heavy - usually during ovulation.
It's also important to monitor what is normal for each individual person, and it then becomes easier to note any differences in colour, consistency, amount, or odour.
If these changes persist, this is when it could be time to see your GP.