Man ‘shocked’ after learning ‘surprise’ fact about women’s vaginas

A man has been left in shock after finding out something about vaginas that he never realised before.

Yep, there's still a lot for blokes to learn when it comes to the female anatomy. Can you believe it?!

As we all know by now, women's health is incredibly complex and it often isn't talked about enough, which is very sad considering we're now living in 2024.

Whether it's raising awareness about the brutal effects of conditions such as endometriosis, the subject of 'free bleeding', or why contraception might be making us sick... it's important to talk about and educate others on the female anatomy.

And if that's done via Reddit, then so be it!

There's a lot of questions when it comes to women's health (Getty Stock Image)

Earlier this week, a Reddit post did the rounds when the question 'What’s the biggest surprise about the other gender you never knew about?' was asked, and people had some pretty interesting insights into how the other gender lives.

While the majority of women on the thread expressed their fascination over the male anatomy and, I quote, 'how far a ballsack can stretch', the men naturally had a lot of surprises when it came to vaginas and periods.

And among the subjects of tampon choices and the suffering that comes with periods and childbirth, one man decided to shine a light on vaginal fluid how it can 'bleach' things.

"The vaginal fluid is so acidic it can bleach underwear and fabric," he wrote. "When i learned that I was pretty shocked."

But is this actually true?

All women will experience vaginal discharge on a pretty much daily basis, and it's absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. As the NHS states, discharge is simply a fluid or mucus that keeps the vagina clean and moist, and protects it from infection.

The colour, consistency and quantity of vaginal discharge fluctuates throughout a woman's menstrual cycle - and so does its pH balance.

Dr. Suba Thiyagalingam, a junior Obstetrics and Gynaecology doctor and host of podcast In Hysterics, explained to Daye: "A healthy vagina has a pH level of 3.8-4.5, but this fluctuates throughout our cycle and gets less acidic during menstruation, menopause or with vaginal infections."

And as for the discharge being acidic enough to bleach underwear, Dr. Suba confirmed the speculation.

"It’s the acidic nature of the discharge that creates these bleached spots on your knickers and so it’s more than ok, it’s a sign that your vagina is healthy!" she said.

Seeing bleach stains in your underwear is perfectly normal, and is actually the sign of a healthy vagina (Getty Stock Image)

So while it's undoubtedly a bit annoying to ruin your favourite pair of knickers, those bleach spots are nothing more than a sign of a healthy vagina.

It's certainly nothing to worry about, as Taraneh Shirazian, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Health in New York City, told SELF: "People shouldn't be worried about some mild staining."

However, if you notice any concerning changes in your discharge - such as a strange smell or blood when you're not on your period - go and see your GP.

And in order to avoid irritation, soreness or dryness, the NHS urges women to avoid:

• Using perfumed gels or soaps on their vagina
• Using deodorants or scented hygiene wipes
• Washing inside the vagina