Have you ever wondered, for example, why your underwear ends up looking like it’s been stained by a bleach spot? If you have, you’re apparently not alone, with the question being posed online by women seeking answers.
And answers they found. As it turns out, said patches of coloring have absolutely nothing to do with your machine (as some have speculated).
Your vagina has the power to change the colour of your knickers and it’s all down to its natural pH levels.
A pH level is the marker for how acidic or alkaline something is. If anything has a pH level lower than seven it has acidic properties.
And a healthy vagina has a pH value of somewhere between 3.8 and 4.5.
Now, this might seem like it’s incredibly acidic but rest assured it’s for your own good.
Experts at the Vagina Museum have highlighted that the bleach stain in your knickers is “completely normal”. In a post on Twitter they revealed several pairs of knickers which had the strange stain.
Reassuring their followers they said: “The light patches in underwear isn’t staining from period blood or discharge, it’s bleaching – the same as if you’ve ever tried putting lemon juice in your hair to lighten it.
“It’s not a sign of dirtiness or bad hygiene to have paler patches in your pants, it’s something which happens when the acidity of a perfectly healthy vagina spends time in contact with fabric, and it’s particularly noticeable on darker fabrics.
“So, it’s not just you. Lighter patches in your knickers are normal, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of!”
TikTok users have also recently picked up on the stains and have reassured their followers that this is something the vagina does naturally.
@uhlissuhrose Please duet this with your pussy bleached underwear so I don’t feel alone. #underwear #WhatsPoppin #ThrowbackSongs #QuickRecipes #foryou #fyp #wap ♬ original sound – Lyssa 💀
According to the NHS naturally occurring bacteria called lactobactilli keep the vagina’s pH at a normal level.
The acidity of your vaginal discharge is what protects you from nasty infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis.
If you vaginas natural levels of acidity is off balance it can also leave you more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections.
So, it is your discharge that can stain or change the colour of your underwear – and it’s particularly noticeable if your knickers are a dark colour like black.
Dr. MacKay adds that it’s perfectly normal and healthy for women to have clear or white discharge from their vagina, while disturbing the natural balance can lead to infections.
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