“Are my labia normal?” Short answer: Yes. Click here for the long answer.
Ask us anything. No judgments.
What’s the deal with discharge?
Someone asked us:
What’s up with discharge? What is normal and what isn’t?
This is such a common question. Thanks for asking and helping us set the record straight.
Discharge is a totally normal part of having a vagina. And there isn’t an exact way that it’s always supposed to look—the color, texture, and general appearance of discharge can vary. During puberty, vaginas start producing leukorrhea—a white or clear discharge. Maybe you remember noticing this for the first time when you were younger. The good news is, discharge is and has always been a natural part of having a vagina. It also has a characteristic scent, which is also totally normal. During ovulation, or if you’re aroused, discharge can be slippery and clear. Sometimes discharge can be white and thick. Cervical mucus changes throughout your menstrual cycle, so changing discharge is a kind of indicator of what’s up at various points during the month.
Another reason why it’s worth paying attention to your discharge: it can let you know when something’s off. If your vulva or discharge smells really bad, fishy, or yeasty, or if your vulva feels itchy or irritated, you should see a health care provider. These could be symptoms of something as common and easily treated as a yeast infection, or it could be an STD.
But simply having discharge isn’t an indication that there’s something wrong—in fact, it’s telling you that your body is doing something right. You’ve probably heard people say that vaginas are self-cleaning, and normal discharge is the evidence of that.
-Nina at Planned Parenthood
Vulva Pimples
Someone asked us:
Is it normal to get pimples on the lips of your vulva? Or should I be concerned that they’re some form of an STD (Though, it would have to be something that isn’t actually transmitted sexually, since I’ve never done anything remotely sexual aside from kissing.)?
The skin around your vagina is just that — skin. So it’s susceptible to regular old annoying skin stuff, like pimples. It’s also possible that you’re noticing ingrown hairs, which form when a hair follicle breaks off and grows into your skin. This can happen as a result of shaving or wearing tight clothing.
If you start noticing that the bumps around your vulva are getting worse or have pus coming out of them, or if they’re accompanied by pain or unusual discharge, you should talk to a health care provider ASAP.
-Alex at Planned Parenthood
Elle: How often should couples have sex?
How often “should” a couple be having sex? As often as works for them! But lots of people feel like the writer of this article — like they’re not measuring up. Do you ever feel self-conscious that you and your partner don’t do it “enough”?
Are we supposed to buy special products for our vagina’s pH level?
Ever worry that you’re not sufficiently concerned about your “feminine pH”? It’s a scary medical-sounding term that you’ve probably seen pop up in ads for everything from tampons to body wash. (And it makes me think of those little orange pH testing strips we used to use in high school chemistry, which I would prefer to keep out of my vagina.) One ad warns that “sex, your period, or even soap” could disrupt your vagina’s pH balance.
Wait a second…aren’t sex and periods (and soap, too!) pretty normal pieces of the whole vagina-having experience? Do we really need to buy special pH-regulating products to accommodate our fickle vaginas?
It turns out that while these ads are misleading, they’re not entirely wrong. Your vagina does have a normal pH level — around 4.5. This helps keep a healthy balance of yeast and bacteria. And if the pH level in your vagina gets too high, it can cause irritation or vaginitis. But the idea that sex and your period are inherently unhealthy or bad for the natural order of your vagina is totally false. The vagina has a pretty impressive self-regulating feature, and as long as you’re keeping things hygienic down there — that means washing your vulva with water or mild soap, changing pads or tampons frequently when you have your period, and avoiding douching — then chances are your pH level won’t be a problem.
And if you ever do suspect that something strange is going on with your vagina — like if it itches or burns, or you have unusual or bad smelling discharge — then you should see a health care provider right away. It might be a yeast infection or vaginitis, both of which are common and usually easily treatable.
-Alex at Planned Parenthood
Shaving your pubic hair
Someone asked us:
Q. Is it bad not to shave your pubes? I’m 17 and I’ve never shaved my pubes before and I was wondering if that was unhygienic? I’ll probably do it soon but I’m just afraid that since I’ve never shaved down there ever, I’m scared that it’s unhealthy or something….
Not to get all Shakespeare on you but, “To trim, or not to trim, that is the question.”
Here’s the deal with the hair down there: Having hair on or around your genitals is completely healthy and normal. Both guys and girls grow hair — pubic hair — around their genitals during puberty. Some people have a lot of pubic hair, and some have less. As long as you’re washing your genitals regularly with soap and water, there’s nothing unhygienic about pubic hair.
However…
Lots of people choose to remove, trim, or shape their pubic hair for cosmetic reasons. It’s really common. Because shaving around your genitals can cause uncomfortable razor burn, bumps, and ingrown hairs, some people remove their pubic hair using other methods, such as waxing.
Bottom line: Whether you choose to trim or remove your pubic hair is entirely up to you.
-Nathan at PPFA
Different sized breasts
Someone asked us:
Q. I’m nineteen and one of my breasts is larger than the other. Is this normal or is it something I should be worried about?
Normal. Normal. Normal. Having different sized breasts is really common. In fact, most people’s breasts are slightly asymmetrical, uneven, or hang differently. Nothing to worry about. Testicles, too, are another body part that come in slightly unequal pairs. When it comes to our bodies, different is normal.
-Nathan at PPFA
Is my period too light?
Someone asked us:
Q. I know birth control is supposed to make your period lighter, but is there a point where it’s too light? Is this ever a problem or even unhealthy to not be having a period?
No, having really light or no periods while you’re taking hormonal birth control is not a problem or unhealthy. Here’s why: When you’re not taking hormonal birth control, the lining of your uterus builds up each month in preparation for a possible pregnancy. If you don’t get pregnant that month, your uterus sheds the lining (It’s period time!) and then prepares for the possibility of pregnancy the next month.
When you are taking hormonal birth control, your body does not get ready for a possible pregnancy every month. You don’t release an egg and the lining of the uterus doesn’t build up like it does when you’re not on birth control. So that’s why people have lighter periods or skip them entirely when taking the pill, patch, ring, or shot.
-Amy at PPFA
What’s up with the hymen?
Someone asked us:
Q. Does the hymen serve any purpose? What different types of hymens are there, and how do you know which type you have?
For those needing a little anatomy review, the hymen is the thin tissue that stretches across part of the opening to the vagina. The tissue can be stretched or torn during sexual activity, masturbation, tampon use, or any activity that places gradual and ongoing pressure on the groin area, for example riding a bike or gymnastics.
Why do you have a hymen? Who knows?!?!. They don’t serve any medical purpose. Some people are born without them. While they’re an interesting bit of anatomy, hymens probably don’t deserve all the attention that has been heaped on them over the years. In the olden days (i.e. before 1950 ) when female sexuality was even less understood than today, the hymen carried a whole bunch of cultural significance. In some cultures they still do. People believed that a hymen that had not been stretched or torn was proof of virginity. Blood from a torn hymen on your wedding night signaled that your new wife was a virgin, (and also that she had probably never ridden a bike or a horse). While people have a lot of different ideas of what virginity is and isn’t, hopefully more and more people understand that a missing hymen can be the result of a lot of things, not just vaginal intercourse.
As for types of hymens, you’ve probably heard us say “Different is normal,” and this is certainly true for hymens. There are many variations of hymens. Some have small openings. Some have large ones. Some have multiple openings.
How do you know which type you have? A mirror and a flashlight are going to be your friends. Spread the labia with your fingers and peer inside. But be warned: hymens can be difficult or even impossible to find. If you’ve already had vaginal intercourse, used tampons, inserted a finger or object into your vagina, were active in sports or gymnastics, rode a bike, horse, mechanical bull, or were born without one, there might not be anything to see.
Why don’t my nipples feel good?
Someone asked us:
Q. I hope it’s okay to ask this here - I really hate having my nipples played with, the sensation makes me uncomfortable. But I WANT to enjoy it! Is there anything at all that I can do to make it a pleasurable experience? Thank you!!
It’s definitely okay to ask about your nipples. For some people, having their nipples touched or played with can be a huge turn on. It sounds like you might not be one of those people, which is 100% totally and completely okay. Maybe nipples aren’t your thing, but earlobes, kneecaps, or belly buttons are. We’re all different and what feels good for one person might be a sensual dead-end.
However, since you really want to get into the nipple game, one option is touching your nipples by yourself, without the added pressure of a partner. If you do indeed discover something that feels good, let your partner know what works and what doesn’t. Communication is key.
