Vaginal health is a normal part of overall health, and knowing your own baseline makes it much easier to spot when something’s off. The vagina is self-cleaning, so gentle external care is all that’s needed.
What’s normal discharge?
Healthy discharge changes across your cycle — clearer and stretchier around ovulation, thicker at other times. Changes in colour, a strong odour, itching, or irritation can signal an infection worth checking.
Common infections
- Thrush (yeast): itching and thick white discharge
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV): thin grey discharge with a fishy odour
- UTIs: burning when urinating and urgency (a urinary, not vaginal, infection)
- STIs: many have no symptoms — regular testing matters if you’re at risk
Everyday care
Wash the vulva externally with water or a gentle cleanser, avoid douching and fragranced products, wear breathable underwear, and wipe front to back. Persistent or recurrent symptoms deserve a clinician’s assessment rather than repeated self-treatment.
For readers in Canada
In Canada, care is delivered through provincial health systems and private providers, and PIPEDA governs how organisations handle your personal data.