It’s important to understand that this is completely normal and there’s no reason to worry.
Have you ever wondered why your underwear sometimes looks like it has bleach stains? Many women have wondered this, and it has generated a lot of discussion online.
Surprisingly, these stains have nothing to do with your washing machine. Instead, they are caused by the vagina’s natural pH levels.
These spots indicate a healthy vagina. pH levels measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, and as an informative post on Twitter explains:
“Now that everyone knows, it’s completely normal to find lighter stains on women’s underwear due to vaginal acidity, with a pH between 3.8 and 4.5. Therefore, I think it’s time to abandon the idea that this is a result of poor hygiene. In fact, a healthy vagina is capable of lightening the fabric.”
Dr. Vanessa MacKay, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, explains: “The vagina has a self-cleaning mechanism through natural secretions. It contains beneficial bacteria that serve to protect it.”
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that normal vaginal pH ranges from 3.8 to 5.0, being moderately acidic compared to the neutral pH level of 7.
Dr. MacKay also notes that clear or white vaginal discharge is normal and healthy, and that disrupting this natural balance can lead to infections.
