Your Vaginal Discharge Color Guide

Ladies: we’re talking about vaginal discharge. Love it or hate it, it is a normal occurrence and can be a great way to indicate whether your vagina is in good health! Your discharge can be a reflection of what is happening internally. By analyzing the odor, color, and consistency, you can help recognize if you may have an infection or if you are just ovulating! Today we’re going to focus on color and what each shade can mean for you. This guide will cover:

• Clear of White to Light Yellow
• Yellow to Green
• Pink or Bright Red to Rusty Red
• Light Gray to Dark Gray
• Watch Your Lubes

Clear of White to Light Yellow

When your discharge ranges from translucent to a very light yellow, it usually means everything is normal. Clear discharge is a natural lubricant and occurs frequently during pregnancy or ovulation¹. White to light yellow can be normal, just keep a lookout for any strong odors, thicker textures, and irritation. This could be a sign of a yeast infection². This can be caused by the types of lubes you are using, such as those containing glycerin³. Choose a K-Y® lubricant that is pH-friendly.

Yellow to Green

Yellow to yellowish green discharge could be normal and usually just means that there has been a change in your diet and your vitamin intake. If there is a thick and chunky consistency and it has a strong odor, this could mean you have an infection or an STI⁴.

Pink or Bright Red to Rusty Red

This usually happens while you are menstruating. Pink discharge can be an indication that you are about to start your period and brownish red discharge usually happens at the end⁵. If your discharge is red while you are not menstruating, you could be having a medical problem. If this happens while you are pregnant, please contact your doctor as it could be a sign of something serious!

Light Gray to Dark Gray

Having a grayish color in your discharge is usually a symptom of bacterial vaginosis⁶. Other symptoms of BV could be itchiness, a strong odor, and redness from irritation. No sweat, BV is common among women and can be treated with medication by visiting your OBGYN! Additionally, if you are suffering from discomfort due to vaginal dryness, this can be relieved by one of K-Y®’s great selection of lubes.

Watch Your Lubes

The lubes you use for sex have an outsized impact on the color of your discharge. The good news is that K-Y^® has a wide variety of lubes that you can use that best fit the needs of your vagina. Check out our pleasure finder today!

Resources

1. My Cleveland Clinic, 2021, Cervical Mucus
2. CDC, 2024, Symptoms of Candidiasis
3. University of Texas, Date Unknown, Using Lube
4. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Date Unknown, Vaginal odor: what’s normal and what’s not
5. Parents, 2024, Your Guide to Vaginal Discharge Color
6. Bacterial Vaginosis, 2023, Bacterial Vaginosis

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