Something in my underwear · For ages 8–12
What is the white, slightly sticky stuff in my underwear?
One day you may notice something white, clear or slightly sticky in your underwear. It may be a fluid your body makes, called vaginal discharge.
About what you notice
What is happening?
Perhaps you have noticed a clear, white or slightly sticky mark in your underwear. Or perhaps your underwear feels damp even though you have not wet yourself. It could be a fluid called vaginal discharge.
The area between your legs is called the genital area. Its external parts are called the vulva. These include the labia, which are folds of skin around the openings. Pee leaves through a small opening called the urethral opening. Slightly below is another opening, the vaginal opening. It leads into the vagina, which is a soft passage inside the body.
Your body makes fluid that passes out through the vagina. This fluid, called vaginal discharge, helps keep the vagina clean and carries away old cells. Cells are the tiny parts the body is made of. Discharge may be clear, white, slightly yellowish, thin or thick and sticky. Both the amount and its appearance can vary.
Many people begin having discharge as their body develops through puberty, often before their first period. A period is bleeding from the uterus, a small, hollow organ low in your tummy. The blood leaves through the vagina. Discharge can start a long time before your first period, so it cannot tell you exactly when your period will begin.
If you also have itching, burning, pain or a noticeable new smell, tell an adult you trust. A doctor can investigate the cause if needed.
Find what fits best
Which sounds most like what you notice?
Choose the option closest to what you have seen, felt or noticed.
What is the white, slightly sticky stuff in my underwear?
Forklaringskort
Important to know
The vulva is the name for the parts of the genital area you can see on the outside of your body. These include the outer and inner labia, clitoris, urethral opening and vaginal opening.
The labia are soft folds of skin. The two sides can look different and have different colours. The vaginal opening and the small opening you pee from are separate openings. A simple drawing can help when you are learning the names.
No. The vulva is what you can see on the outside. The vagina is a soft passage that runs from the vaginal opening into the body. Discharge and period blood come out through the vagina.
You do not need to wash or examine the inside of your vagina. When you talk about a symptom, it is enough to say whether you feel it on the outside or farther inside. An adult can help you find the words. You can also point to a drawing instead of your body.
Vaginal discharge is fluid that comes out through the vagina. Normal discharge can be clear, milky white or slightly yellowish-white. It may be watery, slippery, thick or slightly sticky.
When the fluid dries in your underwear, it may leave a light or slightly yellow mark. It may look different from when it was wet. You can change your underwear if it feels uncomfortably damp. Discharge alone is not a reason to wash more often or use perfume.
Discharge is a natural part of how the vagina works. Among other things, the fluid helps carry out old cells and keeps the vagina clean and moist.
You can think of the fluid as part of how the body looks after itself. It needs to be able to come out. You do not need products that clean inside the vagina. Ordinary, gentle washing of the outside is different from rinsing or washing inside.
It varies from person to person. Some have only a little, while others have so much that their underwear often feels damp. The amount and appearance can also change from day to day.
Comparing marks in your underwear with your friends' is not very useful. Instead, notice whether something is new for you and whether you have other symptoms as well. If you have itching, stinging or pain, an adult can help you find out if you need an examination.
Many people begin having discharge before their first period. It means the body is developing. Discharge can begin a long time before the first bleeding and cannot tell you exactly which day your period will start.
You can prepare even if you do not know when your first period will come. Ask someone to show you a pad and let you try attaching it to underwear. Keeping a small spare kit in your bag may feel reassuring without having to wait for bleeding every day.
If you have itching, burning or pain, if the smell suddenly becomes stronger and different, or if your discharge changes a lot together with other symptoms, it is a good idea to tell an adult you trust. A school nurse or doctor can help find out what is happening.
You could say, 'It has started to itch, and something looks different in my underwear.' Explain how long it has been happening. You do not have to hide symptoms or find a treatment yourself. An adult can help you get advice suitable for children.
What next?
What can you do next?
If you want to tell someone, you can start simply: 'I've started noticing something white or sticky in my underwear, and I wonder what it is.' You do not need to know whether it is called discharge before asking.
Sources
These are the sources used for this article. Some are written for teenagers, adults or healthcare professionals.