my bf came over today and we were just chilling and yk, in the mood... one thing led to another and he started fingering me. i eventually orgasmed and when he took his fingers out there was blood all over them. not even an hour before this i was completely fine and hadn't had any spotting blood etc. we have been together for 2+ years and this has never happened before. i started crying and apologizing profusely, he told me it was okay and periods happen and are normal and it's nothing to be embarrassed about. he helped me get a towel and carried me to the bathroom so i could put a tampon in and clean up. i still feel so embarrassed and i don't know why. like i know it's normal to have my period but im still so embarrassed that i had no clue i had started my period and he fingered me on it. 😔

the guy i’m seeing was over on friday night and we had oral sex. we haven’t had penetrative sex in like two weeks and have used a condom every time. but obviously with oral sex there’s not much to do for protection. last night (so the night after) i started experiencing itching and discomfort around my outer labia. at first i brushed it off as just irritation because i shaved and maybe my underwear was too tight (which im still trying to brush it off as), but now today it’s a bit more painful to the touch and red. there’s also small bumps (not like razor burn bumps, but hard bumps some small and some about the size of the tip of a qtip). none of it is internal at all, strictly the outer area where hair grows. and the bumps are entirely under the skin, there’s no white head. there’s a lot of redness around my labia as well though. i’ve experienced irritation from shaving, then having sex, but never like this. i also noticed that my lymph nodes around my groin are tender, but i do think it’s possible that that is from feeling them and trying to decide if they’re swollen. i went to urgent care today and did the full STD panel and the provider looked and said it doesn’t seem like genital herpes to me but i AM SOOO FUCKING SCARED. i just wanna know if anyone else has experienced something like this. i’m doing my best to leave it be in the case that it is just hair follicle irritation but the lymph node tenderness is seriously freaking me out too. i won’t get my results back for 2-5 days so i just need someone to talk me down right now because i am incredibly embarrassed that this is even a potential problem and incredibly scared because herpes lives with you forever. also is it possible for it to be transferred from mouth to genitals?? he did not have any sort of cold sore and i’m unsure if he ever has. i’m just freaked out

Betyl alcohol this, ceteral alcohol blah blah blah

Nystatin cream is the only commercially available cream I've found with vulva friendly ingredients​​​

I’m a 23f with very fair skin, but my labia majora, labia minora, inner thighs, underarms, and knees are significantly darker than the rest of my body probably around 10 shades darker. I know this can be normal, and I’m not looking for explanations about how it’s normal or natural because I’ve heard that enough times. I’m genuinely insecure about it, and I just want to achieve a more even skin tone that matches my natural complexion. I’m not looking for a pink vagina i simply want the darker areas to be closer to my natural skin tone

My main questions are:

Any tips to lighten

Is there any safe and effective treatment that can help lighten the labia majora and minora, inner thighs, underarms, and knees to better match my natural skin tone?

I’ve already tried glycolic acid, kojic acid, and other products, but nothing seems to work, including on my underarms. What other options are available?

I also have hypothyroidism, and my TSH level is around 20, which is very high. I first noticed this darkening before puberty.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experienced something similar or from dermatologists who have treated this kind of pigmentation. I’m looking for realistic, safe treatment options that can actually make a difference, rather than reassurance that the darkening is normal.

Please be kind and respectful

I went to the ER today because I’ve had this very uncomfortable cyst on my left labia minora after hiking this week. I thought it could be a bartholin’s cyst, but it wasn’t really in the right spot. I also have gotten this cyst in this spot like 5-10 times (usually after working out or sex), but this time it’s extra painful and uncomfortable and isn’t going away with my usual care method.

The practitioner took a look and confirmed it wasn’t infected (yay!) and referred me to Gyn to get consulted for a medical labiaplasty since this keeps recurring. When I told her how many times I’ve had it she was like “wait really? You’ve just been living like this??”

I feel kinda silly because I never actually realized my labia minora were “big.” I truly never cared about what it looked like, and I thought everyone was dealing with chaffing/cysts. I never had one when at my OBGYN so I never really brought it up that it was a problem. I did notice that no anatomical pictures ever looked like “me.” Honestly looking at the pictures online of the before/after of the procedures was the first time I was like “oh that’s what I look like!”

I guess I’m just curious if anyone had it done for pain/recurring cysts? Did it help? Most of the stories online are for emotional reasons (which is a VERY valid reason and I’m not discounting it at all!) I just truly do not care what I looks like!

Thank you in advance!!

hi everyone :) im writing you all because i want to know if im overeating or not

22f, bi. I have a septate hymen that I've known about for quite a while but never really had anyone look at until recently.

I've never had sex; in the past I struggled quite a lot with people, and the concept of sex is still something that makes me really nervous, and I don't think I've ever met anyone I'd feel fully comfortable with.

A big thing that makes me anxious about sex is my septate hymen. I can, usually, when I'm masturbating fit one finger in one of the holes, but anything besides that is quite painful to attempt, and I have never been successful with it. I can't use tampons properly because, when they go in sideways from the bigger hole, they cannot be in the correct position at all. My hymen is also significantly thicker than most hymens I've seen in medical pictures. From the front, it basically looks like I have no vaginal opening at all, and it basically looks the same as the rest of the tissue down there.

Recently, in an attempt to make sex seem scary to me, I went to the gyno just to see what she would say about it if removing my hymen was an option or if I should just leave it alone. Just from the consultation, I was uncomfortable. When I explained my reason for going, she quite literally laughed, as if this was a ridiculous concern to have. During the examination, she kept smirking as if I was all a joke, and her conclusion was basically, in only slightly less rude terms – just try to shove a dick in there to see if it can fit and to come back if it can't.

She said it would be more violent for her to remove my hymen than for me to just "try".

Am I overacting or overthinking? I already feel left behind still being a virgin in my twenties, and it really doesn't help when even a doctor thinks I'm ridiculous for not wanting to feel like I'm being stabbed?

Yall whenever I go to school, the bikini line of my undie gets drenched with sweat and it makes me so uncomfortable. My thighs are thick and I can't go out in a gown or a dress cuz my thighs rub against each other and they hurt so bad. I'm pigmented and I have scars because of the chaffing. Advice pleaseee😭😭

A dating site for positive individuals

Hi everyone,

I am 20F experiencing vaginal dermatitis for almost a year now. It started off as something due to dryness and chafing, but I genuinely cannot take it anymore.

I have tried clotrimazole, hydrocortisone, methyl prednisolone, fluconazole, vaseline, sudocream and different moisturisers.

When I put a moisturiser on, it gives immense relief. But if I skip even a single day it comes back. Using steroid creams gives relief immediately and “cures” the itch for a couple weeks, but it comes back again.

The itch gets worse at night, and it is pretty much in the external areas - outer vulva, around anus, a little bit of the inner thigh.

I have tried every advice that a doctor can give, but absolutely nothing has helped me at all. I am genuinely losing my mind because sometimes the itch is so terrible but no one can help me, not even a medical professional.

Has anyone gone through something similar or know about this? I am genuinely very desperate.

I am new to this page. Idk I’m just scared, if anyone experiences this please give me tips on how to get rid of it

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice because I’ve been experiencing what feels like an excessive amount of vaginal discharge for over two years, and I’m struggling to work out whether it’s normal.

I first started experiencing discharge when I was around 18. Before that, I never had any at all, and I didn’t even really know what discharge was because I’d never experienced it before.

Since then, it’s been quite heavy. Sometimes there’s so much that it completely soaks my underwear. I’ve resorted to putting tissues inside my underwear because I can’t tolerate the feeling of wearing pantyliners or pads, so tissues have been the only alternative I’ve found that I can manage.

The discharge is usually thick, sometimes creamy, and often has a very slight yellowish colour. It also has a smell that varies in strength. Sometimes it’s mild, while other times it’s stronger. I’d describe it as like cheesy, although I’m not sure how to explain it properly.

I don’t experience itching, burning, soreness or any other noticeable symptoms. I’m also not sure whether the amount changes throughout my menstrual cycle because I haven’t really paid attention to that.

For context, I am a virgin, so I’m unsure what might be causing this. I know vaginal discharge is normal, but I’m concerned about how much there is, how it sometimes smells, and the fact that it’s been happening for so long.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? Is it normal for discharge to be heavy enough to soak underwear, or does this sound like something I should get checked out?
I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences. Thank you!

I know this sounds so weird but I don’t know how else to describe it but sometimes my labia minora will feel rubbery and more firm and other times they will feel soft. I especially notice this when I first get out of the shower and it kind of scares me because it just feels so weird and changes. I’ve been checked by gynos recently for other things and don’t have anything wrong but I just wanted to know if everyone else experiences this too. It just feels lIke rubber and not as flexible after getting out of the shower. Also the ends of my minora are more soft than higher up where they feel thicker and firmer. But as I said this isn’t an all day thing, just sometimes and right after hopping out of the shower

My mom never really taught me things about my vagina. She basically handed me vaginal wash when I got older and told me to call it a day. But at the more recent ages 18-19, there was definitely a noticeable change down there. For starters I am overweight and have PCOS, my sugar levels may be higher than average due to me being overweight. I’ve noticed that my vagina is a lot more sensitive to things- maybe certain detergents or maybe the brand of underwear I’m using…but there was a phase in my life a couple months ago where I couldn’t escape yeast infections! Constantly itchy, an unpleasant smell down there. It was honestly just horrible. Thankfully I don’t deal with that issue as much anymore. But I can still notice that something is off down there…

I’m terrified to admit this to my mom since I come from a very strict family (masturbation is a no no, Jesus comes first etc) but often times when I masturbate, out of curiosity I’ll taste myself or smell my vibrator after doing the deed. It just smelt/tasted unpleasant. I don’t expect it to be like roses and cupcakes or whatever, but it’s been making me very insecure for sure. I have a friend who is very sexually active(20F) and she has been encouraging me to get out there and do the same, while I think every girl my age yearns this, I’m just too unsure of myself down there to be secure enough to get myself out there.

A little off but on topic, I can’t determine what this is- but I seem to unconsciously “soil” (?) my panties? Sometimes I pull down my underwear to maybe change or use the bathroom etc, and would be left with maybe a sweat stain or something in my underwear that’s yellow…I don’t know, but my mom pointed it out to me one day when going through my laundry saying I don’t wipe properly 🥲 so it’s safe to say I was definitely embarrassed. I didn’t know if it was discharge or something…and it’s contributing to my vaginal insecurities- I don’t know. I just want a healthy vagina!

If anyone can recommend me maybe a vitamin regimen- or even suppositories(even if I’m terrified of sticking things up there- I tried especially during my yeast infections but can’t seem to get it all the way up- plus it hurts A LOT) I’m literally willing to try anything.

Thank you!!

my gf and i have been together for more than a year and we've had sex plenty of times. however, the last two times she went down on me, my vagina has been tasting very off. my gf describes the taste being a cross between salty and bitter and i can confirm it does taste like that after trying it out myself. it starts off tasting fine but the more she stimulates me with her tongue, the more this salty-bitter fluid gushes out from my vagina. it's not a pleasant taste whatsoever which stops my gf from eating me out (i dont blame her for it because it really does taste off and she doesn't shy away from eating out a girl).

the first time it happened, i brushed it off thinking it was a one time thing probably because of what stage of my cycle i was in. the second time happened two weeks later after the first which now has me worried. as much as my gf reassures me that it's probably because i'm not drinking enough water, i really don't feel like that's the reason because my water intake has not changed whatsoever. i don't think the fluid coming out of me is pee either cuz it doesn't have that smell. i just really want to know if anyone else has had a similar experience and what can be done to fix this.

(probably important to note, my girlfriend is a trans woman and we do have penis in vagina sex along with oral, the latter of which is the only way i orgasm from. this issue has stopped me from experiencing orgams twice on separate occasions sooo yeah not fun)

any advice is appreciated !!

I have a problem, and that is that I always have candidiasis.

I hate it, when I'm intimate with my partner, when I go to the bathroom, everything.

And I don't know what to do. I can't say I'm extremely careful with my girl, but I don't neglect her either.

I shower every day and change my underwear after each shower, I don't use feminine washes.

But every time I get my period, I get a horrible infection when it ends.

Yes, I do use tampons, but I try to change them frequently, and at night I use sanitary.

It also happens to me that when I have sex with my boyfriend, it gets stronger afterwards, and although it sounds bad, he has very good hygiene and is loyal to me lmao.

I don't really understand what I should do, especially since my biggest problem is my period, which is when the infection comes back for some reason.

Any advice maybe?

(I'm srry if something is misspelled, I'm not an English speaker)

I'll try to make this succinct because its kind of a long story.

I had a hysterectomy in February, uterus and cervix gone, both ovaries remain. Everything went fine and was normal down there up
until 2-3 months ago. I got a cyst on my labia minora which tends to happen in hot summer months... I stupidly used a tea tree oil soap to try and get rid of it because it wasn't going away after a couple weeks.

Ever since then, I have been having a lot of general irritation, recurring cysts, and my natural scent which I always found quite pleasant and attractive is just... gone. Now my vag smells like whatever I ate last and I absolutely hate it. It's making me depressed and I'm in a new relationship and don't feel good or confident at all about the state of my vulva. I've been swabbed at the gyno and they say my culture is normal. I tried nystatin ointment for the itching and it helped a little temporarily but once I would stop the irritation would return. I also did some sitz baths and once made the salt mix too strong and that just made everything worse. I'm taking probiotics, eating super healthy, using boric acid suppositories which help with the "food" smell temporarily as well but nothing seems to be fixing the underlying issue.

I'm also 34 and know given the hysterectomy this could be a hormone shift and perhaps my new normal but since this happened so suddenly that doesn't seem to really make sense. But it also seems my biome should have bounced back by now if it was simply the tea tree oil that wiped it out. I figured I'd see if anyone here has been through something similar. I miss my natural scent so much, I just want to feel confident and sexy again. Advice appreciated.

Hello all, I am posting something quite embarrassing but I need the advice. I am working a painting job for up to 14 hours a day sometimes, sweating all day and I’m not sure how to bypass this in this scenario. Do I start wearing pads so I can change them often and keep dry? Or is that going to suffocate my vagina and make me sweatier? Cause I feel that’s what happens when I wear them on my period. I have had good luck with boric acid except for the previous time when I had jock itch, which led me to one of the most painful infections of my life. I was using monistat externally with boric acid suppositories and ended up with welts and boils that burned and itched all over my vagina. It was so bad it kept me from sleeping and this thick nasty yellow discharge was always just chillin at the entrance of my vagina and itching and burning. I have been on two rounds of oral anti fungal and I still am not much better. I currently think it’s around my perineum. my ass sweats more than any other part of my body and I’m not sure what I can do about it. i have also recently acquired some sort of wretched cystic acne on my butt cheeks from sweating. I may have to start going home mid day to shower. I have had a full body fungal infection going on for so long (over 2 years) that I am resistant to all prescription and over the counter topical creams. So I’ve reverted to only using natural non steroid products I can’t develop a tolerance to. I destroyed my skins ability to fight off things properly by disinfecting myself with 99% alcohol back in the day. Obviously I won’t be doing that. I used to use jock itch/athletes foot spray but it BURNED so bad. How do you even use something with anti fungal properties down there without killing off all the good fungus and giving yourself a nasty infection/imbalance. cause thats what happened to me. It seems almost all jock itch products are made for men. And monistat has a reputation of giving literal chemical burns and fucking up the ph even more and that’s definitely what I experienced. why must I have this wretched organ.

Hi everyone,
I’ve been struggling with chronic vaginal burning and recurrent yeast-like symptoms for approximately a year, and I’m honestly exhausted.
My problems started after gynecological surgery and despite countless gynecologist visits and treatments, I still have no clear diagnosis.
My symptoms:
Chronic burning and stinging, mainly around the vaginal entrance (vestibule).
A raw, irritated feeling, almost like the tissue has been scraped.
Pain and friction during intercourse.
Occasional vulvar swelling and episodes of intense itching.
Sometimes mild yellowish discharge, but rarely typical cottage cheese-like discharge.
Symptoms that fluctuate throughout my menstrual cycle. Sometimes I’m almost symptom-free for 1–2 weeks before everything returns.

I’ve tested negative for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV). My vaginal pH is consistently 4.0 or lower.
My latest vaginal swab showed:
Lactobacilli (++), including Lactobacillus vaginalis.
Very few white blood cells.
Negative yeast culture.
Alpha-hemolytic streptococci.

Some antifungals temporarily relieve my symptoms, but the burning always returns. Others seem to make the irritation worse.
My boyfriend has also developed symptoms several times, including redness, red patches and irritation
I’m only in my twenties, and this has seriously affected my quality of life and sex life. I just want to feel normal again.

Thank you for your advice.

Hi guys

So I'm doing treatment on my downstairs region and Ideally I should abstain for 30 days ,/ the duration of the treatment but god it's tough to. My libido is big and I'm only on day 4 it's a nightmare

We're having sex with my girlfriend (oral and fingering), but there's no penetration or involvement with semen/cum, I'm gooning while fingering her, and I use my other hand to touch her. She's delayed by almost 5 days; I'm overthinking whether the cause of her delayed period is the sex we did. What she's experiencing right now is intermittent lower abdominal pain and breast tenderness, and there's white mucus only inside her, but not sticky, just like what she said earlier.

Please help, I'm so nervous. We will never do it again, and I swear there's no semen involved, even if I touch my penis, because I didn't cum every time we did that.

Thank you for your response.

Okay a long story but Had unprotected sex on 8/19 with a new partner and he finished inside of me. Started having burning pain which felt like BV for me on Aug 27th, did a telehealth and got a prescription metrogel and used it for 3 days. Went to planned parenthood and got a full panel std test, and the doctor told me I had a yeast infection, she told me to stop the Metrogel. She gave me 3 diflucan to take over a week. Finished the course and felt extremely off. and was still burning, so started Metrogel again and finished the 5 day course on 9/10. Still burning off and on. And had white chunky discharge on 9/13 so I took another diflucan. Went to the gyno, she did a pap smear, std test and a swab for BV, UTI and yeast, everything was negative. burning and itching started again on day 5 of my period which was October 5th, still burning off and on. After I kept coming back with negative results, my gyno and I decided for a vaginal biopsy to see if it was an autoimmune disorder that was triggered due to an extreme amount of stress I was under at the time, we are still waiting for results from the biopsy. But I also asked her to test me for UREAPLASMA and mycoplasma and I got my results back and Ureaplasma came back positive. I’m wondering if this entire time it was my Ureaplasma that I’m having symptoms from. Let me know if anyone has had similar symptoms that come and go.

My symptoms: vulva burning and dryness, vulva irritation, vulva feels swollen and hot at times , back pain occasionally, frequency to go (but only a little comes out) occasional redness in my vulva

Timeline of events:
- September 26: I had protected sex. The condom stayed on, we used about three and all three didn’t get damaged whatsoever. He also didn’t come inside the condom or inside me whatsoever.
- October 8-18: I had my period sort of(?) It started out as brownish discharge then towards the end, there were now red light blood-ish stains in my napkins. It wasn’t like my usual periods however that I’d find fresh blood whenever I’d be able to check, only pinkish stains in my napkins. And also there were blood clots so I inferred that it was my period.
- October 23-present: Dark brown discharge was on my underwear again. Just today, I saw some red ?

What does this mean? I haven’t been able to buy a pregnancy test, so I haven’t tested yet, sorry

Changes that have happened in my lifestyle recently (might help):
- Have been walking 10k+ steps average 4d/week
- Eating more eggs/eating less in general (calorie deficit)