Despite our wide and far-reaching medical advances, the human body is indeed still a mystery in many regards. There is no bigger a mystery for teenagers than when they start puberty. Huge changes to their bodies take place, which can be quite unsettling. In particular for girls, once puberty starts naturally they will experience an increase in vaginal discharge. This can be quite upsetting if they are totally unaware of what it is and why it is happening, especially if they have yet to start their periods. They may feel embarrassed, ashamed, even worried which is why it's important our young girls are educated in all things vaginal ahead of time.
Vaginal discharge can occur at any time throughout the month, but may be linked to a girl’s cycle. Everyone is different, even down to how much is produced. What is consistent for everyone though, is that discharge in this area is completely natural and essential. The secretion of the discharge serves as a regulator for the vagina; it’s not something that can be stopped. It acts as a kind of self-cleaning mechanism that also acts as an indicator when something is not quite right. Ordinarily the discharge will be white, creamy or sometimes colourless. It could also be sticky. What it shouldn’t be is smelly or green. Plus, if it is accompanied with itchiness this may indicate an infection and you should visit your doctor. This area of a female’s body is very sensitive to pH changes so it is important we manage it effectively.
So how can vaginal discharges be managed?
A panty liner is a perfect solution for managing discharge. Worn in the underwear, the panty liner serves to collect the discharge and protect the underwear from being stained. The panty liner can easily be changed to maintain freshness all day, whatever the time of the month! Being very small and thin they fit compactly into any sized handbag. So, just as we carry along a hairbrush, compact mirror or notebook so too we should have our panty liners in our bag on standby.
As a side note, it is really important that we don’t ‘wash’ the vagina. This area is very sensitive to pH changes and the use of soap or shampoo inside the vaginal walls can easily upset its natural balance. When this happens thrush may occur which is both itchy and cumbersome when experienced.
What other ways can we use panty liners?
As young girls, it can take a while… sometimes years… to fully get to grips with what is happening to their bodies on a monthly basis as they progress through puberty and beyond. As they change so too can the discharge and the periods. This is where panty liners can serve a really useful purpose and should be something every young girl has in her possession.
They are really useful both at the start and at the end of a period. Many young girls and ladies experience irregular periods. This can be a nightmare as we go about our regular life, out and about, both in the classroom and the office. Some periods can also take three days to ‘start’ with a brown, sludgy discharge taking place as a precursor to the main event. Panty liners, therefore, offer that required protection and confidence to manage this onset. Such that, if someone does get caught unawares and her period starts she doesn’t have to drop what she’s doing to sort it out. As a young girl, coping with everything else, her body is throwing at her this small bit of confidence could be massive in any given day.
As you know, many females around the world wear tampons. Again, panty liners offer protection against any leakage since some days periods can be heavy and some days period can be light. The presence of the panty liner manages that for you.
It is so important that our girls know what to expect and know how to look after their vaginal health. Let’s educate them and demystify this area so we can remove any uncertainty and provide knowledge so they can progress through life confidently and meet their daily challenges head on.
