Vaginal health

What’s normal for your vulva and vagina

Your vulva and vagina are part of your everyday health. Knowing what’s normal helps you notice changes early and feel more confident talking to your GP.

Understanding your vulva and vagina

Your vulva is the outside part of your genitals and includes the:

• area with pubic hair (mons pubis)
• outer lips (labia majora)
• inner lips (labia minora)
• clitoris and its hood
• opening where pee comes out (urethral opening)
• opening to the vagina
• skin between the vagina and anus (perineum).

Your vagina is inside your body. It connects your vulva to your uterus. Blood flows through the vagina during your period. It’s where tampons go and where you can have vaginal sex. During childbirth, the baby passes through the vagina to be born.

Everyone looks different

Everyone’s vulva and vagina are different. It’s normal for your labia to be different sizes, shapes or colours. Pubic hair grows in different patterns and amounts. There’s no one right way to look.

If you want to see how different vulvas can look, visit Women's Health Victoria's Labia Library website. It shows real, unedited images.

Changes over time

Your vulva and vagina change throughout your life. Hormones, puberty, periods, pregnancy, birth and menopause can all affect how they look, feel and function.

Discharge is one of the things that changes. It’s normal and helps keep your vagina healthy. It may be clear, white or slightly yellow, and can change throughout your menstrual cycle. You might notice more of it if you're pregnant or sexually aroused.

Your vulva and vagina also have a natural scent. This can change with your menstrual cycle or age.

When things feel or look different

Watch for changes that don’t feel normal to you.

These might include:

• a new or unusual discharge
• a strong or unpleasant smell
• itching, stinging or burning
• pain during sex or when peeing
• bleeding when you don't have your period
• a lump or bulge in or around your vagina.

If you notice something different, see your GP. You know your body best.

Talking to a health professional

If you’re sexually active, it’s a good idea to get regular sexual health checks. You should also see your GP or a sexual health clinic if something doesn't feel right.

They're there to support you. You don't need to feel embarrassed.

How to talk about your care

Talking about your personal health can feel a bit overwhelming. A bit of preparation can help you feel more confident and get the support you need.

These tips will help you get the most out of your appointment.

• Write down your symptoms before the appointment
• Note when they started and what makes them better or worse
• Use words that feel natural to you
• Ask for a female GP if that helps you feel more comfortable
• Ask for a longer appointment if you need time to talk things through
• You can take a support person with you
• Ask questions if something isn't clear

Remember, they're there to help, not judge.

Common conditions

Many conditions can affect your vulva or vagina. Most are common and treatable. Learn more about vaginal conditions and problems on the healthdirect website.

Vaginal discharge

Discharge is normal. It helps clean and protect the vagina. If it changes suddenly or becomes thick, green, yellow, frothy or smells fishy, it could be an infection. Your GP can help find the cause and recommend treatment.

Thrush

Thrush is a yeast infection. It can cause itching, burning, and a thick white discharge. It’s common and easy to treat with antifungal medicine.

Bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance in vaginal bacteria. It often has a fishy smell and watery grey discharge. You can take antibiotics to treat it.

UTI

UTIs (urinary tract infections) cause pain when you pee, make you need to go more often, and can make your urine smell. You might also feel unwell. UTI symptoms may feel different as you get older. You may need to go to the toilet more during the night or experience some incontinence. You can take antibiotics to treat it.

Vulvodynia

This is long term pain in the vulva without a clear cause. It may feel like burning, stinging or irritation. Your GP or physiotherapist can help.

Bartholin’s cysts

Bartholin’s cysts form when a small gland near your vaginal opening gets blocked. You may feel a painless lump or swelling. If it gets infected, you'll need antibiotics to treat it.

Skin irritation

Skin irritation around the vulva is common. It can cause redness, itching, dryness or soreness. Many things can cause it, including soap, tight clothes, sweat or friction. It’s best to see your GP.

Pelvic organ prolapse

Prolapse happens when pelvic organs shift and bulge into the vagina. This is more likely after having a baby.

Read more about prolapse after birth on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Bleeding

Bleeding when you don't have your period, like after sex or after menopause, can be a sign something's wrong. Check with your GP.

Sexually transmissible infections

Some symptoms, like pain, itching or changes in discharge, can be caused by sexually transmissible infections (STIs). Many STIs have no symptoms at all. Read more about STIs and your sexual health on the Stop the rise of STIs website.

Cervical screening tests

Regular cervical screening every 5 years can help to protect you against cervical cancer. It looks for signs of HPV (human papillomavirus) in your cervix, which connects your vagina to the entry of your womb.

Testing is free for women aged 25 to 74, but there might be a fee for your appointment.

You only need the test if you’ve had sexual contact before.

How it’s done

Your GP or health professional will collect a small sample of cells from your cervix using a swab. It only takes a few minutes and shouldn’t hurt.

You can also choose to collect the sample yourself, and give it to them, if you feel more comfortable.

After the test

Your GP or health professional will send the sample for testing and tell you your results. If they find HPV, you may need to have cervical screening more often or have other tests such as a colposcopy.

More information about cervical screening

Learn more about free cervical screening under the National Cervical Screening Program or watch our cervical screening videos.