While the vagina is so complex, sometimes it doesn’t actually have to be.
If you spoke to every single woman about their vagina, you’d come to realize that your vagina is completely normal. We can often be made to feel insecure, or worried even; I mean, sex education doesn’t teach us much beyond menstruation and reproduction.
So, from a young age we’re left to fend for ourselves, googling to find out whatever information we can about our vaginas. A question that often pops up is ‘Why is my vagina so wet?’ Or, ‘Is my discharge normal?’
So, let’s talk about the normality of vaginal wetness, the causes and when to see a doctor.
Table of Contents
Every woman will experience both dry days and wet days.
Generally speaking, vaginal wetness is completely normal, as long as it’s not paired with other issues such as thick or discolored discharge, strong smells, itching, redness or sensitivity in the vagina.
Wet days are typically due to an increased level of estrogen hormones which leads to cervical fluids secretion. Wet days also indicate fertile periods.
Although some women may be concerned about their vaginal wetness, in fact, it’s vaginal dryness that tends to be a cause for concern. Vaginal dryness can cause vaginal pain, impact sex and even impact your daily life.
Typically speaking you will experience vaginal wetness every single day. Some days, depending on your menstrual cycle, it will be much more prominent than others.
Some women may experience minor vaginal wetness, so minor that it’s barely noticeable. Others will experience vaginal wetness daily and some even need to wear panty liners to help to absorb vaginal discharge.
If your vagina is wetter than usual, or it’s beginning to impact your daily life, it’s probable that you could have an infection.
If not, and this is something that’s always been consistent. Then it’s most likely that you’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about.
You’re probably wondering, what exactly is vaginal fluid?
Technically speaking you have different types of vaginal fluid depending on your arousal; cervical fluid and arousal fluid being the main ones you’ll experience day to day, and ejaculation fluid and squirting during sexual activity.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, “Cervical mucus is a fluid produced by the cervix. Your cervical mucus changes throughout your menstrual cycle. Wet and slippery cervical mucus indicates fertility.”
Cervical fluid falls under the umbrella of vaginal discharge. The closer you are to ovulation, the wetter you will become; this is because your estrogen levels peak 1-2 days before ovulation.
The texture, color and amount of cervical fluid your body will produce changes throughout your menstrual cycle. The stages of cervical mucus throughout your cycle as described by The Cleveland Clinic are as follows:
Arousal fluid is produced in response to feeling aroused. The function of arousal fluid is to help to naturally lubricate the vagina for intercourse. It usually has a clear and sticky texture.
Usually, you will know if your wetness is caused by arousal over your menstrual cycle as you will know when you’re turned on.
Female ejaculation is a controversial topic that has been studied for many years and is still up for debate. Some research finds that female ejaculation doesn’t exist, yet others support the existence of female ejaculation and are simply trying to understand the scientific function of it.
An article written by Felix D Rodriguez and others, published in The National Library of Medicine, explains that “Anatomical studies have shown that the ejaculate originates in the paraurethral (Skene's) glands… Female ejaculate differs from urine in its creatinine and urea concentrations. The fluid also contains prostate specific antigen (PSA) and could have antibacterial properties that serve to protect the urethra.”
From experience, and from speaking to other women, female ejaculation isn’t overly prominent after orgasm. Due to your existing wetness from the arousal fluid it can be hard to tell the difference. Typically, ejaculation fluid is milky in color as opposed to arousal fluid that is generally clear.
Squirting and vaginal wetness are two separate things, but I thought it important to touch upon, especially when describing arousal fluid and female ejaculation.
Squirting is often confused to be the same as female ejaculation, and this really is not the case. In fact, most women squirt without even reaching orgasm. Another misconception is that squirting is the release of urine; again, (technically) not true.
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If you’ve ever wondered, ‘why do I get so wet during sex?’ Then this might just be the answer you’ve been looking for.
Sexpert Jess Wilde in her Youtube video for LoveHoney explains, “Squirting is the involuntary release of fluid during firm intimate stimulation.” As the fluid is released through the urethra and passes through the bladder, there is a very small amount of urine.
So, if you’re wondering why you’re so wet during sex, but you’ve not actually reached climax. It’s likely that you’ve been squirting. It’s never a bad idea to put a towel down, but ultimately squirting is a good thing. It provides a lot of natural lubrication and can even intensify your orgasm.
Now we know a little about the different types of vaginal fluid, let’s take a closer look into the causes. Lots of different things may impact your vaginal fluid, and it’s important to learn the causes in order to know whether it’s normal or whether you should seek advice from a medical professional.
Infections such as bacterial vaginosis and thrush may impact vaginal wetness.
A change in vaginal discharge can be a sign of infection if paired with other symptoms (according to the NHS) such as:
Outside of a potential vaginal infection, other medical conditions can impact vaginal wetness such as:
As stated earlier, this doesn’t necessarily mean that vaginal wetness is a major symptom of any one of these conditions. Usually, other symptoms would be much more present, and of course then you would have a cause for concern. Vaginal wetness on its own isn’t medically problematic.
Arousal fluid is a result of sexual arousal. It’s your body's way of preparing for intercourse, providing you with natural lubrication for ease of entry.
Naturally, if you’re aroused, you’re going to get wet.
If you have a high sex drive, or find yourself thinking about sex throughout the day, it’s normal to experience vaginal wetness.
Likewise, if you’ve just reached orgasm, you don’t need to worry about your vaginal wetness.
It’s also different every time you have sex, depending on your level of arousal and the intensity of your orgasm. The better the sex and the hornier you are will naturally affect how wet you are.
We know that estrogen levels impact vaginal wetness. MSD Manual, a website that provides medical information from doctors, tells us that “estrogen stimulates the cervix to produce secretions (mucus), and a small amount of mucus may be discharged from the vagina.”
Many things can affect your hormone levels such as your menstrual cycle, pregnancy and even certain medications.
On the back of estrogen levels impacting vaginal wetness or cervical mucus, throughout your menstrual cycle you will experience changes in your discharge or vaginal wetness depending on where you are in your cycle.
Typically speaking a woman can expect her menstrual cycle to last 28 days (this isn’t always the case, as every woman is different and many things can impact a woman’s cycle). The first day of the cycle is menstruation, otherwise known as your period. This can last for 3-5 days (sometimes even one week).
Then, after your period you may notice brown discharge, this is usually blood that has taken a little longer to exit your body.
Your body will then prepare for ovulation. Throughout this time, estrogen levels increase and you will experience a change in vaginal discharge ranging from sticky, egg-white, creamy and clear; all dependent on your estrogen levels and your menstrual cycle stage.
If your vaginal PH balance is off, it’s likely that you’ve developed an infection and will be experiencing more vaginal wetness than usual.
Your vagina is full of healthy bacteria, and there can be several things that may cause an imbalance in this bacteria, allowing harmful bacteria to grow, thus leading to infections that can ultimately result in more discharge.
Using harsh soaps can impact your PH balance, helping bad bacteria to grow that will ultimately cause infection.
It’s always a better idea to simply wash your vagina with water when in the shower, allowing the good bacteria to do its thing. If you do decide to continue to use soap, make sure never to wash the interior of your vagina (the vaginal canal) as this will almost definitely lead to infection.
If you’re on your period, you’re naturally going to experience vaginal wetness due to your menstruation. You can also expect to spot afterwards, or experience brown discharge towards the end of your cycle.
Birth control can impact vaginal wetness in many ways. The contraceptive pill generally contains hormones that will thicken discharge, causing it to be white in color and consistent throughout the month.
With that being said, vaginal dryness is also a common side effect of taking hormonal contraception. It really depends on your body, your hormone balance, and the type of contraception you’re on.
There’s such a wide variety of contraception to take, and all forms of contraception will impact vaginal wetness in different ways.
This is why it’s so important to do your research and make sure you’re choosing the best form of contraception for you. There’s a lot of research surrounding contraception online, and you should always seek professional advice for further information personalized to you and your own needs.
Many different forms of medication can cause both vaginal wetness and vaginal dryness.
Always read the medical information provided that lists potential side effects to be sure. If you no longer have this information, you can always double check online, or contact your doctor.
You probably don’t realize that your choice of underwear can have such a big impact on your vaginal discharge.
It’s important to take care of your vagina, and do what you can to avoid infection. Opting for cotton underwear is one of the best things you can do for your vagina because it’s breathable and even absorbs some of your discharge.
If you have a high sugar diet, it’s possible that this can impact the good bacteria in your vagina, allowing the bad bacteria to grow and ultimately lead to infection.
Excessive sweating or poor hygiene can lead to thrush and other bacterial infections, which will ultimately cause you to have a wet vagina as well as other irritable symptoms.
And, even if you’re not at the stage where it leads to an infection, having a wet vagina and then adding vaginal sweat in the mix is never a nice combination and can often lead to insecurities and even make you feel uncomfortable.
Of course, vaginal sweating can’t be helped, but it’s important to shower regularly and to always pay attention when washing your vagina; avoiding soaps and using water only.
It’s sometimes difficult to determine when to actually see a doctor when it comes down to vaginal health.
It’s important that I highlight again here that vaginal wetness and discharge is completely normal. Some women have a lot, some women barely have any; it really depends on the person.
Typically, you only need to see a doctor if you have other concerning symptoms that may be linked to vaginal wetness when diagnosing. If you’re not overly concerned, then I would suggest speaking to a pharmacist first to see if they can recommend any over the counter medication or creams that may help.
If you’re still struggling to understand the issue, then it’s certainly wise to see a doctor or a gynecologist. Typically, you yourself will know if something isn’t normal in regard to your own body, so you will know within yourself if it’s worth booking that appointment; just to be sure.
Some symptoms that highlight infection and may require medical attention (especially if you’ve been experiencing one or more symptom for a prolonged period of time) are:
Yes and no.
Essentially, if this is a regular occurrence, then yes it’s normal for you. Every woman is different when it comes to discharge or vaginal wetness and this is due to a difference in hormones, medication, contraception, the stage of your menstrual cycle, etc… Essentially, there is a lot to consider, and that’s what makes everybody so unique. I mean, even your diet can affect the amount of discharge you produce.
As long as discharge isn’t irregular, or paired with other symptoms to indicate infection, then it’s totally normal and nothing to worry about.
Every vagina has a scent, but it’s usually very mild and personal to you. A lot can affect the scent of your vagina and so it would be almost impossible to have two vaginas that smell exactly the same.
Typically, you will be aware of your vaginal smell, and in turn, will know when something is not quite right.
A strong odor may indicate infection. This is why it’s super important to take the time to understand your body. That way, you’ll know if anything out of the ordinary crops up.
If you experience vaginal wetness regularly, it’s normal that your underwear may always be wet.
Using panty-liners, or wearing cotton underwear to help absorb vaginal discharge is a good solution for this. Also, it’s never a bad idea to carry a second pair of underwear in your purse; just in case.
If you’ve noticed that you get overly wet during sex, you may simply produce a lot of arousal fluid. This is due to the bartholin’s glands that essentially release lubrication to help with intercourse.
Or, you may be a squirter without knowing it. Squirting is where your body involuntarily releases fluid as a result of intense sexual stimulation, usually via the g-spot.
To put it simply, it’s probably because you’re having a good time in the bedroom.
Vaginal wetness, although it can sometimes be frustrating, generally isn’t something to worry about.
We should embrace our vaginal wetness as much as we should love and embrace our vulvas. I promise you, your vagina is beautiful and that means, so is your discharge. Learning to love and understand your body is always key.
Once you have a thorough understanding of your vaginal health, you’ll be able to try certain things that may make your day easier, and you’ll have better knowledge of what specifically works for you; especially if you’re struggling with vaginal wetness. You can use panty liners or try switching to cotton underwear to allow your vagina to breathe a little better.
Always remember to take care of your vagina, get regular STI checks, and always, always remember to wash with water – you’re going to have to trust me on that one.
If ever in doubt, seek professional advice.
If you have any further advice or information for those wanting to understand vaginal wetness, please feel free to comment. As always, share with a friend in need.
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