The color, texture, and amount of vaginal discharge can change during a girl's menstrual cycle. While some changes are normal, others indicate a problem.
The word pussy originated around 1600 as an affectionate term for a woman or girl who was seen as having characteristics associated with cats, such as sweetness. However, it soon became a vulgar term for female genitalia.
Vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge is a normal bodily function that helps the body fight off infections and provides lubrication to the vulva. However, it can also signal a health problem or pregnancy, so it’s important to know what you should look out for. Usually, a girl’s discharge is white or clear and has no odor. It can also vary in amount and color throughout the menstrual cycle. The amount of discharge is usually higher around ovulation and during sexual activity.
If a girl’s puss changes in color, smell or consistency, this is a sign that something is wrong. It may be a sign of an infection, pregnancy or even genital cancer. A doctor should be consulted if the symptoms of this change are severe, and a sample of the girl’s discharge might need to be taken for further examination and testing.
A yeast infection can cause a thick, cottage cheese-like discharge that smells bad. It may also cause a burning sensation during sex and urination, as well as pain in the vulva area. This is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be treated with antibiotics. Other symptoms of a yeast infection include itching and soreness in the vulva area, and spotting between periods.
This is another common sexually transmitted disease that can be caused by bacteria, chemicals or a foreign object. It can also be caused by a lack of lubrication, douching or the use of certain soaps and lubes. It is a condition that can be prevented by using condoms and changing them frequently.
A healthcare professional can test for this infection by swabbing the girl’s discharge and sending it to a lab for analysis. The results of the test will determine the appropriate treatment. If the result comes back positive, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics or may want to take a scraping from the cervix for further examination. The healthcare professional will also discuss the best methods of prevention to avoid future infections. The obgynecologist will also discuss the best ways to keep the vulva healthy and comfortable.
Labial fusion
A girl may have labial adhesions (fusion of the inner lips of the vulva) as a result of irritation and low levels of estrogen before puberty. It’s usually discovered accidentally by a parent during nappy changing or bathing and the condition doesn’t have any long-term effect on a girl’s fertility, sexual function or menstrual cycle. The fused inner lips of the vulva are usually red and raw from irritation or a vaginitis and heal stuck together in a similar way to any cut on the skin. This is called primary labial adhesions and it’s quite normal in babies, toddlers or girls up to seven years of age.
The fused labia minora often heals with a small gap at the front of the vulva that urine passes through. If this becomes too small and a girl can’t empty her bladder without the uvula rubbing against the rectum, it can lead to urinary incontinence. The most common symptoms of this condition include a feeling of being sore in the vulva, dribbling urine after urinating and a bloated abdomen.
Most doctors recommend that parents not try to separate the labia because it’s likely to cause further irritation and pain to a sensitive young child. Instead, they’ll advise a girl to use a lubricant like petroleum jelly to keep the uvula and labia from sticking together. They also say that a girl should avoid irritating substances such as wet diapers and scented soaps/detergents and wait until puberty when her natural levels of estrogen rise to help prevent the problem from recurring.
Some girls with fusion of the labia may be treated by their doctor with oestrogen cream that’s applied daily or, very rarely, surgical separation. The treatment is safe, quick and easy for the doctor to perform and shouldn’t have any lasting effects on a girl’s future fertility or sexual function. The fusion of the labia will correct itself during puberty in up to one in three cases, so it’s nothing to worry about. In addition, there’s no evidence that the condition has any long-term effects on a girl’s reproductive health or that it increases the risk of uterine cancer later in life.
Vaginitis
Vaginitis is the general term for disorders of the vulva caused by infection, inflammation or changes in normal vaginal flora. Symptoms can include pain and burning during intercourse, itching of the vulva and vulva discharge. The condition may be a sign of STIs (sexually transmitted infections).
A yeast infection, also called vaginal candidiasis, is the most common type of vulvovaginitis in girls. A thick, milky discharge with a fishy or foul odor is characteristic of this infection. The odor becomes worse after intercourse and itching is common. A bacterial infection, such as trichomoniasis or BV, can also cause vaginitis. Yeast and bacterial infections have similar symptoms, such as itching or a frothy, white-colored discharge. Bacterial vaginosis is often mistaken for a yeast infection and treated the same way.
Yeast infections are usually caused by an overgrowth of the yeast that normally lives in the body. Bacterial vaginosis, on the other hand, is caused when the balance of bacteria in the vagina gets out of control. These diseases are not serious and can be easily treated with medicine.
Other types of vulvovaginitis, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). These can be difficult to detect and can make it harder for a girl to get pregnant. A doctor should test a sample of vaginal discharge for these infections to confirm the diagnosis and give the girl antibiotics to treat them.
Non-infectious vulvovaginitis is most often caused by irritation to the sensitive skin of the vulva and vulva canal. Avoiding irritants, such as scented soaps and products, can help to reduce the symptoms of this condition. A girl should wash her genital area daily with plain warm water and dry it thoroughly. She should also urinate with her knees spread apart and stay seated on the toilet until she is completely finished to prevent spreading fecal bacteria from the rectum to the vulva. A girl should avoid bathing and whirlpool spas and take plain warm instead of hot or bubble baths. She should wipe from front to back after urinating and use a mild, unscented vaginal douche or sanitary spray. She should also avoid rubbing or scratching the vulva and wear loose clothing.
Urethral injury
Urethral trauma is damage to the tube that sends urine out of the body. It is not common and is often overlooked. Injuries to the urethra can result from penetrating or blunt injuries. They can be severe or minor. They can affect the outer genitals (in women, the labia and the clitoris) or the inner urethra. They can also cause the area between the urethra and anus (the perineum) to hurt.
The urethra is a muscular tube that extends from the penis or the bladder to the perineum and scrotum. Injuries to the urethra occur when force is applied or pressure is exerted on the urethra, causing a tear in its lining. This can lead to urine extravasating into the tissues surrounding it, which may include the penis, scrotum, abdominal wall, or the perineum. Urine may also leak into the anus, causing it to become inflamed.
Most urethral trauma is the result of blunt injuries, such as vehicular accidents or falling astride. Other causes of urethral injury include straddle injuries, and injuries from blows to the pelvic bones or perineum. Penetrating trauma, including gunshot wounds and self-inflicted injuries, can also affect the urethra.
The initial management of urethral injury should ensure drainage of the bladder by suprapubic cystostomy. This should be done immediately. Secondary repair of the urethra is avoided because of high complication rates. A 2-stage approach to performing a suprapubic cystostomy and urethral realignment should be avoided because it leads to scar formation at the site of obliteration, which causes not only a stricture in the urethra but also dense adhesions in the vaginal mucosa, resulting in vulvar stenosis.
A girl should be seen by a doctor right away if she is experiencing pain in the groin or lower abdomen, particularly if it is associated with vomiting and blood in her underwear. The doctor will take a history of the injury and perform a pelvic exam. He or she will look at the outer genitals for signs of ecchymosis, erythema, and abrasions. The doctor will then look inside the urethra with an internal speculum, checking for a urethral disruption or rupture and lacerations.