Of all social media trends that took flight, the #PantyChallenge is probably one of the most cringe worthy ones yet. The #PantyChallenge asks women to take photos of their super clean super dry underwear to prove that vaginal discharge is a myth. Which, okay, we all know is not true because vaginal discharge totally exists and it’s totally normal.
Thankfully, women everywhere aren’t flooding the internet with super unrealistic expectations of dry lady parts but instead are poking fun at the challenge by tweeting about its absurdity. Kind of like this.
https://twitter.com/AsToldByBrina/status/748085234298650624
And this.
https://twitter.com/laamore_cherie/status/804124026335543297
In case you were wondering, there’s absolutely no reason to aim for squeaky-clean underwear. According to gynaecologists everywhere, women do produce vaginal discharge and that’s TOTALLY FINE, people. TOTALLY FINE. Click here for more on vaginal discharge and why it’s not gross.
Discharge is a normal part of your vaginal health. The only time discharge should be a cause for concern is when it’s got a different smell or colour than usual or if you notice burning, itching or other signs of an infection.
However, a little variation in discharge is to be expected. For example, there’ll be more when you’re ovulating, breastfeeding, or sexually aroused.
In fact, a moisture-free vagina should be a red flag for anyone. “Vaginal discharge is not only healthy, it’s also very common and normal,” says women’s health expert, Jennifer Wider, M.D.. “It helps keep the vagina clean and prevents infection.”
Thank goodness that it didn’t take the Internet long to catch up on that. Well, glad that’s over and here’s to hoping the next absurd social media trend isn’t as absurdly questionable as the #PantyChallenge.