Brown Discharge After Period: Meaning, Causes and When to Seek Help

Just when you think your periods are over, you witness a certain amount of discharge in your panties. This might look frustrating at first but experiencing discharge after periods is normal just as discharge before periods . Typically, discharge after periods is brown in colour. But there are chances that your discharge colour could vary, citing some underlying condition. Thus, it's quite important to understand the cause behind your discharge after periods.

To help you out, we've enlisted the causes and what different colours of discharge indicate along with how it can be treated. So, let's have a look at each in detail.

• Causes Of Discharge After Periods
• The Different Colors Of Discharge After Period
• Treatment For After Period Discharge

Vaginal discharge is your body's natural way of cleaning and protecting your vagina. However, when you experience vaginal discharge after periods, it could be linked to some other reasons as follows:

If you notice white discharge after your periods which is thick and has cottage-cheese like consistency, then it's an indication of yeast infection . It's caused due to an imbalance of bacteria that is naturally found in your vagina. This type of infection can occur before or after your periods and can cause irritation, redness and itching in your vaginal region.

Your body tends to ovulate two weeks after day one of your periods. During ovulation, you might notice cervical mucus. This type of white discharge after periods is caused due to an increase in the estrogen levels in your body. To stay protected from this type of discharge, you can use panty liners. Experience the best protection offered by the ALWAYS Daily Liners Extra Protect Panty Liners . It has odour neutralising and fast-absorbing technology which keeps you clean and protected. Additionally, it's dermatologically tested and super gentle on your skin. Read more about 5 ways to track your ovulation cycle .

An after-period discharge that is brown in colour tends to be the old blood that your uterus didn't shed during the cycle. If this blood stays for a longer time, it oxidises causing black discharge after a period. This type of discharge is not that heavy, thus using a panty liner like the ALWAYS Daily Liners Comfort Protect Panty Liners which has a comfortable fit and breathable design seems like an ideal choice.

If you take birth control pills, you might notice discharge after your periods too. It's caused due to the excessive amount of estrogen and progesterone triggered by these pills in your body.

Experiencing yellow, smelly discharge after periods is an indication of sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis. In case you notice yellow discharge after periods that has a foul odour, then consult with your doctor immediately.

As mentioned earlier, yellow discharge after a period that has a strong odour is a result of a sexually transmitted infection.

Experiencing white discharge after a period that is thick can be a by-product of a yeast infection.

A watery discharge is considered to be a normal sign of your vaginal health. If this watery discharge after periods has an egg-white like consistency, it's more likely related to your ovulation.

Hormonal imbalances, irregular menstruation or ovulation spotting are some of the reasons that can cause pink discharge before a period. For the most part, there's no need to worry about this type of discharge. But if it occurs with other symptoms like fever, pain or dizziness then you must consult a doctor.

Bloody discharge after periods is essentially witnessed when your hormones are imbalanced or in case of pregnancy-related issues like miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, preterm labour, issues with placenta or your cervix. In situations like these, consulting with your doctor immediately is a must.

When period blood takes additional time to exit the uterus, it oxidises and turns black. So, when you notice black discharge after a period, it's actually your usual period blood. However, there are some other factors like a foreign object stuck in your vagina, pelvic inflammatory disease, implantation and missed miscarriage that can also be the reason for this type of discharge.

This type of discharge after a period is quite normal. It's the period blood that takes time to leave the uterus. Read more about brown vaginal discharge here.

Read more about what do different period blood colours indicate.

Typically, brown and clear white discharge requires no treatment. It's a normal part of your vaginal behavior. Coming to smelly discharge after periods, it could be an infection. It can be treated with over-the-counter medicines. Depending on the severity, it will take a week or so to clear up. But you must visit a doctor to get the correct treatment for your vaginal yeast infection or a chronic one. In the case of STIs, heading to a doctor's clinic is the only viable option. They can be treated with antibiotics. Additionally, you need to ensure optimal hygienic practices like wearing breathable underwear and changing and washing them regularly.

The Bottom Line

After period discharge might look a little alarming. But now that you've understood what each discharge after periods means, you can easily make the derivations. In case you feel that there's something unusual with your vaginal discharge, contact your doctor immediately.

Keep a track of your ovulation period with Always Ovulation Calendar and Period Calculator

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