Red Day Bacteria and What You Can Do About it

Not only can it get quite uncomfortable, but we also have to be a little more cautious than usual. Even with our menstrual cup, tampon, or napkin in place we still hold off on wearing our power outfits and tight white pants just to avoid staining them. We have to deal with dysmenorrhea, migraines, lower back pains, and mood swings, to say the least. And who would ever forget about the lingering thought of “can they smell my red day odor?” throughout the day and the itchiness our red days come with?

As if all that isn’t enough to make a grand entrance, our red days demand to be felt. Because on top of all of this, we also have to worry about steering clear from the red day bacteria. If you’re thinking “the what now??” Yes, you heard that right! Red days come with red day bacteria that make us prone to more itch, odor, and irritation.

Red Day Bacteria

In every vagina, there are “good” bacteria and “bad” bacteria, both contributing to your feminine area’s equilibrium. That means it is safe and normal to have bacteria in your vagina so long as the “bad” bacteria are not overwhelmingly more than the good ones. Because once the “bad” bacteria start outnumbering the “good” bacteria, there will be an imbalance in the pH level in your feminine area.

And once the pH balance gets messed up, irritations in your feminine area start occurring. Your feminine area’s pH levels could be shaken through the use of scented tampons, unprotected sex, and red days.

And during our red days, our vagina’s pH level jumps up to at least 7.4, which is the natural pH level of blood but way higher than our vagina’s natural pH level. Now think of this and add the fact that your red days are also the window of opportunity for your vagina, and uterus to discharge and release unwanted bacteria and toxins. Now that the 7.4 pH level starts rising depending on the other substances you are releasing down there. Needless to say, if all that comes out through your menstrual blood, your vagina and your vulva are very much exposed to it, making you extra prone to red day odor, itch, and irritation.

What can my red day bacteria turn into?

We already know keeping a lot of “bad” bacteria in our body is never a good idea — especially if it’s in our feminine area. And now that we know our red days make us more prone to irritations, let’s talk about a few of the most common things unaddressed red day bacteria can turn into.

Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis is an imbalance in pH levels in your vagina. This is usually caused by having unprotected sex and with multiple partners, douching, or by not properly disinfecting your feminine areas during red days.

Bacterial Vaginosis usually comes with no symptoms. But for those who do experience symptoms, they usually come through a fish-like odor down there, likely most pungent after intercourse. It can also come with a thick white or gray discharge, and sometimes even an intense itching or burning sensation in your feminine area.

Pelvic Infection

Pelvic infection is a little less common but still very possible for women on their red days. This happens when your vulva is exposed to all the red day bacteria for too long that it starts crawling up through your vaginal canal and to your pelvic organs. Contracting pelvic infection is possible anytime throughout the menstrual cycle but is mostly going to occur during your red days due to the change of pH levels. This is the reason why OB-GYNEs advise women to replace their tampons, napkins, and menstrual cups every six to eight hours.

Pelvic Infections usually come with symptoms like a smelly vaginal odor, pelvic pain — especially during intercourse, fever, and sometimes bleeding in between your menstrual cycles. This infection is a little more serious, and if you suspect you are contracting this, call your OB-GYNE, immediately.

Toxic Shock Syndrome

In a nutshell, TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome is what happens when you mess with the natural environment of your vagina. Meaning, if you insert objects that have substances that may throw off its equilibrium. Think of it this way: anything you put into your body that isn’t supposed to be there introduces bacteria, which your “good” bacteria can fight off, or not depending on how strong these bacteria are. Women are usually more prone to TSS during their menstruation because of the imbalance of the vagina’s pH level, which makes the bacteria more susceptible to growth.

Symptoms of TSS may show up through fever, muscle pain, extreme rashes, and skin peeling, and sometimes even confusion and loss of consciousness. Although studies have not been able to pinpoint what exactly causes the contraction of TSS, it’s best to make sure irritation does not lead to further infection by practicing proper red day hygiene.

What can I do about it?

Prevention is always the best solution, and to avoid red day bacteria caused concerns, start with practicing good red day hygiene. Here are a few tips you can keep in mind to keep your feminine area health in check!

• Do NOT douche: Leave your vagina alone, douching may sound like a cleaning method but it may cause more harm than good, so just don’t.
• Practice safe sex: How you spend your intimate time is absolutely your business. Just remember to practice safe sex and ask your partner to wrap it up with a condom to protect your vagina form possible toxins and irritants.
• 6-hour-rule: Remember to change your sanitary pad or tampon every 6 hours to protect you from red day bacteria.
• Practice good menstrual hygiene: It’s always best to practice good feminine hygiene - especially on your red days. GynePro Ultra Protection comes with tri-power protection against vaginal odor, itch, and irritation. You can use 2x/day during your red days. By applying a palmful, you can keep yourself protected from red day bacteria!

Protect yourself with a red day feminine wash you can trust, like GynePro! To read more helpful articles like this and learn more about your red days, click here.

Sources:

• https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/toxic-shock-syndrome-and-menstrual-products-a-short-history
• https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2334-14-471
• https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-96-6-948
• https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/sig52761#:~:text=During%20your%20period%2C%20bacteria%20can,Pelvic%20pain%2C%20especially%20during%20intercourse.
• https://www.medicinenet.com/bacterial_vaginosis_causes_symptoms_treatment/article.htm
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352279
• https://www.bloodandmilk.com/bacterial-vaginosis-free-yourself-from-this-stage-5-clinger/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2567125/

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