Pasty Creamy Discharge - What It Is and How to Manage It

It’s finally May in Michigan, which means more sun, warmer weather, swimsuits (maybe), and…I’m just going to say it…sweatier crotches. Why should you care? Well, my friends, as women, we most likely all have experienced pasty creamy (“PC”) discharge at some point in our lives (I truly can’t remember a client of mine who didn’t have it at least once while charting), and we’re even more likely to have PC discharge in the heat. Last week, Daria talked about how fertility appreciation is a superpower, and for this week’s blog post, I’m diving into this one specific topic of fertility appreciation/mucus observation to help you further boost your fertility appreciation knowledge. It may not be the most glamorous topic, but keep reading for more information about what pasty creamy discharge is, how to differentiate it from other mucus observations, and how to manage it.

What is pasty creamy discharge?

Pasty creamy discharge is not like other cervical mucuses. While cervical mucus originates from the cervical crypts and can be stretched between two fingers, pasty creamy discharge is a discharge that results from the sloughing of cells in the vaginal wall, and it cannot be stretched well between two fingers. If there is a greater amount of PC discharge, it often “mounds” on itself instead of stretching. Additionally, it has a very characteristic consistency, which is similar to that of hand lotion or flour paste (think of mixing flour and water together when baking - that’s what PC discharge is like).

How can I differentiate pasty creamy discharge from other cervical mucus observations?

The best way to differentiate pasty creamy discharge from other cervical mucus discharges is by paying close attention to the consistency. If you observe that hand lotion/flour paste consistency that we just talked about, you likely are seeing a PC discharge. Cervical mucus, on the other hand, has either more of a watery, slippery, or gummy/gluey consistency to it. 

Another distinguishing factor between these two observations is the stretchability. Cervical mucus can be stretched either ¼ inch (or 6 - “sticky”), ½-¾ inch (or 8 - “tacky”), or > 1 inch (or 10 - “stretchy”) and can often be stretched multiples times between two fingers before breaking, whereas PC discharge doesn’t really stretch - it more so “mounds” or builds upon itself if there is enough discharge present. 

As far as color goes, cervical mucus can be many colors, most often white, cream/cloudy, crystal clear (think egg whites), and occasionally yellow, green, brown, red tinted, or grey. PC, on the other hand, is only a white-ish/cream color. Keep in mind that PC can be mixed in with cervical mucus, though. For example, this could look like your classic peak-type mucus (crystal clear, stretches >1 inch, lubricative sensation), but mixed with a cloudy colored, pasty consistency discharge. If you see this, chart your most fertile sign of the day, which would be your peak-type mucus, NOT the PC discharge mixed in with it. 

How can I manage pasty creamy discharge?

Pasty creamy discharge tends to increase when there is more warmth, moisture, and suboptimal vaginal flora, hence why women can see more of it in the warmer months. Here are some things you can to do try to decrease the occurrence of pasty creamy discharge in your mucus observations:

1. Wear all-cotton underwear (and pants for bonus benefits). Cotton is much more breathable than other materials and takes moisture away from your genital area. Ditch those synthetic fabrics and opt for something more natural!

2. Do not wear a pantiliner everyday - this also keeps moisture locked in and encourages more PC discharge. We’re talking cotton fabrics (underwear or pants) ONLY directly on your skin and pads/pantiliners only when truly needed.

3. Change into dry clothes - especially dry underwear and pants - as soon as possible after working out or swimming to keep things dry down there.

4. Opt for flow-ier pants, shorts, skirts, and dresses this summer. Tight-fitting clothing locks moisture in the places we don’t want it to be.

5. Try going commando while sleeping.

6. Avoid using scented feminine products, soaps, bath soaks, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets. Not only are these products endocrine disruptors and filled with harmful chemicals/toxins that can affect both your fertility and overall health (check out Jenny’s post for more on this topic), but those fragrances and chemicals irritate the delicate lining of the vagina. This encourages - you guessed it - more PC discharge, and can actually make you more prone to infection.

7. Diet plays a big role in our reproductive health and our mucus observations. To decrease PC observations, try eating more foods with naturally occurring probiotics in them, such as greek/low sugar yogurts, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, etc. 

8. If you’ve tried all of these tricks with no success, please reach out to one of our practitioners to review your chart and potentially start the lactinex protocol with our guidance.

Here’s to a summer sans the lovely PC discharge! Happy warm weather charting!