Six shades of red
Describing the colour of your period is like describing the colour of your lipstick! Deep red, pink, bright red, orange, brown -it has to be admitted that your cycle produces all these colours! And in terms of your health, your period can communicate with you in the language of colour. Learn how to interpret it.
1/ Pink blood
Pink blood can signify a number of things:
- That you have a light flow that lasts only a few days.
- Associated with painful periods, this could mean you are going through hormonal changes which could lead to an infection.
- A sign of pregnancy.
2/ Bright red blood
Blood in its pure state! Rest assured that when you see a bright red colour on your pad, your periods are in perfect working order and in full health.
3/ Orangey-red blood
If the colour of the blood is a little more orangey or if it smells bad, this could mean that the blood is mixed with fluids from your uterus, indicating an infection. Consult your doctor or gynaecologist who will advise as to what to do.
4/ Dark brown blood
No need to panic, even if many of us may worry about seeing this colour appearing, be aware that it’s completely normal! Brown blood is very common at the end of your period. That said, if it continues, consult your doctor, as it could be the sign of an infection or of excessive bleeding.
5/ Wine red blood
At the start of your period, it is completely normal to notice a particularly dark red, almost wine coloured shade, and to have some blood clots. But if this colour persists for more than a week, it could be a sign of a uterine fibroid or a miscarriage. In such cases, consult your doctor immediately.
6/ Very abundant bleeding
It often happens that during a certain time in your cycle, you bleed more than usual. As long as it doesn’t start to haemorrhage and as long as it calms down, there is no need to worry. That said, there is such a thing as menorrhagia, which is very heavy periods from the start to the end of the cycle, which could be due to tampons that don’t agree with the body, for example, or the sign of a minor infection. Consult your doctor to find out more.
