I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not an artsy person. I totally get why people would describe period blood as “red” and leave it at that. But truly, there is a whole spectrum of color that your period may appear!
Also, of all the characteristics of your period (like consistency and amount), color might be the easiest to notice… But you don’t always think about it, do you?! Next time Cycle Day 1 rolls around, try to be mindful of what your period color is telling you.
Because the more you understand your “normal,” the sooner you’ll be able to tell when something funky is up.
What if my period is bright red?
Good! A bright red-- think cranberry colored-- is a sign of a healthy, fresh and steady flow. It’s possible that most of your period looks this way, but you also have some brown or dark red. If you don’t feel or see any negative symptoms, you likely have a healthy flow.
What if my period is dark red or purple?
An eggplant-y or maroon-ish period may be a sign of a heavy period. The increased amount of red blood cells makes it darker than the ideal cranberry color. Often, heavy periods are due to high estrogen, which may be a sign of issues like ovarian cysts or endometriosis. If you have rough PMS symptoms and a heavy flow, I’d suggest testing for estrogen and progesterone levels!
What if my period is brown?
Brown blood is old blood. It could be leftover blood from cycles past that your body hasn’t cleared yet. A lot of people get brown spotting, and you don’t necessarily have a problem. Keep track of color to see if brown flow changes over time. If you have other annoying symptoms, get your hormone levels checked.
What if my period is black?
That’s SUPER old blood. Typically, this means there could be some sort of blockage in your reproductive system. And, black blood will often be accompanied by other signs, like a smell or itch. Get it checked out!
What if my period is pink?
Often, pink flow is a mix of red period blood with semen or with cervical fluid. It might also be a sign of low estrogen (so it’s common for people who use hormonal birth control). If you have light periods with pink flow, you might want to test your hormone levels. Note: seeing pink blood mid-cycle could be ovulatory bleeding. Some people experience this often, and others rarely or never see ovulation spotting. Tracking your cycle will give you a clue!
What if my period is orange?
Okay, true orange might be a stretch in the Crayola period universe, but if there’s an orangey tint to your blood, it could be a sign of infection, like a yeast infection. I’d get checked!
What if my period is grey?
Grey blood also deserves a doctor’s visit. This might be a sign of bacterial vaginosis, and a doc can help take care of that.
No matter what your period looks like, it’s crucial that you figure out what your normal is.
Even if you don’t want to track all the details, keep minimal notes of your period: number of days bleeding, how many days between periods, general color and consistency, and any changes from your normal.
It takes practically no time or effort but could be a helpful step in figuring out whether you have a hormone imbalance.
