Anatomy and what's normal

What's where, what each part is called, and what's normal. Spoiler: normal covers a much wider range than the internet makes it look.

The outside

Everything on the outside, taken together, is called the vulva.¹ Here's what's there, from top to bottom.

Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• There are two pairs of soft skin folds, an outer pair and an inner pair. Together they're called the labia.¹ During puberty, hair starts to grow on the outer folds.²

  Source: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• At the top of the inner folds, partly covered by a little hood of skin, is the clitoris. What shows there is only one part of an organ that also reaches deep inside the body.¹

  Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• Inside the inner folds there are two openings. The one nearer the top is the urethral opening, where pee comes out. Just below it is the opening to the vagina.¹²³

  Verified with: MedlinePlus, ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• The hymen is a thin piece of tissue that partly covers the entrance to the vagina. It can stretch or tear during sex or from tampons, and from other activities too. Having a hymen or not doesn't show whether someone is a "virgin".¹

  Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic, WHO

• Below the opening to the vagina is the anus.³ The skin between the anus and the opening to the vagina is called the perineum.¹

  Verified with: MedlinePlus, ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

The inside

• The vagina is a muscular canal. It goes from the vulva on the outside up to the cervix.⁴

  Verified with: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic

• The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus. It has a small opening in the middle that lets period blood out.² The cervix is also why a tampon can't get lost inside the body.² A tampon can still get stuck or be forgotten, though. If it can't be taken out easily, see a doctor.⁵

  Source: MedlinePlus, Cleveland Clinic, Healthdirect Australia, NHS

• The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ. It's where a pregnancy grows.²

  Verified with: Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic

• The ovaries are two small, oval glands, one on each side of the uterus. They make eggs and hormones.²

  Verified with: Cleveland Clinic, MedlinePlus

• From puberty on, an ovary releases an egg each month, and the egg moves into one of the fallopian tubes. At the same time the lining of the uterus grows thicker. If no pregnancy happens, the lining breaks down and flows out through the vagina. That's a period.⁶

  Verified with: ACOG, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic

Normal comes in lots of shapes

There's a wide range of normal, and how things look varies from person to person.¹ All of these are normal:

Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• The outer folds can be anywhere from a quarter of an inch to 2 inches wide.¹

  Source: ACOG

• The inner folds are often longer than the outer ones, and it's also normal if they're not.¹

  Source: ACOG

• The two sides can be different sizes.¹

  Source: ACOG, RANZCOG

• The colour can change during puberty. In adults it can range from light pink to dark brown-red or black.¹

  Source: ACOG, RANZCOG

It's completely normal to have skin folds that clearly show around the opening of the vagina. The labia keep developing past puberty into early adulthood, which is why the NHS says surgery to make them smaller shouldn't be done before 18.⁷

Source: NHS, RANZCOG

Rarely, large or uneven inner folds get uncomfortable in clothes, during exercise or sex, or when putting in a tampon. If that happens, it's worth talking to a doctor.¹

Source: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

Hair

Pubic hair starts growing at puberty, and over time there's more of it and it gets thicker and curlier.¹ Most people end up with a rough upside-down triangle, but the amount and texture differ a lot.¹

Verified with: ACOG, Healthdirect Australia, Cleveland Clinic

Removing some or all of it is a personal choice. There's no medical or hygiene reason to do it. Some ways of removing hair raise the risk of infection, and shaving or waxing can cause injuries, so if you decide to remove hair, it's worth doing it carefully.¹

Source: ACOG, RANZCOG

Discharge

Discharge is normal. It keeps the vagina clean and moist and helps protect it from infection.¹⁸

Verified with: ACOG, NHS, Cleveland Clinic

Discharge is usually nothing to worry about if it's clear or white, if it's thick and sticky or slippery and wet, and if it doesn't have a strong or unpleasant smell. The amount varies, and it's often clearer, wetter and easier to notice around ovulation, between periods.⁸ The exception is thick and white like cottage cheese, which can be thrush, so it's worth getting checked. Healthdirect Australia says thick and white discharge isn't normal.⁸⁹ If unsure, a clinic can look. The amount and makeup of discharge change through the menstrual cycle.¹

Source: NHS, ACOG, Healthdirect Australia

Discharge can turn white or yellow when it's exposed to the air.¹⁰ Discharge that's already greenish or yellowish when it comes out is a reason to see a doctor.¹¹⁹

Source: MedlinePlus, Mayo Clinic, Healthdirect Australia

Smell

A certain amount of smell is normal. If the smell is strong and noticeable, an infection or another problem may be the cause.¹

Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

Sprays, deodorants and douches aren't recommended and can make things worse.¹ Scented products are best avoided too, and doctors advise against washing inside the vagina.⁴ On the outside, a plain, fragrance-free soap is fine, and if the skin feels irritated, clear water on its own is perfectly enough.¹

Verified with: ACOG, Mayo Clinic, NHS

When to check with a doctor

It helps to know what's usual for your own body, so changes are easier to spot.¹ It's worth getting checked if:

Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic

• discharge changes colour, smell or texture, or there's more of it than usual⁸

  Verified with: NHS, ACOG

• it's itchy or sore⁸

  Verified with: NHS, Mayo Clinic

• there's bleeding between periods or after sex⁸

  Verified with: NHS, Healthdirect Australia

• it hurts to pee, or there's pain low down between the tummy and thighs⁸

  Verified with: NHS, Healthdirect Australia, Cleveland Clinic

• there are new bumps, spots or colour changes, or itching, burning or painful swelling that doesn't go away¹

  Verified with: ACOG, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic

A change might be a sign of an infection, so it's better to see a doctor than to guess.⁸ More on when to see a doctor and how to ask.

Verified with: NHS, Healthdirect Australia

Titles are shown as each source published them, so they may use words this site doesn't.

1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — Vulvovaginal Health (FAQ) (accessed 2026-10-29)
2. Cleveland Clinic — Female Reproductive System (accessed 2026-10-29)
3. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine) — Anterior vaginal wall repair - series: Normal anatomy (accessed 2026-10-29)
4. Mayo Clinic — Vagina: What's typical, what's not (accessed 2026-10-29)
5. Healthdirect Australia — Retained tampon or other object (accessed 2026-10-30)
6. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — Your Changing Body: Puberty in Girls (FAQ) (accessed 2026-10-29)
7. NHS — Labiaplasty (accessed 2026-10-29)
8. NHS — Vaginal discharge (accessed 2026-10-30)
9. Healthdirect Australia — Vaginal discharge (accessed 2026-10-30)
10. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine) — Vaginal itching and discharge - adult and adolescent (accessed 2026-10-29)
11. Mayo Clinic — Vaginal discharge (accessed 2026-10-30)