What your period blood colour means

Brown, pink, orange + more 🌈

Quick summary 📝

1️⃣ Period blood can be pink, red, brown or almost black, and most colour changes are normal. Darker blood is usually just older

2️⃣ Most changes are normal, but some colours may signal an issue, especially if they come with unusual symptoms

3️⃣ For any unusual symptoms like itching, a very bad smell, or unusual discomfort it’s best to check in with a doctor

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Ever looked down at your pad and wondered why your period is brown? Or spotted another colour that made you worry?

It might seem a bit strange, but paying attention to the colour of your period blood can help you understand your health 🤓

So luna's here to break down the different colours your period blood might be, and what each one means 🫶

Why does period blood change colour?

It’s all about timing. The longer blood stays inside your body before it comes out, the darker it gets.

That’s because blood slowly reacts with oxygen (this is called oxidation), which changes its colour.

So bright blood is usually fresh, and darker blood has just been hanging around a bit longer.

Pink

👉 When: often at the very start of your period, or on really light days

👉 Why: fresh blood mixes with discharge, which makes it look lighter

Bright red blood

👉 When: usually early in your period

👉 Why: it’s fresh blood that’s come out quickly, so it hasn’t had time to darken

Dark red or brown

👉 When: a few days in, and often towards the end of your period

👉 Why: it’s older blood that’s stayed in your uterus (womb) a bit longer

👉 Clots: small clots can come with darker blood, and they’re usually nothing to worry about

Very dark or black

👉 When: often near the end of your period, when your flow slows down

👉 Why: it’s usually just old blood that’s had even longer to darken

Sometimes very dark blood or a bad smell can mean a tampon’s been forgotten. Don’t panic, it can’t get lost inside you.

Try to gently remove it with clean fingers. If you can’t, a doctor or sexual health clinic can take it out for you.

Get urgent medical help if you’ve used a tampon or menstrual cup and suddenly feel really unwell, with:

👉 High temperature: or feeling hot, cold or shivery

👉 Aches: like your muscles are really sore

👉 A rash: one that feels rough, like sandpaper

👉 Flu-like symptoms: feeling suddenly and seriously ill

Take the tampon or cup out straight away. This could be toxic shock syndrome, which is rare but serious.

What about orange or grey?

These shades are less common. If you spot one, it’s worth taking a look at your discharge too.

Changes in discharge can sometimes be a sign of an infection, like:

👉 Bacterial vaginosis (BV): thin, watery, greyish white discharge with a strong fishy smell. It doesn’t usually itch or hurt, and it isn’t classed as an STI

👉 Trichomoniasis: yellow-green discharge that may smell fishy, plus pain when peeing. It’s an STI (sexually transmitted infection), so it’s only possible if you’ve had sexual contact

Both are treated with antibiotics, so if something seems off, a doctor or sexual health clinic can help.

When to check in with a doctor

Doctors aren’t usually worried about the colour of your period.

These things are more worth getting checked:

👉 New clots: if you’ve suddenly started getting them

👉 Heavy flow: soaking through a pad or tampon every hour, for 2 hours or more

👉 Cycle changes: periods coming a lot more or less often than usual

👉 Longer periods: lasting longer than usual for you

👉 Bad cramps: pain that feels really severe

Tracking your cycle in luna’s Tracker can help you get to know what’s normal for you.

Your period comes in more shades than you thought, and now you know which ones are just your body doing its thing 💛

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