20 Myths and Truths About Menstruation: How It Lasts, What Color Is (and More)

Menstruation is bleeding from the vagina for a period of 3 to 8 days. The first menstruation occurs in puberty, from 10, 11 or 12 years of age, and from this moment on it should appear every month until menopause, which occurs around 50 years of age.

During the embarrassment of menstruation does not occur, without embargo the woman can have a small bleeding for 1 or 2 days, mainly at the beginning of the embarazo, and it is pink or brown in color, like “coffee grounds”, which indicates that the embryo is implanted in the uterus. She knows what can cause bleeding during embarazo.

See what day your menstruation should be, putting the data below:

The main myths and truths about menstruation are:

1. The first menstruation appears at 12 years

Myth: the onset of the first menstruation, also known as menarche, varies from one girl to another because the hormonal changes are different in each organism, however, despite the fact that the average of age is around 12 years old, there are girls who start menstruating at an early age such as 9, 10 or 11 years, while there are also children who start menstruating later at 13, 14 or 15 years. See how to identify when the first menstruation is coming.

Because if the menstruation appears before the end of this age, it does not mean that there is any health problem, especially if the child does not present any symptoms. In case of doubts, the ideal is to consult a gynecologist.

2. La niña deja de crecer after the 1st menstruation.

Myth: the growth of las niñas by general lasts until approximately 16 years, so that once the 1st menstruation begins, the growth continues. However, the period of greatest growth occurs before the age of 13, and when some children start to grow up after their first menstruation, what really happens is that the growth rate slows down.

3. Menstruation lasts for 7 days.

Myth: the duration of menstruation varies from one woman to another, without embargo, it is most common that it lasts between 3 to 8 days. Generally, the next menstruation appears around the 28th day after the first day of the previous menstruation, but it may vary according to the woman’s menstrual cycle.

It is important to consider the 1st day of menstruation when a small bleeding appears, whether pink or small. Some children have this kind of “flujo” for 2 or 3 days, and from there the menstruation becomes more intense. Learn more about how the menstrual cycle works and learn to calculate the menstrual cycle.

4. Is washing hair with menstruation bad or increases in flow?

Myth: Washing your hair doesn’t affect anything with menstruation, so you can bathe quietly and stay in the shower all the time you want (but remember that it’s important to stop water).

5. Normal menstruation is red and dark.

Truth: by lo general, the color of the menstruation is changing to the lo lardo of los días, being able to vary between the vivid red and light brown. However, there are also times when the woman has a darker menstruation like coffee grounds, on the contrary lighter and pink, and this variation does not indicate a health problem.

In the majority of cases, the alterations in the coloring of the menstruation are related to the time when the blood is in contact with the air. Because when menstruation takes more time on the sanitary towel, because the general is darker. See the main causes of dark menstruation.

6. There is no way to measure the amount of menstrual blood.

Myth: normally, a woman loses between 50 to 70 ml of blood during the entire period, however, as it is difficult to measure the amount of blood lost, it is considered an abundant flow when it lasts more than 7 days or when more than 15 sanitary towels are used per each menstrual cycle. Know what can cause menstrual bleeding and what should be done in these cases.

7. Is it possible to be embarrassed during menstruation?

It depends: although it is difficult, it is possible to be embarrassed while having intimate contact while having menstruation. This happens because the hormonal production can vary in each woman, and ovulation can occur even during the menstrual period.

8. If the menstruation does not come to me, does it mean that I am embarrassed?

Myth. When menstruation is delayed, generally speaking, the main cause is hormonal changes. Because of that, delay is always a sign of embarrassment, which can indicate other situations such as stress, excessive consumption of coffee or alterations in organs that produce hormones, such as the pituitary, the hypothalamus or the ovaries.

In case of having a menstrual delay of more than 10 days, an embarrassment procedure should be carried out or see a gynecologist.

Find a more complete list of the main causes of menstrual delay.

9. Is it possible to menstruate without ovulating?

Myth. Menstruation only occurs when there is an ovum that has been released and that has not been fertilized, so it can only happen if ovulation has taken place.

However, on the contrary, is it possible to ovulate without menstruating? it is false, because when the woman ovulates and does not menstruate, it means that the ovum was fertilized by a sperm and, therefore, it is possible that the woman is embarrassed or could be some other situation that is preventing the low menstruation.

10. ¿Los hygienic tampons or menstrual cup quitan la virginity?

It depends. In general, the hygienic tampons whose size is the most small, when placed correctly, does not break the woman’s hymen. However, the hymen can break more easily with the use of the menstrual cup, so it is important to take this into consideration before buying it.

It is always recommended to talk to the gynecologist to evaluate which is the best option for each woman, and to remember that in reality virginity is only lost when there is real intimate contact. See more about how to use the menstrual cup.

11. Do the women who live together or very close to suelen menstruate together?

truth. As hormonal production depends on routine factors such as nutrition and stress, women who spend a lot of time together tend to go through the same external factors that influence the menstrual cycle, which ends up causing hormonal production and the time of menstruation sean similar to each other.

12. Walking barefoot while in pain?

Myth. When the soil is cold, walk barefoot in the winter pain. Probably what happens is that walking on the cold soil is more of a problem for those who have pain, giving the impression that menstrual cramps have started.

13. The SPM doesn’t exist, it’s just an excusa de las mujeres.

Myth. The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is real and occurs due to the large hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle, causing symptoms such as irritability, tiredness and abdominal swelling, which vary in intensity according to each woman. See a complete list of symptoms here.

14. All women hold the SPM.

Myth. PMS is a set of symptoms that appear in a woman 1 to 2 weeks before menstruation. Although it is very common, PMS only occurs in 80% of women, so it does not affect all women who menstruate.

15. Having sex with menstruation increases the risk of getting an STI.

truth. This happens because the blood favors the proliferation of microorganisms that cause diseases. Because if the man has a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), the woman is more likely to contract the disease. If it’s the opposite and the woman who is menstruating who is sick, she can also transmit them more easily because the number of microorganisms in the blood can be greater, making it easier to infect the man.

16. Is taking contraceptives in a row to avoid menstruation es malo para la salud?

It depends. There are contraceptive pills that can be taken without rest, but before doing so, contact your gynecologist.

17. Does having sex with menstruation cause problems for women?

In certain cases, it is true. If the intimate contact is safe and with the use of condoms, it does not cause any problem for the woman. In addition, there are special hygienic tampons that can be used during this period that facilitate sex. These tampons on the cord and work as an internal sponge, absorbing everything without bothering the woman or the pair.

However, during menstruation, the uterus and the uterus are very sensitive, which can favor the entry of microorganisms, so having sexual relations without control during menstruation can increase the risk of contracting diseases.

18. Can heavy menstrual flow cause anemia?

truth. In general, the profuse flow is not due to anemia, as it usually only appears when menstrual losses are really high, which only occurs when there are illnesses such as uterine fibroids or ectopic embarrassment, for example. Why should a woman only worry when her menstruation lasts more than 7 days or if her menstrual cycle is less than 21 days, or if she uses more than 15 sanitary towels in each menstrual period.

See the causes and treatment for prolonged menstruation.

19. Does menstruation stop when entering a swimming pool or at sea?

Myth. Menstruation continues to occur, so if you go in the sea or in the pool, without embargo, the presence of water in the intimate region reduces body temperature and causes an increase in pressure, making it difficult to come out of blood. However, when the water comes out, it is possible for menstruation to go down quickly, due to which it is accumulating inside the vaginal canal.

20. Can menstruation cause diarrhea?

truth. During menstruation, the uterus releases prostaglandins, which are substances responsible for generating muscle contractions. The release of these substances can affect the intestinal walls, increasing peristaltic movements and causing periods of diarrhea.