Describing Categories of Dry
0 - DRY
2 - Damp without lubrication
2W - Wet without lubrication
4 - Shiny without lubrication
All of these four descriptions of dry have two things in common. The sensation felt as you wipe across the perineum is dry, and nothing can be lifted off the tissue when finger tested. It is when you observe the tissue that you will now differentiate which description to use.
0 = DRY may have skid marks on the tissue, and nothing else.
2 = damp WITHOUT lubrication – there will be a damp spot on the tissue, and nothing can be felt or seen on the tissue. Nothing can be picked up off the tissue to finger test.
2W = wet WITHOUT lubrication – the tissue will be wet looking, and nothing can be picked up off the tissue when finger tested.
4 = shiny WITHOUT lubrication – there will be a shiny spot on the tissue though nothing can be picked up off the tissue to finger test. The shine will go away when rubbed if there is no cervical mucus present. Shiny is commonly seen just prior to the change into a mucus pattern, or away from a mucus pattern, as well as a day or two prior to menstruation.
The damp, shiny, or wet appearance on the tissue comes from vaginal cell sluff. This is not cervical mucus. On occasion, there is enough vaginal cell sluff present so that a woman will experience the sensation of smoothness as she wipes across the perineum. But because she still cannot finger test anything off the tissue, this has the same significance as a dry sensation.
