What is Blue Waffle? Why this internet STI is a total hoax?

Written by: Dr Subita Alagh Reviewed by: Dr. Swati Mishra 10 July 2025

[{"selector":"#anim-e0d50280-2eeb-4818-b4b3-573dc6f7bd07","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85386ac7-b483-4e39-9619-d95c02368f10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.57562%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] You may have seen scary images or stories about “blue waffle disease.” Here's what you really need to know. Photo Credit: Freepik

What Is “Blue Waffle”?

[{"selector":"#anim-8337ef1e-6d71-46c2-adcc-2a9fbb75dd3d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72c16dfd-1a4b-4697-8f1a-c427b5a3483c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.1933%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3da42bc1-50f6-4a6e-9a7b-5a31e4710fbc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c37bf6c3-a351-46de-8c73-5cfa67ebd185","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 627.62708%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “Blue waffle” is a fake sexually transmitted infection (STI). It’s not real, and there’s no medical condition that turns genitals blue. Photo Credit: Freepik

Where Did the Myth Start?

[{"selector":"#anim-9b45fc31-3195-4b61-a0ec-307e2b4d4852","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13135c26-5b64-4d11-b860-be63957c6772","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 132.87851%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-944df6aa-9b6e-4677-a71e-ec17f6d01021","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c54effdb-2017-4921-8eec-4dfea9bb0585","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 424.21242%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The myth began online with a fake photo and story claiming a woman had an incurable STI. “Waffle” was used as a slang word for vagina. Photo Credit: Freepik

Fake Symptoms You Might Hear About

[{"selector":"#anim-d4b2dabf-8c85-4dcb-9183-ea29e81e96b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1995547d-d5de-47a0-ad46-085bff3c0f15","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 129.34473%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f359b467-3171-4b77-81b8-a6a7f8aaa13b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ebfc0f6-191c-426a-9ce8-cabd8a444c68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 455.55573%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The hoax includes made-up symptoms like: -Blue-colored vulva -Itching or burning -Odor or discharge These are NOT signs of a real disease. Photo Credit: Freepik

Real Symptoms That Can Be Dangerous

[{"selector":"#anim-ff0fb670-d3a0-4ba9-b44a-be61bf745fd6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b671fef3-9480-4588-9bb6-855ac26f76e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.75492%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5abe83cf-2b76-4fb5-811e-62208bad99a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-351beae9-430e-4787-9461-4d677bf80317","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 455.55573%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Itching, odor, or discharge? These might signal a real issue like vaginitis or an actual STI. Get tested by a medical professional. Photo Credit: Freepik

What Should You Do?

[{"selector":"#anim-2ed74d0f-29f3-40cd-8fe0-9ae0ab649016","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af2ffee6-2c08-47f9-b7b9-94748100d66c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 156.8551%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b06e119b-4e2a-4df1-a1d4-538a6c16f4f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a244441e-d619-4a90-a53c-29980ad5fa03","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 806.00528%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Think you might have an STI? ✔️ See a doctor ✔️ Get tested ✔️ Follow treatment Many STIs are curable or manageable. Photo Credit: Freepik

The Truth About STIs

[{"selector":"#anim-235fbdbb-c970-46c4-a198-f64defd85996","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e844ac1-0367-496c-98b0-b4e7af853d30","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 156.8551%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7e1128a-5b55-4fb3-9db5-11945da4fb5f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-caf8f394-0d65-4e5a-8965-ef8bffd9e451","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 806.00528%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some STIs like chlamydia are easily curable. Others like herpes can be managed for life. But ignoring them can lead to serious complications. Photo Credit: Freepik

Don’t Let Myths Delay Treatment

[{"selector":"#anim-372b9507-9399-40c8-8af6-ef895b4da302","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5eca36d-f49b-41a2-ac96-774b6ed290f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 156.8551%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f01c82b8-cb2d-4607-9667-305146d52d78","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6757b6fc-9a35-4d2b-b47b-3aa0c8a9e261","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 479.43637%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Believing hoaxes like “blue waffle” can cause unnecessary fear or shame. The real danger? Delaying treatment because you're misinformed. Photo Credit: Freepik

Protect Your Health With Facts

[{"selector":"#anim-f1384350-d6c2-413d-8272-4e3cf48a0a03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f14b47b-5a28-49cf-8fb9-8085d93c1180","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 189.87822%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4f42961-ee92-4edf-9d3c-7ff6f26176ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4700bcdf-b94a-4d7a-9c42-0aa92e1f06fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 501.82439%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] How to fact-check health claims: ✅ Use trusted sites: .gov, .org ✅ Talk to your doctor for real answers Photo Credit: Freepik

What is Blue Waffle? Why this internet STI is a total hoax?