Relactagel BV Vaginal Gel 7 x 5ml
Drug-free lactic acid gel that treats and helps prevent bacterial vaginosis (BV).
- 7 single-use tubes: one a night for 7 nights
- Can also be used after periods to help stop BV coming back
- Not an antibiotic
- No prescription or consultation needed
£9.99
Relactagel is a lactic acid vaginal gel that treats and helps prevent bacterial vaginosis (BV). It contains lactic acid and glycogen, which bring the vagina back to its normal, slightly acidic pH so the healthy bacteria can recover. It relieves the typical BV symptoms of a fishy-smelling, thin white or grey discharge. Each pack has 7 single-use applicator tubes of 5ml. No consultation or prescription is needed.
How Relactagel works
BV happens when the balance of bacteria in the vagina changes and the pH rises. Relactagel tops up the lactic acid your body normally makes, lowering the pH again, and the glycogen feeds lactobacilli, the “good” bacteria. It isn’t an antibiotic.
How to use Relactagel
- To treat BV: use one tube a night at bedtime for 7 nights.
- To help prevent BV coming back: use one tube a night for 2 to 3 nights after your period.
- Break off the cap, gently insert the neck of the tube into the vagina and squeeze out the contents, then throw the tube away.
- A little leakage is normal. A panty liner can help.
Who shouldn’t use it
- Don’t use it if you are allergic to maize (corn). The glycogen comes from maize.
- Don’t use it if you are trying to get pregnant.
- Don’t use it if you might have thrush.
- It isn’t a contraceptive and doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections.
The manufacturer says it can be used in pregnancy, but BV in pregnancy should always be checked by your midwife or GP first.
When to see a GP or sexual health clinic instead
Self-treatment is for people who recognise BV because they have had it diagnosed before. Speak to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic first if:
- this is the first time you have had these symptoms
- you are pregnant or think you might be
- you have pain in your lower tummy or pelvis, a fever, bleeding between periods or after sex, or sores or blisters
- you might have caught a sexually transmitted infection
- your symptoms keep coming back (for example, BV more than twice in 6 months)
Itching, soreness and a thick white discharge are more likely to be thrush, which lactic acid products don’t treat.
Compare BV gels and pessaries
| Product | Type | How it’s used | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Activ BV gel | Lactic acid gel | 1 tube at bedtime for 7 nights | £9.99 |
| Balance Activ BV pessaries | Lactic acid pessary | 1 pessary at bedtime for 7 nights | £10.49 |
| Relactagel | Lactic acid gel | 1 tube at bedtime for 7 nights | £9.99 |
| Canesbalance BV gel | Lactic acid gel | 1 tube at bedtime for 7 nights | £14.99 |
| Canesbalance BV pessaries | Lactic acid pessary | 1 pessary at bedtime for 7 nights | £14.49 |
If BV doesn’t clear with a lactic acid product, or you would rather use an antibiotic straight away, we also offer prescription BV treatment after an online consultation: metronidazole 400mg tablets, a metronidazole 2g single dose, Zidoval gel and clindamycin cream.
Important information
Always read the instructions for use in the pack before you start. Stop using it and speak to a pharmacist if it causes ongoing burning, soreness or a rash. Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm, Independent Prescriber — Superintendent Pharmacist, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed: October 2026. Information checked against the manufacturer’s product information.
Read our BV treatment guide to compare prescription and non-prescription BV treatments, and to find out more about symptoms and when to see a GP.
