“What most people think of as traditional period odour is actually body odour”, says Dr Holmes. But again, regularly cleaning yourself should ease your worry about vaginal odour during your time of the month. Some people still feel shame or embarrassment about their period, and how it smells is no exception. What if my vagina smells bad during my period?
If they do, it could be a sign of an infection like bacterial vaginosis. “We can all smell ourselves because we’re so self-conscious, but most people don’t smell other people’s vaginal odours”. “One of the first questions I ask my patients is, ‘has anyone ever said anything to you about it?’” says Dr Holmes. And if you feel comfortable, you can ask your partner if they’ve noticed a change. A chemical smell that’s stronger than a faint whiff of bleach might also be a sign of bacterial vaginosis or another vaginal infection.Ī good rule to follow is if it makes you scrunch your nose up, or if you can smell it on your fingers beyond a few inches away from your face, you might want to get checked out by a doctor. Trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection that has similar symptoms (along with pain when you urinate) could be another culprit for foul vaginal odour. “Bacterial vaginosis is the primary condition that creates that classic fishy odour”, says Dr Holmes, particularly if it’s accompanied by symptoms like itching, burning or unusual watery discharge. (And not fresh-from-the-market fish either). We don’t recommend using a douche inside your vagina – that’s the easiest way to throw off a healthy pH balance! A fishy, foul, or strong chemical smell? Not normal.Ī tell-tale sign there’s a problem downstairs is that unmistakable fishy vaginal odour. Wash the outside of your groin regularly with soap and only rinse the inside of your vulva with warm water, as soap can irritate the area and throw off your vagina’s pH balance. If the smell bothers you, there are easy ways to keep the area clean. Just be aware of the signs and symptoms, and speak to your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment options.Īccording to Dr Holmes, the groin also contains a lot of sweat glands, so a lot of what we consider worrisome vaginal odours are often just your normal, natural musk – particularly after exercising or a couple of days without a shower. Yeast infections can happen to anyone, so no need to panic. If a strong yeasty or sugary vagina smell is accompanied by itching, burning or white discharge, you may have a yeast infection. A vagina can also smell slightly metallic if you’re at the beginning or end of your menstrual cycle. Your vagina can smell slightly sweet if you’ve just eaten lots of citrus fruits, or slightly bleachy if you’re dehydrated. Sometimes vaginal odour can smell like beer or bread, which contain the same helpful bacteria. Those things include “semen, blood, lubricants and any washes or liquid that you might use on your vaginal area”. “A lot of things can change the vagina from being acidic to being more alkaline”, says Melisa Holmes, MD, OB-GYN and co-founder of Girlology. Usually, it maintains a balance between vaginal yeast and bacteria, but the exact vaginal smell and pH can vary.
A well-balanced vagina will have a pH of 3.8 to 4.5, regulated by tiny bacteria called lactobacilli. Having a smell is normalĮven though our vaginas are self-cleaning wonders, they’re not designed to smell like a spring meadow or a tropical cocktail – a faint tangy scent or a bit of sweat is totally fine and healthy.
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Do you have smelly vaginal discharge? Does your vagina smell fishy? How do you know if you have abnormal vaginal odour? Here’s how to tell if your vaginal odour is something to worry about, or just part of your natural cycle. But sometimes vaginas get thrown a little off balance. Its ecosystem works hard to keep a delicate, slightly acidic balance through changes like your period, sex and ovulation.
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