MYTH: No woman ever smells bad “down THERE” if they shower daily
Most people think the vagina should smell like bed of roses Look, a healthy vagina can produce plenty of odor’s that smell nothing like a bed of roses: and that is how it should be no matter what the streams of 'feminine hygiene products' on the market try to convince you.
However, if you notice that the smell emanating from that region has changed or that it is particularly pungent, well, something medical may be going on that needs correcting.
So, what might be causing a 'smelly vagina,' and how should you address it? Read on for expert answers.
Why do I have a strong odor down there?
There are many potential causes. To take one, bacterial vaginosis, one of the common culprits for giving your vagina a lingering fishy smell, is twice as common as thrush. Meaning? It's not exactly unusual if you notice a funky vibe coming from down there.
Then there are the likes of yeast infections, which can essentially make your pubic region smell like a brewery (sorry), and all those STIs with their telltale foul-smelling odor.
12 Possible Causes of a Smelly Vagina
1. Bacterial Vaginosis
Expect your vagina to smell: Fishy
Bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is common. It's so common, in fact, that it’s twice as prevalent as thrush. Yet it’s still a condition that often gets overlooked. BV can be triggered by anything from washing yourself too much to using perfumed soaps to menstruation, sex, diet, and certain antibiotics. Oh, and your contraception can be a trigger, too.
2. Yeast Infection
Expect your vagina to smell: Yeasty (yes, shock.)
Think yeast infection, and, chances are, you won’t list a smelly vagina as being one of the principle symptoms. That's because, says consultant gynaecologist Miss Anne Henderson,
‘Thrush is usually completely odorless but has characteristic burning and irritation; which can run all the way down the vagina and then onto the vulva,’ she says.
But note the word usually. After all, yeast has its own distinct smell. So, if you have a faint whiff of beer following you around, you might want to get your vagina’s yeast levels checked out.
3. There’s a Foreign Object Trapped in your Vagina
Expect your vagina to smell: Rotten
‘Retained foreign bodies, such as a tampon, can lead to infection and cause smelly discharge,’ Adib says.
Not so nice.
Treatment: If you think you might have forgotten something inside your vagina, give yourself some uninterrupted quiet time to lie down and have a gentle feel.
Still not sure? Or not comfortable with self-exploration? Seek medical advice. Left unchecked, the infection could lead to pelvic pain, fever and even Toxic Shock Syndrome, which can be fatal.
4. You’ve Eaten Something Different
Expect your vagina to smell: Of what you ate
Okay, so this one is anecdotal but hands up, who’s eaten asparagus, onions, coffee, pineapple or other strong-smelling foods and then noticed a change in the smell of their vagina?
It’s believed this happens because certain foods can alter the smell of your sweat and other bodily fluids. Meaning…?
Treatment: It’s nothing to worry about and should clear up within a couple of days.
5. You’re on your Period
Expect your vagina to smell: Metallic
No surprises for guessing why.
But your monthly bleed can also send your vagina’s pH off kilter (FYI, a normal vaginal pH level is between 3.8 and 4.5), which can also make your vagina more smelly than usual.
‘Menstrual blood is more alkaline than your vagina so, when it flows through the vagina or is contained in a tampon, it can raise the pH level, reducing its acidity,’ Henderson says.
Treatment: Expect any odour to clear up once your period has finished.
6. You’ve just had Unprotected Sex
Expect your vagina to smell: Like semen
Just like your menstrual blood, semen can also elevate your vagina’s pH levels, which, says Henderson, can not only change the smell of your vagina, but also, when combined with other actions such as using perfumed body washes, encourage the growth of certain bacteria.
Add to that the fact that you’ll likely have been working up a sweat between the sheets and (if you’ve not been using condoms) mixing your bodily fluids with those of someone else and that’s a whole lot of different odours going on down there.
Treatment: Any untoward smells should disperse within a couple of days.
7. You have Trichomoniasis
Expect your vagina to smell: Fishy
According to Adib, this STI is caused by infection with a parasite called Trichomonas Vaginalis. ‘It can make the vagina look like a strawberry,’ Adib says. Think swollen and red.
Plus, you may produce more discharge than normal, which could be thick, thin or frothy; yellow-green in colour; and have a fishy odour. It might also hurt when you pee – or have sex.
8. Or Another STI
Expect your vagina to smell: Foul
According to the Family Planning Association, in 2015, chlamydia accounted for 46.1% of all STIs diagnosed (and 70% of those cases were female).
While instances of gonorrhoea – an STI which is becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment – have increased every year since 2008 and were up 11% between 2014 and 2015 alone.
Although around half of women won’t experience symptoms, the other half will – which means anything from a burning sensation when you pee to a yellow-greenish foul-smelling discharge.
9. You’ve Developed Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Expect your vagina to smell: Foul
‘PID is an infection of the gynaecological organs and affects the womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes,’ says Adib. ‘It used to be primarily reported by women aged 15-24, but it is now on the rise in other age groups, too – basically anyone who has unprotected sex is at risk.’
The bad news is that signs of the condition (for those who actually experience them) can easily be misdiagnosed as something else. Pelvic pain? It could be PID. Pain during sex? It could be PID. Pain when you pee, spotting between periods, heavy periods, painful periods, excessive discharge that’s smelly and a yellow/green colour?
‘Left untreated, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scar tissue to form in the pelvis, causing pelvic pain,’ says consultxant obstetrician and gynaecologist Ellis Downes. ‘It can also cause damage to the fallopian tubes and they may even become blocked, which has implications for fertility.’
10. It’s Time for some new Underwear
Expect your vagina to smell: Sweaty
Been opting for synthetic materials of late, over cotton? Or simply been wearing something different to your norm?
Again, it’s largely anecdotal, but certain materials are prone to trapping in more heat and moisture – in turn, creating optimum conditions for bacteria to grow.
Treatment: If a change in your panty preferences and your awareness of a smelly vagina go conveniently hand-in-hand, perhaps consider reverting back to the underwear you were wearing before.
11. You’ve Been Working Out
Expect your vagina to smell: Sweaty
Pretty obvious this one but, just like your pits post sweat sesh, your intimates will also be prone to smell a little more ripe, than roses. And, yes, your favourite tight-fit leggings may make your butt pop but they could also be part of the problem.
Treatment: One word: Hygiene.
Shower right after exercising – so avoid going straight from gym to gin. And warns Henderson, remember, your vagina is a delicate area: ‘Avoid aggressive washing agents and perfumed vaginal washes.’ In short, regardless of how pungent your smelly vagina might seem, water and / or mild soap should do.
12. You’re Under a lot of Stress
Expect your vagina to smell: Different
Smelly vagina not fishy, not yeasty, not sweaty, just a little bit... out of sorts?
It could be the result of apocrine glands one of your body’s types of sweat glands; the other being eccrine glands producing a milky fluid. The apocrine glands function primarily when you feel stressed or anxious whist the eccrine glands are the ones that help to keep you cool. When this milky liquid mixes with the bacteria naturally found on your vulva, it can cause things to smell a little different to usual.
Treatment: Try to reduce stressors in your life. Easier said than done, right? Try these 10 ways to beat stress, for starters.