Clinics at: Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth | Clementine Churchill Hospital | Portland Hospital

Different Types of Vaginal Odors That You Should Know

The Internet has glorified that your vagina should smell like flowers. Go to any nearby drug store, and you will come across scented tampons, pads, and gels to mask the vagina odour. It’s anything but not flowery. 

EVERY VAGINA HAVE A SMELL. At times, many feel self-conscious when they notice the odour. It’s because your vagina is home to billions of bacteria. It is constantly changing due to your hygiene habits, lifestyle, menstrual cycle, sex life, etc. 

Usually, there’s nothing to fret over about it. However, if you notice anything unusual, it’s time to take a trip to a private gynaecology clinic in London

Here’s a breakdown for you to understand about the different types of vaginal odour you should know! 

Zesty or Tangy 

Did you know that a healthy vagina is quite acidic? Well, the pH level ranges from 3.8 to 4.5 due to the good bacteria – Lactobacilli. 

Here’s an interesting thing to know! You might have noticed your underwear getting bleached orange in the crotch. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NORMAL AND HEALTHY. It’s one way your vagina protects itself from infection due to acidic pH. It’s not unhealthy, dirty, or unhygienic. 

Coppery Metal 

Many women often complain about the coppery metal odour. The sole reason is your menstrual cycle. The blood has iron contents. Hence it brings a coppery metal odour. 

When using a menstrual cup or tampons, you won’t get a hint of the scent. However, with pads, you might notice the coppery metal whiff. When you observe the copper scent, it’s best to hit your gynae and get your vaginal discharge testing done. It might be due to abnormal internal bleeding. 

Pungent & Spicy 

Yes, your vagina can smell pungent and spicy. It’s due to certain foods like garlic, onions, meat, broccoli, seafood etc. Pungent and spicy food often stirs up the scent down there, underarms, and even your scalp. 

Dirt and Earthy 

It’s very likely that your vagina smells like dirt or just earthy. Blame your sweat glands in the genital area that emits the scent. These glands are the apocrine sweat glands that sweat due to the high protein and lipid contents. 

Besides, emotional stress also brings in dirt and earthy scent. 

Our body has two types of sweat glands, namely apocrine and eccrine. The former will react to the emotions while the latter will cool down your body. 

Dead Fish 

An abnormal smell that makes your face wince and nose scrunch – fresh fish, would not smell like that! There are primarily two main reasons for the dead fish odour. 

  1. Bacterial Vaginosis, where there’s an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in the vagina that releases a fishy odour. 
  2. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection that gets cured under the guidance of an expert gynaecologist in London. 

Suppose you sense red flags or unexpected symptoms such as irritation, fever, abdominal pain, burning sensation, irregular bleeding. In that case, we recommend you to have a quick chat with a private gynaecologist who offers vaginal itching treatments and provides care for any medical emergency. 

We suggest you explore and learn more about your vagina. Don’t feel conscious. Feel free to talk about it. Identify the scent and enjoy. The better you understand, the more alert you are when something misses. Remember, it’s a part of who you are; embrace it fully (we mean it). 

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