It is normal for all girls who have reached puberty to experience vaginal odor. We have the natural smell and then the kind caused by common bodily actions. Take menstruation, normally if the vagina is not kept clean at the time of the monthly cycle, stale blood left behind for a period of time will bring odor. Then we have urine, another reason for vaginal odor. If you don’t rinse or clean your vagina after going to the bathroom, the drips stick to your pubic hair, dirtying and staining bad-smelling panties.
Sanitary pads and tampons should be changed regularly. If you are concerned about how you smell downstairs, instead of the suggested cleaning once a day, wash 2-3 times if necessary. In hot weather, change panties frequently, as heat can be a problem on and around the genitals. A build-up of sweat will make the genitals clammy, sticky, and smelly. Choose cotton briefs or knickers to wear as it is a breathable fabric. Cotton on nylon and other materials allow the vagina to breathe. Trimming pubic hair like coarse hair is a great draw for blood and urine sweat to cling.
If you are concerned about odor, especially the odor caused by monthly bleeding and the expense of changing sanitary pads, find a more cost-effective way and use reusable cotton menstrual pads or menstrual cups.
The vagina is not a known body organ to cause discomfort in this way because it has a self-cleaning mechanism. Regardless of whether it is an odorless organ or not, the vagina smells, well, the area around it can, and you have 3 reasons above to try it.
Particular vaginal infections carry an odor that is embarrassing. Take for example bacterial vaginosis, which is typically known for a vaginal discharge that smells like fish. And then there’s the one that causes itchiness, again somewhat embarrassing if you’re around people. BV is caused by the entry of bacteria and parasites into the vagina. Although the vagina is a self-cleaning organ, bacteria and parasites still manage to settle inside, so you must take steps to prevent this from happening.
Hygiene is important to keep odor to a minimum. The vagina has a supposedly erotic natural smell and is very exciting for the opposite sex, however, the smell that is too strong can be unpleasant.
Genital skin is sensitive, so be careful with certain feminine products. Cleaning the vulva does not require more than rinsing with water. If you are in the process of treating an infection at home, talk to your pharmacist about the safest products to use, as many of the over-the-counter products contain chemicals. Chemicals remove natural oils, and if used on the vulva, the skin can become dry and irritated. Skin in this state is now more prone to infection. Specific chemicals that come into contact with the vagina can lead to a urinary tract infection if it is located near the urethra.
Bath gels or other chemical-based soaps are known to alter the natural PH of the vagina and cause an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria, genital mycoplasmas, and Gardnerella vaginalis, with reduced or absent lactobacilli. Avoid heavily scented products, or gels or antiseptics, which can unbalance healthy bacteria.
It is not necessary to vigorously rub the vagina. Just as you would wash your hands and face is the way.
Washing the folds around the clitoris is not difficult, but it is definitely necessary. With your fingers, separate the labia from the clitoris and gently rub, but not rub, the skin on both sides of the clitoris. Do not forget to clean the perineum, it is the area between the vagina and the anus.
Unless a doctor or pharmacist has prescribed or advised you a particular medicine to treat an infection that has caused vaginal odor, do not use it. Also, any condition that produces a foul odor should be determined by a doctor and not a friend to make sure you are treating the correct problem. It happens all too often among women who have thought they had a yeast infection only to find out they had a sexually transmitted disease. Effective treatment of infections only occurs if the proper infection is diagnosed and the proper tablets or cream lotions are used.
Fishy smell, changes in discharge, texture, painful urination or vaginal bleeding when you do not have your period are symptoms that say you should see a doctor.