And it seems to us like all that flowery sunshine is another example of the world getting vaginas all wrong. Just take a quick trip to your local drugstore. Like douching. Widely acknowledged by the medical community as harmful to the natural balance of vaginal flora, this common tool that cleans the vagina might actually cause bacterial vaginosis instead. The truth is, your vagina is home to billions of bacteria.
Many women are self-conscious about the scent of their vaginas. The vagina, just like the mouth, the skin, and other areas of the body, has a unique fragrance. Diet, health, and other factors can affect the natural fragrance, which should still not smell foul. It's neither safe nor healthy to attempt to eliminate the vagina's scent. In fact, doing so can lead to infections that cause an unpleasant odor. In this article, we explore some strategies that can reduce vaginal odor safely and address underlying medical causes.
Vaginitis is a medical term used to describe various disorders that cause infection or inflammation of the vagina. Vulvovaginitis refers to inflammation of both the vagina and vulva the external female genitals. These conditions can result from an infection caused by organisms such as bacteria, yeast, or viruses. Irritations from chemicals in creams, sprays, or even clothing that are in contact with this area can also result in vaginitis.
You should expect to catch a whiff of something fishy when you go to the beach or hit up your local seafood market for dinner. But a distinctly Even though a doctor is the only person who can definitively diagnose and treat you, it can still be helpful to have an idea of what may be going on while you wait for your appointment. This throws off the pH of your vagina and can lead to an infection that causes a bad, fishy odor especially after sex , along with itchiness, pain, burning, and a thin gray or white vaginal discharge. Known risk factors include being sexually active especially with a new partner or multiple partners and douching , the CDC says.