The vagina produces different odors. It can be musky, fishy, tangy, coppery and even sweet-smelling.
But what does each odor say about what's going on inside?
One odor means that your microbiome is healthy. Another means that the vagina is going through a short spell and will quickly normalize so you don't have to worry. But some odors mean that an infection is on the way and should clearly not be ignored.
Here are 5 common vaginal odors and what they say about your vaginal health:
Tangy Vaginal Odor
A healthy vagina produces a natural odor. This odor comes from lactic acid produced by lactobacillus bacteria. And it's a clear sign that your natural cleaning mechanism is working and that you're microbiome is safe.
This odor of a healthy vaginal is usually described as tangy, fermented, or vinegary.
Fishy Vaginal Odor
The smell of rotting fish is usually a clear sign of an vaginal infection. This should not be ignored and should be treated quickly. The most common infection that produces this fishy odor is bacterial vaginosis (BV).
How this infection happens: BV is triggered by a change in pH. Once your pH is knocked off, the flora becomes toxic for the good bacteria. And once the good bacteria starts to die, an uncontrolled growth of bad bacteria occurs. That causes bacterial vaginosis. (To prevent BV, keep tabs on your pH)
Bacterial vaginosis produces foul-smelling vaginal odors, with a thick yellowish or orange discharge. Other symptoms include itching, irritation, and burning when urinating.
Fishy odor can also be caused by trichomoniasis infection. This is a curable infection, but most ladies don't even know they have it because they can be asymptomatic.
Coppery Odor
The metallic smell is produced by menstrual blood. Since blood contains iron, the Lactic acid in the vagina oxidizes this iron to produce the metallic or coppery smell.
Coppery odor can also be caused by light bleeding after sex. Tears inside the vaginal can be caused by vaginal dryness or vigorous sex that scratch the vaginal lining.
Sweet Vaginal Odor
A sweet smell in the vagina may indicate an overgrowth of yeast fungus. In some cases, the vagina can smell like honey, freshly baked bread, or biscuits.
Yeast overgrowth leads to vaginal infections, especially the overgrowth of Candida albicans, a fancy word for vaginal yeast infection. These infections also manifest themselves as itching and irritation of the vulva and vagina, and a thick, sticky discharge similar to cheese or curd.
Having any of these odors?
Or you just want to smell fresher downstairs? Read our blog post about 13 tips you can use to instantly smell fresher downstair.
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