What every lady ought to know about *fishy* vaginal odor

“Your vagina isn’t smelling right” is one of the most humiliating things a lady can be told… by anyone. 

It’s soul-crushing. 

You feel like you’ve been let down; embarrassed beyond belief; completely robbed of your feminine dignity and confidence. 

And sadly, vaginal odor is still one of the most misunderstood things about a vagina. 

Many ladies don’t know that odor caused by a particular culprit can kill in two days.

So today we’ll explore if it’s okay to have some odor… if it’s okay to have no odor at all… what kind of odor is okay… the most common causes of a strong (and sometimes foul-smelling) vaginal odor… how vaginal odor can kill… and fast, effective ways to get rid of the odor and get your self-confidence back! 

Let’s get started: 

Is it okay to have an odor?

Women are hardwired to want to feel wanted… loved… appreciated…. and desired. 

We naturally want to be wanted. This is why some ladies want to make their cookies smell like flowers and taste fruity.

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting that! It’s part of why we’re special. 

So when we realize we have an odor, it triggers an instant emotional reaction in us.

This is why vaginal odor makes us so scared. 

It’s why our confidence takes a big hit when we so much as think that she’s smelling wrong. 

What many ladies don’t know is that every vagina has an odor. 

And that’s not a bad thing. It’s how vaginas were made.

So, don’t feel too bad about yours! It’s completely normal, girl. 

Is it okay to have no odor at all?

Absolutely. 

Some vaginas have smells that are so insignificant that you may never “catch” it.

So if you’ve never been able to know what she smells like, that’s completely fine. 

But, you should read on so you know what’s going on if your odor ever becomes a bit more obvious.

What kind of odor is okay? 

What’s normal differs for every vagina. 

And it depends on how sexually active you are… the foods you eat… how conscious you are of your vaginal health… and most importantly… 

Where your body is at.

So for most ladies, a very slight smell is all there is to it. That’s what’s normal. 

But if you’re noticing a very noticeable odor, then that’s not normal. 

Read on if that’s you. 

The most common causes of a strong (and sometimes foul-smelling) vaginal odor

There are several causes of a foul smelling odor from a vagina, and we’ll look at some of them. 

Infections & skin conditions – Many ladies won’t like to hear that word. But it’s the most common reason why a vagina would give out a strong odor.  

And the odor is usually fishy… or very foul-smelling. And it’s the bad bacteria that’s responsible.

Four of the most common infections/skin conditions that can make you smell fishy are: 

1. Bacteria vaginosis (BV) — this is the usual culprit. Some ladies catch BV and have no idea it’s there till things have gotten really wrong. 
   Some symptoms of BV may include itchiness inside and around the vagina, a burning sensation when urinating, and a gray or yellow vaginal discharge. A fishy smell and/or dryness during sex is very common. (Dryness during sex is easily managed by a good vaginal moisture supplement like She Juicy).
   
   
2. Trichomoniasis — this infection is caused by the parasite Trichomonas Vaginalis (TV). Men also get this infection, but they show no symptoms. 
   In women however, Trichomoniasis usually causes a foul-smelling vaginal discharge, genital itching and painful urination.
   
   
3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) — One gets a PID if an untreated UTI finds its way to the fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries.
   Some symptoms include a foul-smelling discharge, bleeding during or after sex, fever, pain when passing urine, pelvic pain and sometimes infertility.
   
   
4. Trimethylaminuria (TMAU, also known as Fish Odor Syndrome) — TMAU is a very rare condition that makes one’s breath, pee, saliva and sweat smell like rotten fish or bad eggs. It’s very rare and still incurable at this time. One can manage the symptoms by maintaining an extremely high level of personal hygiene and avoiding certain foods if possible.
   People with TMAU are advised to avoid foods like milk from wheat-fed cows, eggs, liver, peas, beans, peanuts, soya products, etc. If you suspect you have TMAU, it’s recommended to visit your doctor.
   

Other common causes of a strong vaginal odor

1. Tampons (Toxic shock syndrome, TSS) — If you use tampons, then this may be an easy culprit. And a very dangerous one. Tampons, if not entirely removed, rot inside the vagina with the soaked blood.
   If it sounds scary, it’s because this is very scary. If the rotten piece isn’t removed, it exudes a very pungent odor because of the growing bacteria. The bacteria and infection seeps into the blood and usually kills in two days. 
   
   
2. Excessive sweating — If you live a very active life, then it's very likely that sweat may be the culprit why your odor is more intense. Sweat, if not cleaned, will decompose and release a foul smell. This is even more so in the groin that’s usually covered with clothes and hence receives very little air.
   Some good ideas include bathing at least twice a day (especially after intense activities)... switching to cotton undies… sleeping naked or with as little clothes as possible and maintaining a very high level of personal hygiene.
   Ladies are advised to switch to menstrual cups to reduce their risk of ever getting TSS.
   
   
3. Your diet — Some ladies smell like onions down there when they eat onions. Some smell like garlic when they eat garlic. And most smell like fish when they eat a lot of it.
   So it’s a good idea to pay attention to what foods your vagina hates and avoid them if you can.
   
   
4. Sex and pH — Many ladies notice a quick change in their odor immediately after sex. This happens for a variety of reasons. It’s possible you’re allergic to your partner’s semen. Or that your pH doesn’t quickly return to normal after sex.
   
   A good solution is adopt a good after-sex hygiene. The most popular is to use a good boric acid suppository a while after sex. That simple fix guarantees that you’ll be smelling fresh and great afterwards. 

2 very effective ways to get rid of vaginal odor fast and get your self-confidence back!

Most women that notice an odor usually don’t know why their vaginal microbiome is acting up. And if you don’t know why, it can be tricky to fix. 

If you don’t know what caused the odor in the first place… then it’s likely going to be an infection. 

An easy way to confirm is to check your pH with a good vaginal pH Testing Kit. If your pH is not acidic, then it’s usually the cause of the odor.

Here are two ways to get rid of vaginal odor fast: 

1. Visit an OB/GYN: If you suspect you have an infection, then it's recommended to visit a doctor. Some infections produce similar symptoms so it’s best to know exactly what you’re dealing with. After diagnosis, you’ll have to get antibiotics which should clear up the infection. 
   
   
2. Try boric acid suppositories: Most ladies notice that an infection comes back or that the vaginal odor never goes away after taking their rounds of antibiotics. This is usually the case if you’ve been dealing with odor or infection for a while. Then you’ll have to be a bit more aggressive by using a medical-grade boric acid suppository.
   Studies report that boric acid has a success rate of up to 94.8% in treating vaginal infections like BV, yeast infections and vaginal odor.
   It’s one of the most dependable ways of treating vaginal odor, as ladies report complete disappearance of the foul smell in 24 hours. 

Conclusion: 

Every vagina has some smell. And this is normal. 

But sometimes due to genetics, chance or even activities like sex, vaginal odor may get more intense and difficult to deal with. 

The two most effective way to combat the odor are using: 

1. Antibiotics (if your odor is caused by a vaginal infection) and 
2. A good boric acid suppository if otherwise. 

One of the safest sources of vagina-grade boric acid suppositories is from Opulus Health, the parent company of FlowerPower.com 

Opulus Health gets its boric acid directly from United States Pharmacopeia and it’s tagged NF-grade (which we wittily call vagina grade).

And it’s wrapped in a vegetarian capsule. It quickly dissolves once inside the vagina releasing active ingredients that clean the vaginal microbiome, leaving it smelling fresh, and the owner bursting with feminine confidence.