Sweet Vagina

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Sweet Vagina


By
Madeleine H. Burry
July 3, 2021

Medically Reviewed by

Mayoni Ranasinghe, MBBS, MPH


LIVESTRONG.com may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story.


If your vaginal odor smells sweet, you may want to get your blood sugar levels checked out.

Image Credit:
dvulikaia/iStock/GettyImages

How to Keep Your Vagina Clean and Smelling Good


​ Choose the right undergarments: ​ Opt for cotton underwear, Dr. Katz recommends. And wear looser clothing, so it can air out, she says.
​ Stay away from panty liners: ​ Wearing a pad or panty liner during menstruation is fine. But the rest of the month, don't stick one to your underwear. "They can cause a lot of irritation to the vulva and make you more prone to having vaginal infections," Dr. Katz says.
​ Try a sitz bath: ​ If your vagina does feel irritated, try a sitz bath, Dr. Katz recommends. Fill your tub (or an actual sitz bath , which goes over your toilet seat) with warm water up to your hips and 1/4 to 1/2 cup salt, she says — sit there with your legs open for around 10 minutes, then rinse off. "That's a great way to sooth your skin and kill irritating bacteria," Dr. Katz says.
​ Never, ever douche: ​ It bears repeating, because every expert agrees that douching is the enemy of a healthy vagina. "We recommend not douching because it could throw off the bacteria balance," Dr. Galucki says — that makes odor worse. Plus, if you have an infection, douching can push it up into the uterus, she points out. "So if you have a bad odor, you do not want to douche."
​ Don't over-clean: ​ "You don't want to use scented sprays and soaps because that could actually make it worse," Dr. Galucki says. Instead, simply use a gentle, unscented soap on your vulva (no need to clean inside your vagina).



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Vaginas have a smell to them, and sometimes, the odor can be pungent. A strong odor can, understandably, make you feel a bit self-conscious or concerned that it's a symptom of a larger problem, like an infection or disease.
But for the most part, experts say not to worry. "Most of the time, there's no big issue," Adi Katz, MD , an ob-gyn at Lenox Hill Hospital, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
It's normal for genitals to have a bit of an odor, says Maria Sophocles, MD , ob-gyn and sexual medicine specialist of Women's Healthcare of Princeton.
For one thing, she points out, the vulva (that's the visible, outer portion of the genitals for people with vaginas) has hair follicles, along with sweat and oil glands. "It has a lot of properties of other parts of your body," Dr. Sophocles says (think: your underarms). So it's not so surprising that the area would have an odor.
The vagina is naturally home to all sorts of bacteria, Dr. Katz explains — and those can also be a source of variation to your personal odor.
"Throughout the month, with the changes due to hormones and our menstrual cycle, the bacteria may shift a little bit, which can cause different odors," she says.
In general, the pH of the vagina is acidic, Dr. Katz says. But all sorts of things can cause the pH to become more basic (alkaline), making it hospitable to certain bacteria that can lead to irritation, discharge and odor, she says.
Many variations in odor are temporary.
"In general, odor is a basic variation of what a woman smells like down there," Dr. Sophocles says.
Still, an unusual scent is worth noting, particularly if it lingers. Here, gynecologists share some of the odors patients commonly bring up, along with their potential causes.
If you find the smell of your vagina unpleasant, you might be tempted to clean it or cover up the scent. After all, that’s what we do elsewhere on our body: We shower frequently, apply deodorant daily, spray on scent and so on. But efforts to clean the vagina and vulva tend to backfire.
“Most women probably over-wash and strip the vulva of protective oils,” Dr. Sophocles says.
There’s no need to clean inside your vagina. Most importantly, don’t douche. The vagina “cleans itself,” Dr. Sophocles says. When you douche — with water, vinegar or anything else — it messes with the vagina’s normal pH balance. This, in turn, “encourages the bacteria to grow abnormally, which then can set you up for odor, which can make you want to wash more, which sets you up for more odor,” Dr. Sophocles says.
It's possible — but not very likely — that a sweet scent could indicate a yeast infection, Dr. Sophocles says. This fungal infection is typically characterized by a cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge , itching and irritation of the vagina and vulva, per the Mayo Clinic .
"Yeast infections usually don't have much of an odor," says Shirley V. Galucki, MD , an ob-gyn with Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
A sweet smell to your vagina could indicate a problem elsewhere in your system, Dr. Galucki says. For instance, it could indicate high blood sugar.
"If someone has a sweet smell from the vagina, I'd encourage them to get tested and check their blood sugar," Dr. Katz says. "They may have a problem with their sugar balance overall."
There's probably no need to be concerned if your vagina has a sour odor. This could just be the everyday odor of your vagina, Dr. Katz says. "The vagina is an acidic environment," she reminds us.
One of the "good" bacteria that lives there is acidophilus. That may sound familiar, because it's the bacteria found in yogurt. "What [people] may refer to as a sour smell may just be the natural smell that should be in the vagina," she says — a yogurt-like tanginess.
It's also possible that the odor is due to something you ate. Certain foods can shift the pH of the vaginal environment, Dr. Sophocles says. This effect is usually short-lived, she notes.
Vaginas do have a scent, and generally, that’s not an issue. “If you have a strong odor, we would recommend getting checked out to make sure it’s not anything else,” Dr. Galucki says.
That’s particularly true if the odor is accompanied by other symptoms, such as itching, burning and discharge, per the Mayo Clinic .
You're not alone if you've smelled a fishy odor emanating from your vagina. "That's the most common thing people report," Dr. Sophocles says.
A fishy odor may be due to bacterial vaginosis (BV), which occurs when there's an overgrowth of one form of bacteria in the vagina Dr. Katz says. BV is the most common vaginal condition, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Other symptoms of BV include itching, burning during urination and gray, white or green discharge, according to the Mayo Clinic . While it's possible for BV to clear up on its own, the CDC recommends getting treated with antibiotics — otherwise, BV increases your risk of STDs, and for pregnant people, increases the likelihood of premature birth or low birth weight.
There's also the possibility that the odor could be the result of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease. This disease can be treated with antibiotics, per the Office on Women's Health .
There's another potential simple explanation for a fish odor: Your natural body sweat. After a long day of running around, particularly if you're wearing tight clothes, you may have a more potent, fish-like odor, Dr. Katz says. "It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong."
Bottom line: If your vagina has a persistent fishy scent that's not your typical odor, a visit to the doctor may be in order — while it's possible this odor is just due to sweat, it could be the result of an infection or STD.
Again, this could simply be the scent of the bacteria in your vagina, Dr. Katz says.
If it's not your familiar odor, you might want to investigate. This could be yeast, and it could be BV, Dr. Sophocles says.
"You do probably need to have a doctor look at discharge under the microscope," Dr. Sophocles says — this will help identify what's causing the odor.
This scent didn't ring any immediate bells with the gynecologists we spoke to.
It's possible, Dr. Katz says, that it could be linked to something you're eating — a pungent food (like, say, asparagus) might cause a shift in the odor of your vagina, in the same way that it can make your urine temporarily smell different, Dr. Katz says.
Or, what smells to one person like a "fishy" odor (see above) may be more like "vinegar" to another.
"If you're getting a foul odor, then we do think about sexually transmitted diseases," Dr. Galucki says.
Trichomoniasis could be the cause of this odor, so a visit to your health care provider is in order — there, your doctor may do a pelvic exam or look under the microscope to see if the single-cell parasite behind this disease is present, per the Office of Women's Health.
Forgetfulness could also be behind this odor — if you accidentally forget to remove a tampon, or if some cotton tissue gets stuck in the vagina, it can cause a noticeable and unpleasant odor. "After a few days it may start smelling rotten," Dr. Katz says.
Forgetting to remove a tampon happens. In fact, "we see it relatively commonly," Dr. Galucki says. After all, life is busy, and periods tend to be light at their tail end. The good news: "We can treat it really quickly," Dr. Galucki says.
You're most likely to smell a metallic or coppery odor when you have your period.
"There's a specific odor to menstruation. It can be unpleasant, but it doesn't indicate that something is wrong," Dr. Sophocles says.
Because there's iron in blood, it can have a coppery odor, she says.
Your vagina will never be free from scent entirely. And all sorts of everyday activities — such as having your period or having sex — can change the bacterial makeup in your vagina, leading to odor changes, Dr. Katz notes. Still, following these habits can help prevent bad odors:

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Vanessa Marin is a licensed psychotherapist and writer with over 20 years of experience specializing in sex therapy. Her goal as a coach and as a journalist: To help you stop feeling embarrassed and start having way more fun in the bedroom. She studied human sexuality at Brown University and has been... Read more
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Sex should be fun, but it can also be complicated. Welcome to Sexual Resolution , a biweekly column by sex therapist Vanessa Marin answering your most confidential questions to help you achieve a healthy, joyful sex life. Here, she answers a reader who is having a hard time receiving oral sex due to her body insecurities. Have your own question? Ask it here .
DEAR VANESSA: I like receiving oral sex , but I just can’t help but feel self-conscious about the way I smell and taste when my boyfriend is going down on me. I’m fine with him doing it when I’m right out of the shower, but anytime after that, I start to get self-conscious about it. Sometimes I know it’s just my anxiety speaking, but there have been times where he’s come up to kiss me afterward and I can taste myself on his breath and it’s a little… I dunno, musty? I know that I shouldn’t worry about it, but I do. Is there any way to put this self-consciousness away once and for all? - Trouble with Taste, 28
DEAR TWT: I want to address your question on two levels: First, I have some practical advice for you, but there are also some bigger thoughts I'd like to offer about why you’re even struggling with this question in the first place.
Let me start with the first layer. The vagina is awesome at keeping itself clean and PH-balanced, so while you didn’t mention doing so, I want to say that you don’t need to douche or try to wash it out with soap. (Doing so will actually disrupt your vagina’s work , and can lead to infection.)
However, the labia themselves can sometimes use a little extra TLC, especially the inner labia. You may notice a sticky white substance building up in the little folds right where your inner labia meet your clitoris. Dead cells tend to collect there, and they’re usually what’s responsible for a musty smell or taste. But the great news is that it’s super easy to get rid of this buildup.
From the time we even start becoming aware that we have vaginas, we’re
taught to believe that they’re weird, gross, smelly, and icky.
In the shower, pull your outer labia apart so you can gently wash your inner labia with warm water. Use a fingertip to make sure the buildup is washed away. In between showers, you can refresh yourself by gently cleaning your inner labia with a damp washcloth or biodegradable wipe. If you take a moment to do this before you and your partner are intimate, it will probably go a long way towards helping you feel more comfortable receiving oral sex. You can keep a few wipes handy in your bathroom or purse, or even use some dampened tissue paper in a pinch. (Just make sure to be extra gentle, since the area in and around your labia can be quite delicate.)
Other ways to keep your vagina happy and healthy: try to wear cotton underwear, avoid thongs, sleep naked or in loose-fitting cotton, avoid smoking, and try to eat healthy foods as much as possible.
Of course, if you notice any significant changes to the color or smell of your discharge, it’s worth making an appointment with your OB/GYN to ensure you don’t have an infection or STI. It’s also important to realize that sex is a naturally “messy” act. I don’t use that word in a negative way, or to imply that your vagina itself is messy. I just mean that sex can involve sweating, saliva, semen, vaginal juices, menstrual fluid, anal residue, farting, queefing, and so much more. Sex doesn’t take place in a perfectly sanitized bubble.
So, let’s get to the real heart of what this question is really about: the ways that we have been socialized to be ashamed of our bodies. From the time we even start becoming aware that we have vaginas, we’re taught to believe that they’re weird, gross, smelly, and icky. This socialization gets in early and deep, and it is profoundly harmful to our self-esteem and our sex lives. It makes us feel ashamed of our bodies, and it can make us feel unworthy of pleasure. It also often makes us feel undeserving of our partner’s focus and attention.
As a sex therapist, I teach other women how to feel more confident in the bedroom, and I still find myself hesitating to receive oral sex at times too. As soon as I notice my own self-consciousness surface, I get pissed off, because I know that’s not how I really feel about my body; that’s how I was taught to feel. I get fired up in the moment, and that anger, outrage, and sadness actually help me come back into my body and be more gentle with it.
Try thinking about that the next time you find yourself feeling self-conscious about your partner going down on you. Remember that you only feel worried about your smell and taste because society has programmed you to feel bad about your body. If you can’t get fired up on your own behalf, think about your best friend struggling with negative thoughts about her own body. Think about your current or future daughters or nieces, or other little girls being taught to feel ashamed about their own bodies. Tapping into that sense of collective pain and outrage can really help put things into perspective.
Finally, I just want to make a quick note that a lot of women have trouble receiving oral sex due to past experiences of sexual abuse . You didn’t say that you’ve been abused in your email, but I wanted to mention it since so many women don’t make the connection. Sexual abuse can deeply impact your body confidence and the sense of connection you have to your own body. If you’ve experienced abuse, I recommend working with a therapist to process your experiences.
In general, know that your body is deserving of pleasure, and that you taste just fine as you are — but if you'd like to try to make sure you're as clean as possible, the above tips should help put your mind at ease.
Catch up on Sexual Resolution's latest columns:
Now, watch 100 years of face masks:
Vanessa Marin is a licensed sex therapist based in Los Angeles. You can find her on Twitter , Instagram , and her website . Have a question for her? Ask it here .
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