The Real Reason Your Vagina Smells a Bit Funky, and What to Do About It
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Vaginal odor is one of the top most annoying vaginal health issues right alongside dreaded vaginal itching and painful vaginal dryness. While some odors are completely normal, if you’ve ever experienced a less-than-pleasant or simply abnormal scent from your vagina, it’s understandable to be concerned.
Your vagina isn’t supposed to smell like roses, and a lot of women think that there’s something wrong with them when there isn’t, says Lauren Streicher, M.D., medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Health and Menopause and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever.
“It shouldn’t smell offensive, but there is a normal vaginal odor,” she explains. “A woman who was taught that her genitals are nasty at a young age is more apt to perceive a [bad] odor when nothing is abnormal.”
So if you smell like you always have, you’re probably just fine. However, you shouldn’t ignore a funky odor coming from down there if it seems out of the ordinary. Here are the most common vaginal odor causes—and what you can do to stave off the stench.
Vaginal odor causes
Some causes of vaginal odor are to be expected in certain situations, and others bring more cause for concern.
Incontinence
“When you talk about vaginal odor, the first thing you need to figure out is whether it is in fact coming from the vagina or is it really a genital odor?” says Dr. Streicher. (Remember, your vagina is located inside of your body, while everything surrounding it is your vulva, or your external genitals.) “For a lot of women, it’s incontinence.” In many cases, women have just a small amount of leakage that they’re not really aware of—they only notice the odor.
Treatment: Since the root of this issue is external (urine hanging around your genitals or underwear), showering and changing clothes should do the trick. But do tell your doc if you often have trouble making it to the bathroom on time. There are meds and other interventions that can help.
You’re sweaty down there
It may sound simple, but body odor and a sweaty vagina is actually a “super common reason” for vaginal odor, explains Kiarra King, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. “Anywhere that there is a large number of hair follicles and sweat glands which we find in the armpit and also in the pubic region with the pubic hair, there’s always gonna be a higher propensity for sweating,” Dr. King explains. “And so where you have sweat and moisture and especially where there’s hair that can potentially trap moisture, and bacteria that’s just a perfect setup for odor.”
Treatment: Ditch the panty liners, look for underwear made of breathable cotton, and try to change immediately after your workout. (Certain brands even have sweat-wicking properties, like these from Hanes.) Trimming your pubic hair also helps since it can trap odor, especially during the warmer months.
You’re harboring a forgotten tampon
It sounds wild, but Dr. Streicher says that lots of women insert a tampon and forget to take it out. Maybe you’re at the end of your period but put one in “just in case,” and then it slips your mind because your time of the month was ending. You could have mindlessly inserted a new tampon without taking the first one out. Assuming it’s lingered in there for a while, the smell will be really strong, says Dr. Streicher.
Treatment: You guessed it—you need to get the tampon out. Your doctor can easily remove it, or you can take a crack at it yourself: Lie flat on your back and put two fingers deep into your vagina. “Women can probably get it out themselves, but most of the time they don’t even know it’s there,” says Dr. Streicher.
Your pH is off
“The most common cause of vaginal odor is an imbalance in the normal flora in the vagina,” which causes a fishy odor, irritation, and thin to no vaginal discharge, says Dr. Streicher. These unpleasant bacteria can take over anytime, but it’s most apt to happen after your period or sex, because both blood and semen can throw off your natural pH.
What about yeast infections? Those might cause a slight yeasty scent, but odor is rarely the main complaint. Itching and thick, white discharge are more common.
Treatment: If it turns into a full-blown infection (known as bacterial vaginosis, see below), you’ll need antibiotics. But in many cases, you can catch the problem before it calls for meds. Dr. Streicher tells patients to try RepHresh Vaginal Gel, which works to correct the pH balance in your vagina. You should notice a major improvement after two treatments, she says. If you don’t, it’s time to call your doctor (and probably get a prescription).
Bacterial vaginosis
According to Jerome Chelliah, M.D., board-certified OBGYN at HerMD, bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common type of vaginitis (or inflammation of the vagina) and something most women will experience in their lifetime. “BV is caused by a change in the vaginal microbiome,” he says, noting that it’s caused when the dominant vaginal bacteria (the lactobacilli) are replaced by an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria, causing a change in vaginal pH. “This pH change is responsible for causing BV symptoms, including vaginal discharge, odor, and irritation,” he adds.
Symptoms of BV can be worsened by sexual activity, douching, and the use of certain types of fragrances and detergents which can cause a change to vaginal pH and contribute to the onset of BV.
Treatment: Your doctor will diagnose your BV using something called a wet mount. This type of test includes collecting a sample from the vagina to examine under a microscope. If abnormal cells are discovered, Dr. Chelliah says you’ll be prescribed a course of antibiotics, such as Metronidazole or Clindamycin. If you don’t see improvement with those medications, he says there are alternative medications that may be used.
Trichomoniasis
Infections are another very common cause of vaginal odor, explains Dr. King. And while bacterial vaginosis is often the main culprit, trichomoniasis is another infection that also “causes an odor that's pretty distinctive for most people.” While bacterial vaginosis is not technically a sexually transmitted infection (though it can be transmitted that way), trichomoniasis is an STI. “It can cause a kind of a thin watery gray discharge,” Dr. King says. “There may be some irritation or itching in the vaginal or vulvar area [and] there may be an odor that people will say is a fishy or a foul odor.”
Treatment: Since trichomoniasis is an infection, you’ll need to take a round of prescription antibiotics to clear the infection and resolve symptoms, Dr. King says. You can get this prescription from whoever diagnoses you—your gynecologist, family practitioner, internal medicine doctor, or even emergency room physician.
Worth noting, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says providers should advise those with trichomoniasis infections to abstain from sex until they and their partner(s) are treated (when therapy has been completed and any symptoms have resolved). Testing for other STIs, including HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, should be performed for people with trichomoniasis.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a cancer of the uterine cervix, which is the entrance to the uterus. And sometimes, it can cause vaginal odor. Dr. Chelliah says it’s the fourth most common cancer among women globally and often goes undetected because many people remain asymptomatic. “Routine screening with a pap smear, or pap test, is therefore very important for cancer prevention,” he says. “If cervical cancer progresses, an individual may experience symptoms such vaginal bleeding (especially after sex), vaginal discharge, and possibly vaginal odor.”
While that can sound scary, you shouldn’t get too worried just yet: vaginal odor isn’t a common cervical cancer symptom.
Treatment: If you’re worried that your symptoms are pointing toward cervical cancer, visit your doctor for an evaluation. They’ll examine you and conduct a pap test. “If abnormal cells are detected, a colposcopy, or a procedure to examine the cervix under a special microscope, is performed,” Dr. Chelliah says. “A biopsy (a sampling of a small piece of tissue) is obtained during a colposcopy and is sent to the lab for further evaluation and diagnosis of cervical cancer.”
If the lab results uncover cervical cancer your doctor will work with you to determine the best course of action, which Dr. Chelliah says can include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, depending on how far the cancer has progressed.
How to prevent vaginal odor
Remember, your vagina doesn’t need to smell like a floral arrangement, but if you are prone to certain smells, there are ways to prevent vaginal odor from occurring in the first place.
Use a mild cleanser
Dr. King recommends using a mild, unscented soap (or even just water) externally on the vulva area and not using anything in the vagina. You’ll want to make sure you are “cleaning between the folds of the labia to remove any buildup,” but be careful about the products you use down there, explains Dr. King.
Avoid douching
Douching with products specially designed to flush or cleanse your vagina can negatively impact the scent of your vagina, despite promises to do the opposite because douching “will disrupt your pH,” and “leads to a vicious cycle” of vaginal odor issues, Dr. King says. “The vagina is self-cleaning…there's no need to do anything that would potentially disrupt the vaginal flora and the normal pH environment of vagina,” explains Dr. King. Basically, you’re better off leaving the specialized cleansers and douches on the shelf and allowing your body to do its thing.
Eat a balanced diet
“Research has also shown that food can have an impact on vaginal odor,” says Dr. Chelliah. Sadly, some of your favorites—like coffee, onions, garlic, strong spices, dairy, and excessive meat or alcohol—can alter vaginal scent.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration can cause your urine to have a concentrated ammonia smell, which therein may leave a weird odor lingering. Drinking enough water dilutes the waste and in turn, makes your pee and your pants smell better.
Wear light, breathable clothing
The tighter the clothing, the more heat and moisture gets trapped in and around the vulva, which increases the risk of funk. Dr. King recommends wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothing, as doing the opposite is a “setup” for odor due to sweat and bacteria growth.
When to see a doctor about vaginal odor
In general, if an abnormal odor persists and comes with additional symptoms like pain, burning, itching, or unusual discharge, it’s a good idea to see a healthcare provider. Anything unusual or uncomfortable in terms of discharge or odor, “certainly should be evaluated and checked out,” notes Dr. King.
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