Is vaginal odour natural? The answer is: YES
Welcome to a blog that tackles one of the most taboo yet important topics concerning women’s health – vaginal odour. It’s time to address the elephant in the room and acknowledge that it’s perfectly normal for a woman’s intimate area to have a distinct scent.
However, there are times when the smell can become unpleasant and even embarrassing. If you’ve ever felt self-conscious about the way you smell down there or are looking for ways to maintain optimal vaginal health, you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog, we’ll explore the causes of vaginal odour, how to get rid of it, and tips for maintaining a fresh and healthy
intimate area.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is Vaginal Odour?
Vaginas have natural odours. It varies for every woman. Mostly, the smell of a healthy vagina is “Musky” or “Fleshy”. Some other factors such as sweating, menstruation, and sexual intercourse may change the smell temporraily. It’s normal.
What’s not normal? Gynecology experts at Iqra Medical Complex suggest that unpleasant and strong odours that persist for several days. It is an indication that you are experiencing an underlying health problem.
However, the positive image of the picture is that you can treat your smelly vagina with some simple tips.
In this article, you’ll get to know about causes behind abnormal vaginal odour and solutions to get rid of it. Keep reading!
Why Do I Have A Smelly Vagina?
Talking about causes of smelly vaginal discharge, Dr. Rabbia Ashraf, an experienced Gynecologist, says there are many factors that can lead to vaginal odour. Some of the common causes are listed below:
- Bacterial infection causing fishy smell.
- Yeast infection causing white and thick smelly discharge.
- Sexually transmitted diseases causing yellow, or grey discharge with a foul smell.
- High oestrogen levels that cause smelly discharge during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Poor hygiene.
- Using too much soap in the vaginal area.
- Use of thongs.
- Forgetting a tampon in the vagina for a long time.
- Vaginal or cervical cancer
How to Get Rid of Vaginal Odour?
How to make your vagina smell good? All you need is to practice some simple and easy tips.
Let’s see those remedies and treatments.
Get to know about effective home remedies to treat vaginal discharge.
1- Maintain Good Hygiene
Regular cleaning is the key! But don’t go too far. You don’t need to buy expensive products. Here’s what you have to do:
Wash the area between your legs. Use a mild cloth to remove the sweat, debris, and dead skin. Don’t use loofahs! They might produce minor rips, exposing the area to infection.
Furthermore, use a mild soap only on the outside area. The area inside the labia is much more delicate, and soap frequently burns and irritates the area. Then, how will you clean it? Simply, allowing the water to run over the labia around the vagina is enough.
Also, avoid scented body washes and soaps to cover up the smell. The smells and chemicals may cause your vaginal pH to be disrupted.
2- Avoid Tight Clothings
Thongs and laces! Aren’t they fancy and colourful? But they aren’t ideal for maintaining proper feminine hygiene.
Take special care with what you put on before going to bed. Consider going without underwear. Avoid tight undies and pantyhose. Too much tight clothing will cause bacterias to trap, causing an infection and ultimately smelly vagina.
3- Switch to Cotton Underwear
Invest in 100% cotton underwear!
Cotton is breathable and does a great job of soaking moisture and sweat away from your body. Excess moisture can wreak havoc on your normal bacteria balance, resulting in illnesses.
So, if you regularly wear satin, or silk panties, switch to cotton undies.
4- Improve Your Dietary Habits to Treat Smelly Vagina
How to make your vagina smell good with a good diet? Our bodily fragrance is heavily influenced by our food. Someone who consumes a diet high in oils, sugars, and saturated fats may not smell as lovely as someone who consumes a healthy diet.
Try eating probiotic yoghurts, traditional buttermilk, and cheese, to maintain a good vaginal pH. These fermented foods and drinks are not only beneficial for your gut, but they can also help keep your vaginal pH balanced.
5- Avoid Sanitary Napkins
The fragrance of sanitary napkins is often more prominent. During your period, try switching to a menstrual cup or tampon, but be sure to change them frequently.
6- Some DIY Remedies for Smelly Vagina
Now, let’s see some DIY home remedies that will answer your question, “How to get rid of vaginal odour?”.
Baking Soda
Before reading this, the only use of baking soda you think of is in cakes and bread recipes. Right?
But I’ve a surprise for you! You can treat your unpleasant vaginal odour with baking soda. How? Fill your bath with half cup of baking soda and immerse your lower body for 20-30 minutes.
Baking soda immediately treats the illness and eliminates the vaginal odour. It helps to restore normal pH levels of your vagina, reducing the growth of germs and fungi. Also, you can use it as a vaginal wash.
Cranberry Juice
Does cranberry juice help your vagina smell better? Yes, it does. Cranberry juice has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. That will help in treating smelly vagina.
What do you have to do? Soak the cranberries overnight in water. Consume this water throughout the day. This will aid in the removal of toxins and the prevention of bacterial infections.
Neem to Get Rid of Vaginal Odour
Neem possess antimicrobial properties. Many skin disorders, wounds, and stomach parasites have been treated with neem leaves for centuries. Since vaginal odour can also be due to bacterial overgrowth, neem leaves can be used to treat vaginal odour effectively.
You can use neem to treat smelly vaginal discharge in following three ways:
- Wash neem leaves and soak them in water overnight. Wash your vaginal area with this water.
- Thoroughly wash the neem leaves and ground them in a mortar and pestle. Add no water to the mix. Using the neem paste make little “neem balls” with your palm. Every morning, take one neem ball.
- Boil the neem bark in the water until it is reduced to half its original volume. Consume this daily in the morning.
Vinegar to Make Vagina Smell Good
Another potent remedy to fight smelly vagina is to use vinegar. Vinegar removes the toxins that create the fishy odour in the vaginal area. It is acidic in nature and contains antibacterial qualities that will aid in the eradication of odour-causing microorganisms.
Add two cups of vinegar in your water bath. Then, soak yourself for 20 minutes. Also, you can make use of apple cider vinegar. Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in eight ounces of water.
Apart from treating smelly vagina, apple cider vinegar also helps in weight loss.
Caution: Step lightly into the bathtub, and if you feel a burning feeling, get out right once and cleanse the area. You might be allergic to vinegar.
When to Visit A Doctor?
A vaginal odour that necessitates a visit to the doctor is frequently accompanied by additional vaginal symptoms. Make an appointment with a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Burning
- Itches
- Irritation or discomfort
- Abnormal discharge
You may also have bacterial vaginosis if you detect a strong, fishy smell. If that is the case, you can schedule your visit with a well-known gynaecologist in Lahore. You can book an appointment via Helathwire or make a call at (042) 32500989.
The Bottom Line!
Home remedies can usually help reduce odd vaginal odour. However, a strong smelly vagina could indicate a more serious problem that you won’t be able to fix on your own. To avoid the condition from getting worse, it’s best to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
