Vaginal odor: what should my vagina smell like?

Your vagina is truly amazing. Its ecosystem works hard to keep a delicate, slightly acidic balance through changes like your period, sex and ovulation. But sometimes vaginas get thrown a little off balance, here’s how to tell if it is time to get it checked out.

Having a smell is normal

Even though our vaginas are self-cleaning wonders, they’re not designed to smell like a spring meadow or a tropical cocktail yours will have its own scent and that is just fine and normal. Your vagina does not smell of a bunch of roses because it…isn’t a bunch of roses! A well-balanced vagina will have a pH of 3.8 to 4.5, regulated by tiny bacteria called lactobacilli. Usually, it maintains a balance between vaginal yeast and bacteria, but the exact vaginal smell and pH can vary.

Sometimes vaginal odour can naturally vary, and mild changes don’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. A slightly yeasty note can occur because the vagina contains healthy lactobacilli, the same type of bacteria used in foods like yoghurt, bread, and beer — but food itself does not change vaginal odour. A metallic smell is also normal around the beginning or end of your menstrual cycle due to the presence of blood. What matters most is recognising when a smell is unusual for you. A strong yeasty or “bread-like” odour accompanied by itching, burning, soreness, or thick white discharge can be a sign of thrush (yeast infection). Treatment is available for thrush over the counter from a pharmacy, but if that doesn’t work or you have concerns please see your doctor.

The groin also contains a lot of sweat glands, so a lot of what you might think are vaginal odours are often just your normal, natural musk – particularly after exercising or a couple of days without a shower. Remember you don’t need to clean the inside of your vagina, it cleans itself, but for tips to how to keep your genitals clean read Feminine Hygiene Tips Every Girl Should Know.

A fishy, foul, smell? Get it checked out.

A tell-tale sign there’s a problem downstairs is that unmistakable fishy vaginal odour. This is often due to a condition called bacterial vaginosis, where there is an imbalance of the vagina’s normal bacteria, leading to a thin grey or white discharge with a noticeable fishy smell. It isn’t sexually transmitted, but sex can trigger episodes, and you should see a healthcare professional for diagnosis treatment. Trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection that has similar symptoms (along with pain when you urinate) could be another culprit of an offensive smelling discharge.

A helpful rule of thumb is that if your vaginal odour suddenly changes, becomes noticeably unpleasant or fishy, or is different from what’s normal for you, it’s worth getting checked by a doctor or sexual health clinic. Many people worry about their natural scent, but most normal vaginal odours aren’t noticeable to others. If a partner mentions a new or strong smell, or if you notice a persistent change yourself, it can be a sign of an infection such as bacterial vaginosis.

The smell seems to be different on my period, why??

Many people feel embarrassed about how their period smells, but it’s usually completely normal. What most people think of as a “period smell” is not the vagina itself, instead it’s the scent of menstrual blood mixing with the natural bacteria on the skin, pubic hair, and sweat in the vulval area. When menstrual blood is exposed to air, it can develop a metallic, slightly musty, or earthy smell, which is normal. Pads can sometimes make odour more noticeable because the blood sits on the surface and is exposed to air for longer, but this varies from person to person and both pads and tampons are safe as long as they’re changed regularly.

If you notice a very strong, foul, or rotten smell coming from your vagina, one of the most common causes is a forgotten tampon. It can happen to anyone, and the smell is often the first sign. If you feel comfortable and can easily reach it, you may try to remove it yourself, but if you’re unsure whether it’s there, can’t reach it, or feel squeamish, it’s best to see a doctor or sexual health nurse who can remove it safely. If you develop any symptoms such as fever, pelvic pain, itching, burning, or unusual discharge, seek medical attention promptly, as a retained tampon can sometimes lead to infection. As a reminder, tampons should be changed regularly and not worn for more than 4–8 hours, depending on absorbency.

Get to know your body odour.

The best way to know whether your scentis normal is to get familiar with your own body. Get to know the variations of your discharge at different points of the month, and how they smell. You’ll spend a lot less time worrying, and you’ll know right away when something’s not quite right.

This is generalised advice and isn't personalised nor to replace the advice of your doctor and other health care professionals.