“When you look at what's normal, it can have a mild or slight odor that's not unpleasant,” Dr. Streicher says. “There shouldn't be a strong odor, and it shouldn't smell like the zoo or fish.” So if you feel like your discharge smells bad but not fishy or like a musky animal, you're probably okay.
Bacterial vaginitis (BV) can produce a fishy odor that is also accompanied by increased vaginal discharge, irritation, burning and sometimes itching. It is caused by an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria that disrupts the balance of healthy bacteria that live within the vagina.
Tangy, fermented, or sour.
These are perfectly healthy adjectives to describe the vaginal odor created by your normal bacterial flora. Good bacteria help keep your vagina healthy by producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other substances to keep harmful bacteria at bay.
The time to worry about your discharge is if it starts to have a bad, fishy kind of odor, or if the color or texture changes a lot.
So that "I can smell my discharge through my pants" situation? It might be a symptom. The good news is that bacterial vaginosis is not sexually transmitted and can be treated with an antibiotic — just avoid douching, as it can increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis.
These healthy bacteria may have a slight odor and discharge, but changes to either may indicate a shift to unhealthy bacteria or yeast. The smell of your vagina may vary during your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause. You may also experience stronger smells after sexual intercourse or exercise.
There are many different types of smells that can come with discharge. If the smell is fishy, rotten, or very strong, it could be a sign of infection. You should check in with a healthcare provider. If the smell is earthy, sweet, or reminiscent of body odor, it may be normal.
“It's a yeasty smell,” says Dr. Streicher. “It's not leave-the-room bad, but it has a characteristic scent.” The pH of your vagina doesn't actually change when you have a yeast issue—it's just that yeast has an odor. So if your discharge smells bad but not fishy, it could be a yeast infection.
Many women become concerned that other people can detect the odor around their vulva and vagina. In reality, women are most sensitive to their own odor, and it's very unlikely that others who don't have intimate contact with them can smell it.
Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include: an unusual vaginal discharge that has a strong fishy smell, particularly after sex. a change to the colour and consistency of your discharge, such as becoming greyish-white and thin and watery.
Bacterial infections:
Excessive panties are always wet vaginal discharge can be caused due to bacterial vaginosis. The discharge is thin, grey coloured and smells like a fish. It also causes itching around the vagina. Having multiple sexual partners and frequent douching are the common causes of bacterial infection.
The research shows that body hair by itself is not a cause of bad body odor. But everyone is unique. Some guys report smelling better after their shave their armpits, body hair, or pubes. They feel that it makes them sweat less and smell better.
If your vulva smells really bad, fishy, or yeasty, or has any other strong, unpleasant odor, see a health care provider. An unpleasantly smelly discharge can be a sign of an infection that should be treated right away.
Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish. As this compound builds up in the body, it causes affected people to give off a strong fishy odor in their sweat, urine, and breath. The intensity of the odor may vary over time.
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.
Does chlamydia have a smell? Chlamydia doesn't always have a smell. But one of the symptoms of chlamydia is an unusual vaginal discharge that has an unpleasant odor.
People have different amounts of discharge and usually it's clear or white – and it can be slightly yellow when it dries. Normal discharge may have a mild odor (which can be different for everybody) and can vary in thickness and color throughout a person's menstrual cycle.
Bacterial vaginosis or BV
Bacterial vaginosis occurs when there's too much of a certain bacteria in your vagina. It can be transmitted through sexual contact but not always. People with BV have white or gray discharge that's foul-smelling and fishy. It's treated with antibiotics.
At times, BV will go away without treatment. However, treatment can help avoid the increased chance of some serious health risks associated with BV, including: Getting or transmitting HIV; Delivering your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant; and.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
'It's a condition where there's an imbalance in the vaginal flora,' Dr Rosén explains. 'The first symptom is often a fishy smell, which can progress to a frothy, grey or green-ish discharge.