Holmes says, so if a tampon smells foul or fishy right when it's removed, you may have bacterial vaginosis or another underlying issue. And if your vagina smells like rot, or as Dr. Holmes puts it, “really strong and horrible like something died”? That almost always signals a forgotten tampon in the vagina, she says.
This smell is often related to an infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal infection caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina. Risk factors for bacterial vaginosis include new or multiple sex partners and douching.
A foul, fishy vaginal odor could arise if you've left a tampon in for too long. Change your tampons and pads regularly, according to your menstrual flow. Choose a period product with the right amount of absorbancy for your flow that day. Tampons with a higher-than-necessary absorption can often lead to dryness.
Urinary Tract Infections UTIs and dehydration can sometimes cause urine to smell, which can in turn create an odor (sometimes likened to the smell of bleach or ammonia) in the vaginal area.
You're sweating more than usual.
"When we sweat, natural bacteria on our skin breaks down the perspiration into thioalcohols, [so] the body odor we notice is thanks to bacteria interacting with our sweat," explains Shein.
"Your body tries to get rid of the tampon because it thinks it's a foreign body—it initiates immune response, and the bacteria that is already present goes to work," she told me over the phone while she baby-sat for my niece, a future bleeder. "One type of bacteria is called putrescine. That leads to a putrid smell.
“Those are bacteria's favorite things.” When you leave a tampon in too long, you give bacteria a new place to grow. This can invite in bad bacteria and allow good bacteria to overgrow. Be on the lookout for symptoms that can signify health concerns, like: Bad or increased vaginal odor.
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It's also called "fish odour syndrome". Sometimes it's caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn't always the case. There's currently no cure, but there are things that can help.
Black blood can appear at the beginning or end of a person's period. The color is typically a sign of old blood or blood that has taken longer to leave the uterus and has had time to oxidize, first turning brown or dark red and then eventually becoming black.
Changing pads frequently is usually an easy way to work around any fear of smells. You can usually avoid vaginal smell during your period by ensuring that you change your pad at least every 4 hours, or even more frequently if your flow is intense.
Foods such as garlic, onions, cumin, and curry can also cause changes in body odor. The sulfur-like compounds that the body releases as it breaks down these foods can react with the sweat on the skin, producing body odor that may be different than a person's natural scent.
According to Odors Away, baking something sweet, like cookies or the perfect dessert to complement your fish entree, can replace the fishy smell with something new—and much more pleasant.
It's not just irritation you have to worry about: The fragrance in scented tampons can also affect your vaginal pH balance—which is important for your overall vaginal health. That can lead to yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, a condition that causes abnormal discharge, itching, and odor.
In general, TSS symptoms can develop as soon as 12 hours after a surgical procedure. Symptoms usually develop in 3 to 5 days in individuals who are menstruating and using tampons or menstrual cups.
It is safe to sleep with a tampon in as long as it's not for more than eight hours. So, if you can keep your night-time snooze to 8 hours or under, then you can wear a tampon overnight.
Expert analysis says the more absorbent the tampon, the more bacteria it can hold onto. That, paired with a tiny tear from something like pulling out a dry tampon before it's saturated with blood, can introduce the bacteria into the body.
Tampons prevent bad smells better than pads do, but they still have the potential to lead to unpleasant odor. "Eventually, the blood seeps down to the ends of the tampon, near the outside," Ross explains.
Tampon disposal is pretty straight-forward, you can simply wrap your used tampon up in toilet paper and throw away used tampons in the garbage bin or trash.
Unscented is best because the chemicals used in scented products can cause irritation. Also, there's no need to mask the natural odors that happen. In most cases, any odor is mild and not offensive.
Groin sweat contains fatty acids and proteins which feed bacteria. As the bacteria break down the nutrients in groin sweat, foul-smelling acids are left behind.
According to Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Showering "once every three days is fine." If you have a skin condition, the answer is different, however.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis
This discharge will usually be white or grey, thin or watery and have a strong, unpleasant fishy smell. This can be more noticeable during and after sex, and during periods.