This is a very common question among people with vaginas. First, a quick anatomy refresher. Your vulva is all the parts on the outside, including your inner and outer labia and your clitoris. Your vagina is the part that’s on the inside of your body (where tampons and other things can go if you so choose). When most people talk about the way their vagina smells, they really mean their vulva.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get back to the question. And the best way to answer it is to start with what your vulva should not smell like.
What are vulvas NOT supposed to smell like?
Despite what the “feminine hygiene” aisle at your local drugstore would have you believe, your vulva should not smell like Island Splash, Sheer Floral, Delicate Blossom, Morning Paradise, or Sunset Oasis.
So what should your vulva smell like, if not a Sunset Oasis?
Robin Watkins, who’s a nurse practitioner and a certified nurse-midwife, told us: “It’s normal for your vagina and vulva to have a smell, just like it’s normal for your underarms to have a smell. Body smells are a part of being human and come from bacteria breaking down sweat on your skin.”
And there is a range of normal smells. What’s normal for one person may be different from what’s normal for another person. Just like you wouldn’t expect your armpits to smell identical to your friend’s, neither will your vulva smell just like anyone else’s.
Is it normal for your smell to change, or is a change always cause for concern?
It’s absolutely normal for your smell to change. Watkins says that your menstrual cycle, exercising, the weather, having sex, and even eating certain foods, like onions and garlic, can change the way your vulva smells.
How do you know if your smell is normal? What kinds of smells could indicate a problem?
Most smells are normal. Smells that could indicate a problem are fishy or sour odors, or any kind of rotting smell. The other thing to watch out for is if you have a smell that’s unusual for you at the same time you have other symptoms, like pain, itching, unusual discharge (especially if the discharge itself has a smell), burning, bleeding when you have sex, or fever. If that happens, you should check in with a health care provider at your nearest The Right Time health center ASAP. Also, if you notice an entirely new smell that you’ve never had before, or if your smell is bothering or worrying you, go get it checked out.
Whatever you do, don’t use products marketed for eliminating odor. According to Watkins, “… using soaps with a lot of perfume or washing inside the vagina, like douching, can actually upset the balance of the bacteria in the vagina, causing a fishy odor.”
In fact, that includes even the mildest soap. Your vulva only needs to be washed with lukewarm water, and your vagina doesn’t even need to be washed with water—it’s self-cleaning. It lives its best life when it’s left alone.
Ultimately, let’s accept that people with vulvas and vaginas are humans, and humans have smells. It’s fine, we promise!