From the whiff of coins to fishy odours… 5 different vaginal smells and why they happen

VAGINAS smell – that’s a fact.

They have a very slight natural odour that shouldn’t be attempted to scrub away, experts say.

Alamy

But occasionally throughout a woman’s lifetime, she may notice something smells a little off down there, which could warrant a trip to a medic. 

It could be something metallic, rotten or fishy.

Dr Ayanthi Gunasekera, a Specialist Registrar in gynaecology at London Gynaecology says the most important thing to remember is that vaginas have a natural odour and each woman’s odour is different and can change temporarily.

The vagina changes smell as a woman goes through her menstrual cycle, which is why you may notice it smells more or less from one day to the next.

Regardless of what you can smell, don’t attempt to clean it. 

The amazing thing about the vagina is it is self-cleaning. It produces fluids that keep the natural balance of bacteria just right.

Dr Gunasekera said: “By trying to mask the smell or ‘clean’ the vagina with soaps and perfumed washes (including perfumed sanitary towels) you can disturb the natural balance that can lead to further changes, becoming a vicious cycle that is sometimes difficult to get on top of.

“Use only water to wash, dry well, wear cotton underwear and let your vagina ‘breathe’ by avoiding wearing tight clothing all the time.”

Dr Gunasekera also revealed the smells that are probably worth taking notice of:

Fishy

If you notice a pungent fish smell, it is probably bacterial vaginosis (BV).

Dr Gunasekera said this infection is “very common and is due to the imbalance in the normal bacterial flora of the vagina”.

This may happen if you have sex with a new partner, use an IUD for contraception or spray perfume in your knickers (never advised!).

The discharge if you have BV tends to be frothy, grey or green.

However, around half of women with BV do not have symptoms. 

But fear not, BV can be treated with a course of antibiotics. Sometimes, if you have a partner, it’s best to treat them too.

The other cause of a fishy smell is trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI). 

“Trich” is also characterised by itchiness and pain when going for a wee.

Beer/sweet

Ever smelt a beer-like odour from down there?

This, or a sweet yeast-like smell, is likely due to thrush, Dr Gunasekera said. However, there is not always a smell. 

Thrush tends to cause “white curd-like discharge like cottage cheese”, she added.

But when most women think of thrush, they know it for its symptoms of intense itching that can leave the vulva dry and red raw.

There are medicines for thrush you can get as easy as over-the-counter in a pharmacy or supermarket.

You may be offered a cream to soothe the itch or a pessary, which you insert into the vegaina using an applicator, to help clear the yeast infection.

Symptoms tend to go away in one to two weeks. 

But for some, thrush can be a reoccurring problem due to things like contraception, poorly controlled diabetes or antibiotic use. 

Metallic/coins 

A metallic smell similar to metal or coins is nothing to worry about – it’s simply due to your cycle, Dr Gunasekera said.

Before and after the bleed, there might be a more metallic smell you were not expecting.

There is no treatment required for it.

Rotten 

A smell which can only be described as “rotten or very unpleasant” would occur if you left a tampon inside too long, Dr Gunasekera said. 

Her advice was to remove it as soon as possible.

But if you are struggling to do so – which might happen if the tampon gets stuck and compressed at the top of the vagina – visit a GP or sexual health clinic where they can do it for you.

A tampon should not stay inside the vagina for more than eight hours, the NHS says.

An unpleasant smell, pelvic pain or high temperature is a sign you need to get it out urgently.

Urine

Although we pee from down there, it doesn’t normally smell of urine.

Unless, that is, someone has a urinary tract infection (UTI), Dr Gunasekera said. 

The “ammonia” type smell is due to the infection making the pee more potent.

Other symptoms include cloudy or bloody urine and a high or low temperature.

Most people are familiar with UTIs causing a constant urge to urinate and pain when doing so.