What A Healthy Vagina Should Smell Like

What A Healthy Vagina Should Smell Like

Coppery

A coppery, metallic odor is common during menstruation or after sex. During your period, tiny amounts of blood and tissue from the uterine lining remain in your vaginal canal. Blood is usually loaded with iron, which causes a metallic odor. Having vigorous sex or penetrating a dry vagina can cause light bleeding. With blood in your vagina, its odor changes.

Tangy

Like copper odor, the tangy odor should not freak you out. This smell mostly stems from acidity. I mean when the pH of the vagina is slightly acidic. During this time, the Lactobacilli bacteria works within its power to prevent the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria.

Any Major Warning Signs When It Comes to Vaginal Odors?

Dead fish odor is one of the major warning signs when it comes to vaginal odor. This smell can indicate bacterial vaginosis caused by an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria and trichomoniasis infection.

When To See A Doctor

Check out with a healthcare provider when a vaginal odor comes with these symptoms;

  • Vaginal bleeding, especially when you are not on your periods
  • Pain
  • Itching or burning sensation
  • Abnormal discharge
Elena Ognivtseva
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Nutritionist, Cornell University, MS

I believe that nutrition science is a wonderful helper both for the preventive improvement of health and adjunctive therapy in treatment. My goal is to help people improve their health and well-being without torturing themselves with unnecessary dietary restrictions. I am a supporter of a healthy lifestyle – I play sports, cycle, and swim in the lake all year round. With my work, I have been featured in Vice, Country Living, Harrods magazine, Daily Telegraph, Grazia, Women's Health, and other media outlets.

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