7 Different Vaginal Smells and Why They Happen

The truth is, your vagina is home to billions of bacteria. And the precise makeup of this bacteria changes on a daily — sometimes hourly — basis.

Change is normal. These smell variations are likely a result of your menstrual cycle, your hygiene habits, or just you being you.

We called up Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, who has over 30 years of experience working in women’s health. She helped us get down to specifics with all the medical accuracy but less of the medical jargon.

Here is your medically accurate guide to vaginal odors.

1. Tangy or fermented

If it smells curiously similar to that sour IPA you had last weekend, don’t freak out.

- Reasons for a tangy odor : 

❑ Acidity

2. Coppery like a penny

Many people report smelling a coppery, metallic vaginal odor. This is usually nothing to worry about. Rarely, it signifies a more serious problem.

Reasons for a coppery odor :  

❑ Blood 

❑ $ex.

3. Sweet like molasses

When we say sweet we don’t mean freshly baked cookies sweet. We mean robust and earthy. But don’t fret, a sweetish tinge is no cause for concern.

- Reasons for a sweet odor : 

❑ Bacteria

4. Chemical like a newly cleaned bathroom

An odor similar to bleach or ammonia could be a couple different things. Sometimes, this odor is reason to see a doctor.

- Reasons for a chemical odor : 

❑ Urine 

❑ Bacterial vaginosis.

5. Skunky like BO or a smoked herbal, earthy scent

No, it’s not just you. Many people find a similarity between body odor and marijuana.

- Reasons for a skunky odor : 

❑ Emotional stress.

6. Fishy or that fillet you forgot about

You’ve probably heard an abnormal vaginal odor described as fishy. In fact, fresh fish shouldn’t smell like much at all. Decomposing fish is the more apt comparison.

- Reasons for a dead fish odor : 

❑ Bacterial vaginosis 

❑ Trichomoniasis.

7. Rotten like a decaying organism

A rotten odor that makes your nose wince and your face contort is definitely not the norm. If the smell is putrid, like a dead organism, it may not be your vagina but something in your vagina.

- Reasons for a rotten odor : 

❑ A forgotten tampon.

When you should see a doctor ?

See your doctor if an odor is accompanied with:

❑ Itching or burning

❑ Pain

❑ Pain during sex

❑ Thick, cottage cheese discharge

 ❑ Vaginal bleeding unrelated to your period

Source:  Health Line