7 Different Vaginal Smells And Why They Happen - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeWhat Different Vaginal Smells Mean for Your Health

Medically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH — Written by Ginger Wojcik — Updated on August 19, 2024

Tangy
Coppery
Sweet
Skunky
Chemical
Fishy
Rotten
Medical attention
Takeaway

The vaginal PH in a person of reproductive age is slightly acidic, which means it’s natural for it to have a tangy odor. However, a healthy vagina can have a variety of odors.

Your vagina is home to billions of bacteria. The precise makeup of this bacteria changes on a daily — sometimes hourly — basis.

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

Plus, considering the groin contains a collection of sweat glands, is it really a wonder that your vagina isn’t odorless?

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

Here is your medically accurate guide to vaginal odors.

1. Tangy or fermented

It’s common for vaginas to produce a tangy or sour aroma. Some compare it to the smell of fermented foods.

Yogurt, sourdough bread, and even some sour beer contain the same type of good bacteria that dominate most healthy vaginas: Lactobacilli.

“The Lactobacilli bacteria keep the vagina acidic,” said Minkin. “This protects against an overgrowth of the bad kinds of bacteria.”

If it smells curiously similar to that sour IPA you had last weekend, there’s no need to stress.

2. Coppery like a penny

Many people report smelling a coppery, metallic vaginal odor. This is usually caused by blood.

The most common reason for blood is menstruation. During your period, blood and tissue are shed from your uterine lining and travel through your vaginal canal. The metallic scent shouldn’t linger too long after your period is over.

Light bleeding after penetrative sex can be common. This is usually due to vaginal dryness or vigorous sex that can cause small cuts or scrapes. To prevent this, try using lube.

If your vagina has had contact with semen, this may change the pH level and cause a metallic smell.

A coppery smell can also be due to less common but serious causes of vaginal bleeding. If you’re experiencing bleeding unrelated to your period or the metallic smell continues with itching and discharge, it’s best to consult a doctor.

3. Sweet like molasses

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

Your vaginal pH is an ever-changing bacterial ecosystem. And sometimes this means you might smell a little sweet.

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

No, it’s not just you. Many people find a similarity between body odor and cannabis. There isn’t a good scientific answer for this, although Vice did take a stab at it.

But thanks to the sweat glands down there, at least we do know why vaginas and body odor can smell so similar.

Your body contains two types of sweat glands: apocrine and eccrine. The eccrine glands produce sweat to cool your body down, and the apocrine glands respond to your emotions. These apocrine glands populate your armpits and, you guessed it, your groin.

When you are stressed or anxious, the apocrine glands produce a milky fluid. On its own, this fluid is odorless. But when this fluid contacts the abundance of vaginal bacteria on your vulva, it can produce a pungent aroma.

5. Chemical like a newly cleaned bathroom

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

Urine contains a byproduct of ammonia called urea. A buildup of urine in your underwear or around your vulva could put off a chemical smell. Urine smelling strongly of ammonia is a sign of dehydration.

It’s also possible a chemical-like smell is a sign of bacterial vaginosis, which is a common vaginal infection. “A chemical smell often falls under the category of fishy,” said Minkin.

6. Fishy or that fillet you forgot about

You’ve probably heard an abnormal vaginal odor described as fishy. Fresh fish shouldn’t smell like much at all.

Decomposing fish is the more apt comparison. Why? Trimethylamine is the chemical compound responsible for the distinct aroma of rotting fish and some abnormal vaginal odors.

“You get bacterial vaginosis when there’s an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in the vagina,” said Minkin. “And these anaerobic organisms are odorous.”

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection that can be treated with antibiotics. It’s known for its pungent fishy odor.

“The trichomoniasis infection can be quite smelly,” said Minkin. “It’s a more pronounced fishy odor than bacterial vaginosis.”

In rare cases, a fishy smell can indicate a more serious condition.

7. Rotten like a decaying organism

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

Inadvertently letting a tampon go days, even weeks, inside a vagina is much more common than you’d think. “I can’t tell you how many tampons I’ve taken out of patients,” said Minkin. “This happens to lots and lots of people. It isn’t something you need to be embarrassed about.”

Minkin said it’s perfectly safe to remove a forgotten tampon on your own.

When you consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional

In general, if something is amiss, odors should be easy to notice. They’re the ones that make your face scrunch up. Rotting fish, dead organisms, decay — these may all be red flag odors.

If there’s a serious cause, often other symptoms may appear alongside the smell. Seek medical care if an odor is accompanied by:

itching or burning
pain
thick, cottage cheese discharge
bleeding unrelated to menstruation

The bottom line

Subtle shifts in your vaginal fragrance can be natural. Remember, how your vagina smells has everything to do with its pH. And there are lots of things that affect your pH.

Take penis-in-vagina sex, for instance. Semen has a relatively high pH, so it’s typical to notice a different smell after P-in-V. This change is only temporary.

Menopause also affects vaginal pH. Due to a lack of estrogen, people in menopause “end up with less vaginal mucosa,” said Minkin. “Vaginal mucosa lines the vagina and nurtures the Lactobacilli bacteria. So, without these cells, you can end up with a much higher pH.”

Our advice? Don’t be afraid to get to know your vagina in all its fragrant glory. The better you understand the smells your vagina produces daily, the more prepared you’ll be when something goes amiss.

After all, vaginas do so many wonderful things for us. It’s about time we start understanding what they’re all about.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

About bacterial vaginosis. (2023).https://www.cdc.gov/bacterial-vaginosis/about/
About trichomoniasis. (2023).https://www.cdc.gov/trichomoniasis/about/
Bacterial vaginosis. (2021).https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/bacterialvaginosis
Douching. (2022). https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/douching
Jeanmonod R, et al. (2023). Vaginal bleeding.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470230
Lin YP, et al. (2021). Vaginal pH value for clinical diagnosis and treatment of common vaginitis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618584
Minkin MJ. (2018). Personal interview.
Schumann JA, et al. (2023). Trichomoniasis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534826/
Trimethylamine. (2024). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/trimethylamine#section=Top
Vulvovaginal health. (2024).https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/vulvovaginal-health

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Medically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH — Written by Ginger Wojcik — Updated on August 19, 2024

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