My bum crack smells!

[7000BT]

NC for obvious reasons!!

This is so disgusting and TMI so huge apologies in advance!

For years now my bum crack has had a horrible sort of fishy, putrid smell 😳

I had a baby a few years ago and got piles that I’ve never been able to fully get rid of but even when I had nearly got rid of them, the smell was still there. I think I must get quite sweaty as I get itchy and it’s when I’ve itched that I’ve noticed the smell 😳

I’ve just had a shower and scrubbed my anus and between my bum cheeks (only with aqueous cream as I can’t use scented stuff or I get thrush) stepped out of the shower. Ran my finger up the top of my bum crack and nope, smell still there 😳😳

This isn’t normal is it, I know I probably need to go to the GP but it’s so bloody embarrassing! I’d be mortified!

Has anyone else had this?

Soap dodgers are out in full force with their theories, excuses and justification. I'm no longer surprised to learn that people avoid soap for all sorts of reasons (exception: some people with skin issues/ezcema, etc).

Once I read that OP used aqueous cream, the only and immediate solution was to try soap. A mild soap, wash thoroughly, dry and apply antifungal/antibacterial cream if itchy.

This should stop the smell within a day to a week but if it doesn't, then a visit to the gp to see what the problem is.

Exactly.

I will never understand why people would rather use nasty petrochemicals on themselves than something like olive oil or goat's milk soaps.

I used to use baby powder down there (bum crack), but stopped several years ago after reading a worrying article about Johnsons & Johnson’s Baby Powder in those sensitive areas. Sorry people, no link so you’ll have to Google it!

I still use baby powder between my toes to prevent Athletes Foot. Asda Baby Powder is great and has a nice soft powdery consistency. I recently had to use the Canesten specifically for Athletes Foot to clear it up properly as it kept returning after using various sprays. GP advised me to use the Canesten cream between the affected toes for at least three months to ensure it had cleared up properly. It worked!
Also, try not to put socks or shoes on straightaway. I wear flip flops around the house until my feet feel completely dry.

Back to the crack:
After drying myself with a towel, instead of using baby/talcum powder, I now put a long strip of toilet tissue between my bum cheeks for a few minutes, whilst I’m moisturising my body after a shower/bath (use at least six joined toilet tissue squares, double up to make three squares. Then fold in half to make a crease and then place the toilet tissue between your bum cheeks and vagina). I then put my knickers on. This seems to do the trick of soaking up any excess moisture.

Wearing and changing very thin pantyliners throughout the day also helps soak up moisture and will leave you feeling cleaner and fresher for longer. Only use unscented pantyliners. Bodyform and Boots own brand are good.

I only use Sanex Sensitive Showel Gel as anything perfumed would give me thrush or BV. The whole family use it as most of us have sensitive skin and/or eczema/dermatitis flare ups. Basically, don’t put anything strongly perfumed on your vagina. Vagina’s are self cleansing as long as you look after them well 😊
You should be washing yourself at least once a day. More often if sweaty and after having sex.

Like other pp, I would most definitely advise you to see your GP or a Sexual Health Clinic/GUM.

Once the issue has cleared up, keep those areas, clean, dry and avoid perfumed soaps, especially products from shops such as Lush. That initial little whiff from Lush smells great, but I then feel a headache coming on if I hang around outside the shop for too long!

I’m also old enough to remember Dettol baths 😉

If it's a video consultation be prepared to squat over the camera 😂

Rude people out in full force more like

I get thrush a lot as I'm sensitive to normal soap so I use Boots own brand intimate wash which is great. I also use it for my bum as well to avoid any soap getting near my bits lol. Aqueous cream isn't really suitable for intimate areas, or your bum especially as it doesn't really clean properly. It would be ok for the rest of your skin e.g. your arms, legs etc. if you get eczema for example, but on any sweat producing areas such as your underarms, bum, bits etc you would need something a bit more substantial.

OP have you actually had a look down there with a mirror to see if you can see anything such as an abscess or anything that looks unusual? If everything looks fine then I'd suggest using a sensitive soap or wash that people have suggested and see if that helps, if it doesn't then I'd be off to the GP to rule out any infection or abscess. Don't be embarrassed about going to the GP as they have literally seen everything.

@AlltheFs during my GP training I worked in dermatology for a few months, so of course I’m aware that emulsifying ointment is used as a soap substitute by many people with conditions such as severe eczema. However, OP didn’t say she had eczema. Also, I think that if the area between your buttocks was smelly - with no other symptoms (eg pain, discharge, ulceration, spots) - then it would be reasonable to try soap in that area, even if you continued to wash the rest of your body with emulsifying ointment.

I have never recommended a spa day as a treatment for people with depression, nor have I told them to pull themselves together. That’s a strange extrapolation for you to make.

Smelly skin = wash properly. If that doesn’t work, then by all means consider possible pathological causes. But the first thing to try is soap.

Can I ask why you think I should retire? I’m in my mid 50s so I plan to work a little while longer, especially as there is not a day that goes by without one of my patients saying “promise me you’ll never retire”.

I had a car accident some years back and hurt my tailbone, and always had to use a hot water bottle. I noticed a weird smell and couldn't work out what is was, but I touched my tailbone area (at the very top of the crack) and realized it was coming from there. Looked in the mirror and saw it was a really weird colour and 'leaking' 😱. Long story short, the sweat created from hot water bottle was running down and pooling into crack, which caused an infection, despite showering every day. I only got it under control when I stopped the constant heat.

They're not supposed to be smelly. If it is, there's something wrong. Even the anus itself shouldn't be smelly if it's cleaned properly after a #2.

Anti-bacterial soap bar, dry thoroughly and then put witch hazel on a cotton pad and wipe the area.
Then let air dry before putting on 100% cotton underwear.

This should absolutely fix the issue unless it's an infection.

Coal tar soap is good for fungal stuff, then put some Daktacourt cream on (you can get both of these in the chemist) that cream heals basically everything

I really don't think this case is a mystery - OP has haemorrhoids, and haemorrhoids leak fishy discharge. The arse grapes have to go.

have you tried bicarbonate of soda...shake liberrally on affected area .then wash in water.or if you are able spray first with vinegar(the white see through kind).

True. I have vulval lichens sclerosis and I’m supposed to use an Aqueous cream for washing that area. But frankly I’d rather have 10 mins of stinging after using soap than go about smelling the way I do if I use Aqueous cream. It’s vile.

Femfresh doesn't sting.

Well guys,

After I started my thread I jumped in the shower, I’ve ordered some Femfresh Active intimate wash stuff but it hasn’t arrived yet, so I used some shampoo on that area 😳 I got out of the shower and did the tissue blotting trick another poster talked about. I then applied some canesten cream to the area. Did that yesterday and today…..voila, no smell 😳

I’ll keep up with the canesten cream for another 3-5 days and continue washing the area and will see if it comes back when I stop the canasten. I’m thinking it could’ve been a long term fungal infection, that a couple of days of canesten has sorted 😳

Well done, OP! Skin sensitive shampoo works too. Glad you're sorted and you didn't have to go to the GP unnecessarily.

I wouldn't have thought that one application of Canesten would have got rid of a longstanding fungal infection in an area like that. I'm more minded to think that it's just had a good wash and you've washed away the build up of aqueous cream.

It’s good to read your update OP. It’s good that the issue seems to be improving. Also, glad to hear that you’re trying the tissue blotting I suggested.
I previously forgot to say that you should avoid wearing underwear and any close fitting clothing on the bottom half of your body when you’re at home. Wear a loose skirt in order to allow the area to breathe and heal quicker.

In addition, it’s always a good idea to sit on the floor with a small stand alone mirror to see what’s going on. Therefore, you’ll hopefully recognise any possible issues early on in future.

Well done for posting. It’s good to talk and share to resolve issues 🙂

It's not the canesten that has done trick, it's the soap!!!

Well done.

Get some very basic soap for future use. Pears or similar.

Thank you for the update. Keep us posted.

She used shampoo, not soap!

shampoo is just one kind of soap...

I'm glad the solution turned out to be so easy

It's the washing that has sorted it haha. Do look at your gut health though! Looks like you need it. Get those probiotics.