Having an embarrassing issue relating to my smell

[fanjoconcerns]

Hello. I'm currently experiencing an ongoing issue relating to the smell of my vagina. I started noticing it a few months ago and it seems to be getting worse. I initially thought it might be BV (bacterial vaginosis) but now I am not sure. It's not an STI as I'm not sexually active and haven't had sex for over a year. I wouldn't want to have sex while the smell is present anyway. The smell is pungent and very prominent. As soon as I do anything that involves getting undressed, it hits me right away. The smell comes back quite quickly after I shower or have a bath. I'm also having to change my knickers at least twice a day. There are no other symptoms other than the unpleasant smell. No discharge, pain, discomfort or anything else.

Nothing has changed regarding my diet or medications I take, and I don't use any specific cleaning products (femfresh etc) on my vulval area other than plain water. I have always been told you aren't supposed to use them. So far I have tried the canesten gel which is supposed to treat BV, but it hasn't worked for me which is why I am not sure that it is BV. Is there anything else I should try or does it generally require a GP appointment to fix if it is indeed BV? With my GP you have to tell the reception staff what your issue is when you call them, and I'm not looking forward to saying what it is on the phone.

My gynaecology consultant also told me to use aqueous cream to wash. I do as soap and shower gel cause irritation. I can assure you I don't smell and am the owner of a soft non irritated vulva!!

I'm a Sexual Health Doctor and the SH nurse who posted about washing with water only, or using an emollient cream, is absolutely correct. This is the advice from all guidelines.

Soap, femfresh or any other intimate washes are not recommended although heavily marketed.

It is probably BV but this can be triggered by having an STI at the same time.

I would go to a Sexual Health clinic. Hopefully it'll be easily sorted.

Make sure you are up to date with your smear tests.
Seek advice about anything major like Ovarian Cancer.
Consult your doctor and if nothing is medically wrong change washing routine.
Wash and dry twice per day, swap to cotton undies. Try using panty liners and changing them a few times per day.

Could it be a smell from your feet or tummy button?

If you are sure the smell is coming from your vagina (rather than your general vulval area) you need to try the BV gel treatment NOT Canestan gel. Canestan is for thrush which is a totally different issue to BV (and often has no smell or a less offensive smell than BV).

I use a menstrual cup and sometimes get a touch of BV after my period but the Canesbalance or BalanceActive gel sorts it out very quickly, usually only need one application. But it's runny so best to use overnight with a pair of pants over the top!

I do soap my vulval area and never had any issues. My daughter gets thrush though from using soap down there, so there is some truth in the NHS advice though I think it's a bit "precautionary". I would definitely not avoid soap unless I had to.

I use a feminine wash and get the shower head all over that area to give it a good rinse😁

Just here for all the people telling the doctor they are wrong too 😅

I'd smell if I didn't use shower gel down below. You don't use it inside but the outside bits need a proper clean like the rest of you!

I can absolutely guarantee that washing your vulva with water alone/aqueous cream won't leave you smelling. Any soap you do use in that area should be non perfumed and rinsed off thoroughly.

BO is different from BV or any other vaginal "odour" caused by an infection.

Can I just add, if you’ve ever suffered with vaginal atrophy due to the menopause you wouldn’t let any form of soap anywhere near your foof. The effect is like a combo of shoving razor blades up there and dealing with a nasty UTI at the same time and this discomfort will last all day

@MrsFinkelstein do a test today, touch poo, wee, period blood and sweat. rinse your hand with water then give it a sniff. ..I can absolutely guarantee it will stink.

Those that use soap have clearly never had to co-exist with thrush on and off for most of their adult lives 🤣

It's threads like this that serve to highlight problems such as this. It still seems pretty obvious that women are in the dark about keeping the vaginal area clean. OP see your doctor who will give you the best and correct advice and tell you which medication you need if any.

I was my bits with shower gel and never had any issues, of course I don't go right up the vadge, but all around it gets a good soaping. I'd never use just water!

Also, OP, a friend of mine had a smell for a while and went to an STD clinic, they pulled out an old tampon that had been pushed right up there by another one. Could this be it?

• wash

This is the only sensible advice - just go to a dr. (And don’t start using soaps that can cause a yeast infection.)

@pponk
I'll refer you back to my previous answer.
Faecal matter and old blood will obviously smell, but if someone still has Faecal matter & blood on their skin after wiping or cleansing with water then they have more problems than ?BV

Colleagues who work in this area have backed me up. We give advice based on evidence from clinical trials and years of experience working in this field. Whether patients choose to follow our advice is up to them.

You really should not do this.

Its not good for your vulva.

This will not be the cause of the smell anyway. If all is healthy there you won't smell. The smell is caused by something going wrong. You need to find out what that is and treat it.

@MrsFinkelstein there is no way you have any sort of medical training if you don't even understand the basics of washing, to know that fecal matter is not removed from simply wiping.

Absolutely this.

This is always the advice from women's health clinics.

What a number marketing has done on women to make them think they needs cleansing products for their genitals.

@Cyclingagain I've just read through a selection of advice from 4 NHS trusts. each one says to clean using unscented washes. it only says to use just water if / when you are suffering from a flare up of some issue and even then suggests that using just water could make it worse and to use a cream.

I had BV once and the nurse said I should not wash with anything down there. Not even that femfresh as it disrupts the balance

I have been washing with only water for 70 years.
Never use soap on your fanny or your face.

@Prelapsarianhag same here. Never use soap on fanny or face!

Was going to say this. I had one must have been in there two, maybe 3 weeks. The stench my god, I remember having to wash the cushion covers on the couch . I had been ill during my period and clearly forgotten about it - it did not make me ill.

Good news is once it was gone the smell went away immediately.

I had BV once and the nurse said I should not wash with anything down there. Not even that femfresh as it disrupts the balance

Just to comment on this - using euphemisms is exactly why women don't know what the hell to do with their own bodies. Despite what @MrsFinkelstein says in her post, I'm never going to use just water to wash my vulva, where urine and period blood can splash. I use soap and rinse well and have never had an issue.

It’s your vagina you’re not supposed to use soap on. I would wash your vulva with soap and see if it makes a difference.