'I'm scared that my vagina smells. Will other people have noticed?'

Telegraph Wonder Women agony aunt Dr Petra Boynton offers advice and support to a reader who is unsure whether her genital odour is healthy

Power showers use twice as much water and electricity as baths
Dr Petra Boynton offers advice to a reader concerned about bodily smells Credit: Photo: GETTY IMAGES

I think my vagina smells. I keep noticing a bad odour but I’m not 100 per cent sure if it’s coming from me. I’m not in a relationship so don’t have a partner to ask and I’m embarrassed to mention it to my friends. I’m anxious if I do smell other people will have noticed. Should I see the doctor?

You’re not alone. A lot of people are worried about how their genitals smell and look.

And I’m glad you asked the question. This remains a taboo area, so people who are anxious about their bodies may feel unable to ask for advice. Or are unaware there are things they can do to help themselves.

This reply hopefully includes information that is directly useful to you, but may also help other people worried about body odour.

We all smell

At the risk of stating the obvious, everyone’s genitals smell. They all have a natural scent and may also sometimes smell of pee, poo or sweat. Or blood if you’ve got your period, or have recently given birth (or experienced pregnancy loss), or had genital surgery.

You may notice more of a smell from your genitals during or after sex. Women may notice at different times in the month their genitals smell more strongly, and that may also be the case during pregnancy.

But we’re led to believe by our media, self-help industry, peers and some cosmetic manufacturers that genitals should not smell. Or rather if they do, it should only be of soap or perfume.

That means if you can smell your body you may be embarrassed, or assume you are dirty, or there’s something wrong with you.

This is reinforced through jokes or shaming – suggesting women whose genitals smell must be promiscuous, diseased or unclean. This can prevent women accessing healthcare, especially if they are young or unmarried or living in cultures or communities where virginity is highly valued and pre-marital sex frowned upon.

So the first thing is to work out is the smell normal for you and your body? Does it even exist? Or are you anxious about your genitals because you’ve learned that anything not covered up with a spray or fragrance is disgusting?

If so you may be able to reassure yourself nothing is wrong with you and note what you have been taught about your genitals is unhelpful.

Alternatively, if you are noticing an ongoing unpleasant smell - particularly if it you haven’t had it in the past; or if it’s associated with pain, unexplained bleeding, or discharge - this should certainly be investigated further.

Check for yourself

As you aren’t certain if you do smell, it’s useful to do some personal detective work.

Can you recall when you first noticed the problem? What reduces the odour, or makes it stronger?

Keep a diary for the next week. Notice if the smell is present all the time or at specific times of day.

Does wearing particular clothing trigger it? Is it relieved by washing or does that make no difference (or even seem to make it worse)? If you sniff your underwear, jeans, tights etc after wearing them for a few hours do they smell bad?

More than just an odour

Although it isn’t always the case, genitals that are very smelly may often be accompanied by a discharge. As with genital smells, genital discharge is also normal and this guide from Scarleteen explains what this looks like.

However, you should be concerned if you notice a smell that is fishy, yeasty or cheesy AND…

• An unusual discharge that may be green, yellow or grey; have blood in it; or be frothy or very thick

• Stinging or burning sensations when you pee, or pain/discomfort inside your vagina, or stomach/low back pain

• If you are running a temperature and feeling feverish.

What could be the cause?

There are a number of reasons that might be causing your genitals to smell. Although it may be necessary to see the doctor, you may first want to try the following to see if it clears things up.

• Stop using vaginal deodorants, heavily scented soaps or other products that may aggravate your genitals. If you’re washing frequently because you are worried that you might have body odour this may be making things worse. Washing with water may be more soothing and this guide on genital hygiene may be useful.

• Check if any washing powder/fabric softener could be causing irritations and switch to non-allergenic brands.

• If you are worried about the smell being caused by a lack of hygiene, then washing regularly and wearing clean underwear should resolve the problem.

• Tight clothing – underwear, tights, trousers and so on, can aggravate the genital area. So looser clothes, or time without underwear on may help.

• If you use tampons, a Mooncup, contraceptive cap or diaphragm, then ensure these aren’t still inside you.

Some antibiotics and other medications can cause problems like thrush, which in turn can lead to genital itching and possible smell. Similarly health conditions, including diabetes, can lead to vaginal irritation.

Alert your doctor if you think this might be the cause of your odour problem.

Other possible reasons

The contraceptive pill can also lead to a change in discharge or a smell. Ask whoever supplies your contraceptives (family planning clinic/doctor) if you are experiencing problematic side effects and perhaps discuss other contraception choices.

Alternatively if you have a coil there may be a chance of an infection from that, which is leading to smell, discharge or other symptoms (see above) - in which case you should seek immediate medical advice.

Women with a disability that affects mobility or who have a catheter may experience genital irritation, soreness and smell. For those with support packages and PAs (personal assistants) there may be some concern over discussing genital issues and body odour, particularly for younger people. Considerations around dignity, respect and hygiene are vital however this does not mean the only response to noticing genital odour is washing (more on this later).

Trans Women may have concerns about vaginal odour that may or may not be related to infection. Noticing odour following surgery or when using dilators should be checked out, even if there are no other symptoms. There is more information below if stigma, shame or possible negative previous experience with healthcare staff makes you feel anxious about seeking help.

During and after the menopause changes within the body can lead to irritation, infection and smell. Some peri and postmenopausal women avoid seeking help due to embarrassment, fear of examinations being painful, or believing they no longer need genital care.

How to spot an infection

All people with vaginas can be affected by what’s covered by the term ‘vaginitis’. This refers to swelling and discomfort around and in the vagina and can include things like thrush or bacterial vaginosis.

These are not sexually transmitted infections, but they may be aggravated by having sex. More often they often occur with no sexual contact and can cause bad odours as well as discharge, itching and (sometimes, but not always) pain.

Although you aren’t in a relationship, if you have had sexual partners in the past it may be the smell you’ve noticed is caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI). This guide gives you more information on how to spot if you might have an infection and where you could go for confidential testing and treatment.

Unexplained bleeding, pain, discharge or a recurring bad odour problem should be given medical attention, regardless of whether you are in a sexual relationship or not.

When and where to seek help

If you believe you have an infection then it is wise to seek help promptly. For things like thrush or bacterial vaginosis you could speak to your pharmacist in confidence, or see your GP.

If you think the problem is related to contraception then you can ask your doctor or family planning clinic for advice, using somewhere like Brook if you are under 25.

For those who’ve recently had a baby and think they may have an infection, ask your midwife, practice nurse or GP for help.

It’s understandable to be worried about seeing the doctor, not least if you feel ashamed or embarrassed – or perhaps if you are uncertain if a bad smell is reason enough to seek medical assistance. But if you haven’t been able to solve the problem yourself and if the symptoms aren’t going away or are getting worse, you should always seek medical advice.

This previous reply on how to talk to the doctor and what to expect from a check up may help you feel more confident about seeking advice, while if you are not in the UK Tarshi and LoveMatters may be able help you find discreet and understanding practitioners, who could identify what might be the cause of your problem, regardless of your age or marital status. Hesperian have a guide if getting to a doctor is difficult.

If you can’t sort this for yourself remember the quicker you see a doctor, the quicker you can be checked out, and if necessary given tests or treatment.

Petra Boynton is a social psychologist and sex researcher working in International Health Care and studying sex and relationships. She is The Telegraph’s agony aunt. Follow her on Twitter @drpetra.

Email your sex and relationships queries in confidence to: agony.aunt@telegraph.co.uk

Petra cannot print answers to every single question submitted, but she does read all your emails. Please note that by submitting your question to Petra, you are giving your permission for her to use your question as the basis of her column, published online at Wonder Women.

All questions will be kept anonymous and key details, facts and figures may change to protect your identity. Petra can only answer based on the information you give her and her advice is not a substitute for medical, therapeutic or legal advice.