Is that why your vagina smells?

Wanda the fish. That was the most humiliating name any girl could be given in my high school. Being punished as “Wanda” simply meant that your vagina reeked of “Tuna Of The Sea”.

Understandably, girls, myself included, would go to great lengths to avoid this dehumanizing stigma.

So what do you do when your stinky midsection betrays a healthy vagina? The first step is to make sure your vagina is in top shape.

What is a vagina supposed to smell like?

Throughout your menstrual cycle, it is normal to have a variety of vaginal discharge. Vaginal discharge can take the form of a slimy, sticky, infertile discharge or a very fertile, slippery, clear discharge that occurs around menstruation.

Abnormal discharges are accompanied by itching, pungent odors, and/or gray, yellow, or green discharge.

The second step in restoring your vagina to health involves ruling out the possibility of vaginal conditions like bacterial vaginosis, a yeast infection, or trichomonas vaginitis.

bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), although more common than yeast infections, doesn’t get much attention in the media.

The cause of bacterial vaginosis remains unclear, but this condition is related to sexual activity and douching. According to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a sexually transmitted virus that infects vaginal lactobacilli can cause bacterial vaginosis.

Vaginal lactobacilli are necessary to maintain a healthy pH and bacterial balance within the vagina. Once a virus disrupts this balance, the vagina no longer has a protective barrier and is more susceptible to infection.

In the 1999 UIC study, Sylvia Pavlova, a senior research specialist, and Lin Tao, an associate professor of oral biology, found that viruses can cause bacterial vaginosis. Also, bacterial vaginosis could be sexually transmitted.

If left untreated, bacterial vaginosis can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal pregnancy, or preterm labor if you’re pregnant.

Only your doctor can diagnose bacterial vaginosis. Your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics or antibiotic vaginal inserts to treat bacterial vaginosis.

What to look for and smell:

Increased vaginal discharge. Fishy vaginal odor and white or gray discharge like milk.

candidiasis

If you’ve used antibiotics, been pregnant, have diabetes, or wear tight clothing, chances are you’ve experienced a vaginal yeast overgrowth. Overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans is largely blamed for causing yeast infections.

Most women find their yeast treatment in over-the-counter preparations at pharmacies. Other times you may find relief from yeast infection by moderating your sugar intake and supplementing your diet with more foods containing Lactobacillus (L.).

Dr. Tori Hudson, who serves as the medical director of A Woman’s Time, recommends that you eat foods that contain at least three of the following forms of Lactobacillus when naturally treating a yeast infection: L. acidophilus, L. fermentum. L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. casei or L. rhamnosus.

While there is still a research war on the effectiveness of Lactobacillus in fighting yeast infections, women still notice improvements in their vaginal yeast infections after supplementing their diet with this probiotic.

What to look for and smell:

Symptoms include a white discharge similar to cottage cheese, itching, redness, and irritation.

trichomonas vaginitis

Trichomonas vaginitis is listed as the third leading cause of vaginal infections.

Commonly called “hooker,” I mean “trick,” trichomonas vaginitis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a tiny, single-celled parasite. Like bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginitis can be spread through sexual intercourse.

Your doctor would need to test you to diagnose trichomonas vaginitis. She will prescribe antibiotics as treatment.

What to look for and smell:

Increased amount of vaginal discharge. Possible itching. Itching and redness accompanied by a greenish-yellow discharge.

You know what’s so ironic about this stinky vagina thing?

It’s that if you get bacterial vaginosis or trichomonas vaginitis, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics, but after using them, your chances of getting a yeast infection skyrocket. Who designed this health scenario anyway?

Before you swear, Wanda, let me offer you these vaginal health tips to use at your discretion:

1. The vagina needs to breathe, so let it. Wear pantyhose less often. Instead, wear knee-high or thigh-high stockings.
2. Wear cotton underwear instead of synthetic underwear.
3. Use condoms during sexual intercourse. Although the theory that sex can cause a vaginal infection is still disputed, the use of a condom is preventative until the infection clears.
4. Add a teaspoon of boric acid or a half cup of hydrogen peroxide to two quarts of warm water. (For the boric acid to mix well, you need to make sure the water is lukewarm.) Use the boric acid or hydrogen peroxide douche for two weeks and stop. Boric acid and hydrogen peroxide should increase the amount of lactic acid inside the vagina. This increased amount of lactic acid inside the vagina helps restore the proper bacterial balance inside the vagina and reduces the chances of reinfection.
5. Eat less sugar so you don’t feed the yeast.
6. Consult a doctor if you still have doubts. Mayo Clinic Women’s “HealthSource” newsletter has warned women not to hastily self-diagnose vaginal problems and label every smelly vaginal problem a “yeast infection.” This may not allow this to be the case.

Ok, I hope you smell better now and if you have doubts, take a look.