Many women can be prudish when it comes to vaginal odor. That is because the way a vagina smells also has an impact not only on one’s mental health, but also on one’s perceived desirability to potential sex partners – and that is not even counting on actual health reasons!
Here are some steps to make sure that a woman’s feminine odor smells good:
Medical check up
Before anything else, do make sure that there are no medical conditions like bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or sexually transmitted diseases. Both can be easily treated with proper medical attention. If the feminine odor qualifies as a fishy vaginal odor, a visit to the doctor is definitely needed.
Sexual Contact
Certain sexual practices can cause abnormal vaginal odor.
– Change condoms in between various sexual activities, particularly if anal sex comes before vaginal sex. In fact, condoms should be changed even if the activity before vaginal sex is oral sex. It should be clear by now that one should always have protected sex, even with a regular sexual partner.
– Food fetishes and the use of sex toys can affect vaginal odor, so all tools to be used in the act of sex should be thoroughly cleaned beforehand.
– Always urinate and clean immediately after sex. Douching might be a bad idea, as it can change the Ph balance of the vagina, again leading to an unpleasant feminine odor.
Personal Hygiene
Consider the following guidelines for personal hygiene:
– Always wipe from front to back after bowel movements.
– Take a bath daily, and always change underwear. One should also regularly and frequently change tampons, sanitary pads and other similar accessories.
– Do not resort to douching unless necessary, such as when there may be suspected foreign objects left inside, like forgotten tampons or condom fragments. If possible, just wash with warm water and very mild, unscented soap.
– Hot showers or soaking in a hot tub can affect the bacterial balance in the vagina, and this can lead to a strong vaginal odor. Try lowering the temperature for such activities.
– Scented products, like soaps, toilet papers, and washes can also affect vaginal odor.
– Be careful when shaving down there, as irritated sweat glands can also be a concern. It would be better to trim, rather than shave.
– Do not use perfume too near the vagina – dab some perfume spots about six inches down the thigh. Use musky scents for a more natural odor.
A reminder must be made: do not overdo all these techniques, as overcleaning can also throw the bacterial and Ph balance of the vagina out of normal boundaries.
Underwear and Clothing
Advice for underwear and clothing is simple: use cotton underwear as much as possible, so that sweat and moisture is circulated away from the vagina. Also, refrain from using tight clothes as much as possible.
A balanced diet is always a good start when it comes to getting rid of abnormal vaginal odor, as what the body metabolizes and absorbs will reflect on all aspects of the body. For starters, one should take probiotic supplements. Eating yogurt will also help, though in the interests of health, choose the plain yogurt. Aside from that, a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables in one’s daily diet can supposedly improve feminine odor.
