The female private area has an unusual smell even though it is very clean, what should I do?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by a doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital
Even after cleaning, the intimate area still has a strong odor, which makes women feel less confident. Vaginal odor can very well be a sign of some gynecological disease. Let's find out the causes of vaginal odor and how to overcome this situation through the article below.

Vaginal odor is caused by a combination of vaginal secretions, sweat, hormones, etc. When one of the above factors is abnormal, the private area will have an unpleasant odor. Here are the possible causes of your vaginal odor.

1. Bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis occurs when there is an overabundance of bacteria that causes an imbalance in the flora of the vagina. This is a very common gynecological disease, most women experience it at least once in their life. Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include: vaginal discharge that is thin, white or gray in color, with a fishy odor, especially after sex, in addition to accompanied by pain and itching in the vaginal area. pain when urinating. Unprotected sex and douching can cause an imbalance in vaginal bacteria, putting women at increased risk of infection.

2. Vaginitis caused by fungus

Vaginal yeast infection is a fairly common gynecological disease, usually caused by the fungus Candida albicans. This is a fungus that lives naturally in the vagina, along with bacteria that create a balance for the vaginal environment. In some cases, this balance is disrupted causing the fungus to overgrow, causing an infection.
Some causes of fungal infections are antibiotic use, oral contraceptives, immunosuppression, poor intimate hygiene, history of diabetes, hormone imbalance,...
Symptoms Typical of a vaginal yeast infection are itching and discharge. Vaginal discharge is usually not much, white like whey, your private area has a stronger smell than usual, in addition, there are other accompanying symptoms such as burning pain in the vulva, vagina, difficulty urinating, pain. During sex, the vulva is red and swollen.
Treatment of fungal infections is quite simple, so don't hesitate to see a gynecologist for a quick diagnosis and treatment.

3. Sexually transmitted diseases

Some sexually transmitted gynecological diseases cause an unpleasant vaginal odor, typically Chlamydia and gonorrhea. These two diseases are quite simple to treat, but if not detected and treated promptly, it can easily lead to serious complications later, even causing infertility. The early signs to recognize gynecological diseases include: a lot of discharge, bad smell, painful urination, pain during sex. But sometimes there are no symptoms at all.

4. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when bacteria (usually sexually transmitted bacteria) enter the uterus from the vagina. This is often a complication of untreated sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea. Pelvic inflammatory disease is often difficult to recognize because the disease often presents with very mild symptoms or no symptoms. However, if you have symptoms, you may still notice such as:
Lower abdominal pain, pelvic pain Unusual discharge, bad smell Burning pain during sex Burning sensation when urinating Bleeding between periods period

5. Poor hygiene in the private area causes gynecological diseases

Clean private area is very important, if you do not clean your private area will smell, like any other part of the body. In addition, there are many sweat glands in the vaginal area, hot weather, and wearing tight clothes are the reasons for increased sweating, causing your private area to have an unpleasant odor.

6. Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is the leading disease with the highest incidence in women. The disease often shows no or few specific symptoms in the early stages, signs of cervical cancer only appear clearly when malignant cancer cells grow and invade nearby tissues. Symptoms include:
Irregular vaginal bleeding: after sex, after menopause, after menstruation, or prolonged bleeding after menstruation. Vaginal discharge with an unusual color, unpleasant odor. Pain in the lower abdomen, pelvic pain Pain during sex The above symptoms appear in many gynecological diseases and may not mean that you have cervical cancer, but if there are unusual signs Please see your doctor quickly for a specific check. Treatment for cervical cancer depends on the condition and extent of the disease. There are many cases where the patient is forced to remove the uterus or use radiation therapy, chemotherapy, which means decreased sexual function and reduced fertility in women. If not treated in time, the tumor metastasizes to nearby tissues and organs, causing dangerous complications in the liver, kidneys, rectum, bladder,...
Cervical cancer is often diagnosed detected at a late stage because the initial symptoms are similar to those of other gynecological diseases such as a strong odor in the intimate area despite thorough cleaning. Therefore, you should have regular gynecological examinations and perform cervical cancer screening tests to detect cervical cancer early. Especially female patients over 40 years old, ever sexually active, having symptoms of cervical cancer, should be screened immediately.

Vinmec International General Hospital is known as a prestigious address in screening and early detection of gynecological cancer.
Patients will have gynecological examination with specialized, experienced and good doctors from the country and the world. Testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, taking samples for cervical cytology - vaginal screening for cervical cancer, HPV testing Vaginal ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries helps to detect the disease early even when there are no symptoms, private 1:1 clinic, discreet equipment and tools are disinfected after each examination Modern equipment, imported from the US, Singapore, Korea, Japan ... gives correct results. After the results are available, the patient is analyzed by a specialist doctor and advised on the optimal treatment direction. If you have a need to examine and treat gynecological diseases, book an appointment with leading gynecologists at the website right away or call Vinmec's hotline for detailed advice.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.