Today we’re discussing two things no one wants to hear in the same sentence: vaginas and fishy odor.
a doctor named Jolene Brighton has gone viral for sharing that a ~fishy~ vaginal smell can come from semen entering the vagina during intercourse. “Vaginal stink after sex: is it him or me? Something happens when he poops that can cause the smell. The vagina should be slightly acidic, but semen is alkaline,” she begins On your TikTokWhich has more than 3 million views.
“So, when semen enters the vagina, it can actually change the pH and allow organisms such as Gardnerellabecause of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)Overgrowth. And those bacteria cause a fishy smell. So, technically it’s not you — it’s the bacteria that’s causing that smell, and it’s not your fault…it’s their fault.”
In short: If a guy with a penis ejaculates inside you during sex, his highly alkaline semen can disrupt the pH of your acidic vagina and cause a fishy smell.
Dr. Brighten’s video allowed people to connect the dots in several different ways:
Some also pointed out that this is another example of what some medical professionals consider to be the woman’s “fault” or “problem” when it is not:
And those who were currently experiencing an unpleasant odor after sex wanted to know what they could do to prevent it:
So, we contacted Dr. Brighton To get more clarity on this issue. She is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist and a certified sexuality counselor.
First of all, Dr. Brighten wants to reassure people that a vagina shouldn’t smell like anything else – that isn’t the scent of fruit or summer air. “Your vagina has its own distinctive scent because it also contains pheromones, which are natural chemicals your body makes that other people can detect.”
However, there are some cases where An imbalance of organisms can cause the vagina to have a fishy or foul odorAccording to Dr. Brighten, this isn’t normal. “When you’re on your period, you may notice a metallic smell due to the iron in menstrual blood. If you’re smelling something that resembles bread rising, this could indicate an overgrowth of yeast, which can be the beginning of a yeast infection. If a tampon or condom is left behind, this can contribute to a ‘rotten’ smell that may not be caused by you, but by the proliferation of organisms around these items,” she shared.
In addition, your sweat glands can also cause vaginal odor. The vulva has two sweat glands called vulvas. Eccrine glands And Apocrine glandsEccrine glands produce mostly odorless moisture, and apocrine glands can produce smelly, oily sweat – and Vaginal foul smell causes BO-like odor“If you experience the ‘twaco’ phenomenon, where you smell like tacos or Mexican food down there, it’s likely originating from your sweat glands, not your vagina,” Dr. Brighten said. “If you’re eating all the ingredients for a massive batch of fajitas and then sweating, bacteria that normally live in your groin can feed on your sweat and give off this odor.”
When it comes to those who experience an unwanted fishy smell after sex, Dr. Brighten reiterated what she said in her TikTok — it can be a kind of odor. pH imbalance due to the entry of sperm into the vagina“Again, the vagina is acidic, and this pH maintains the delicate balance of the organisms that grow there. Semen is alkaline, which means it can disrupt the pH of the vagina and create an environment where fishy-smelling bacteria can grow,” he added.
There are three things you can do to prevent the fishy smell after sex:
2.
Use warm water and a washcloth to clean your vagina — avoid harsh chemicals, and don’t douche! “There is no safe way to clean the vagina without potentially disrupting the microbiome or causing infection deeper in the pelvis. The vagina, which is external, can be safely cleaned with warm water and a washcloth. You can also use a gentle cleanser, but it’s not necessary,” Dr. Brighten said.
In conclusion, if you’re experiencing a fishy or bad vaginal odor after sex, it could be due to your partner’s semen disturbing your vagina’s pH. However, since a bad vaginal odor can also be caused by an STI, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor just in case. Oh, and if your partner’s semen just smells like “funky spunk,” encourage them to analyze their diet — and talk to their doctor, too!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23988707/acastro_STK066_03.jpg "Music labels sue Verizon for over .6 billion")
