What our genitalia look, smell, and feel like is one of those topics that is simultaneously taboo to talk about and… everywhere. There’s media, music, pornography, comedy routines and jokes, and artistic representations of all kinds. There’s the information we get from family and friends, which might be well-meaning but not always the most scientifically accurate. There’s even things you might have heard from healthcare professionals or teachers growing up that we now know to be outdated or rooted in stereotypes. All of this can make it really hard to know what is actually normal for you and your genitals! Here, I’m going to discuss the normal vagina--what it smells, looks, and feels like--based on the most current and medically accurate information we have.
“Smells like hell, tastes like heaven: the woman’s fruit!” -Singaporean describing durian fruit
What does a normal, healthy vagina smell like?
-Musty, skunky, strong.
-Mild, sour, tangy.
-Metallic, like a copper penny.
-Buttery or cheesy.
-Bittersweet, like ginger or molasses.
-Like bleach.
Vaginal odor is different from person to person, and can change depending on the menstrual cycle, having sex, exercising, or contact with certain fabrics or products. Bleeding can change the odor to become more metallic because of the iron in your blood. Coming into contact with condoms or semen can cause a bleach-like smell. Sweating from exercise can lead to a stronger odor, perhaps similar to body odor like you might get under your arms. When in doubt, rinsing with water and changing underwear can help you to figure out if the odor is temporary and related to an activity you were doing, or a sign of something else.
Odors that could mean it’s time to get medical help, especially if they don’t go away after a few days:
-Fishy or briney, like the ocean or going to the seafood section of the store.
-Foul like rotting meat or the trash.
-Really sweet like a sugary donut.
-An ammonia-like smell, similar to urine.
-Any bad smell that reminds you of poop.
“Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet-a** p****y.” -WAP, Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion
Is it normal to have vaginal discharge? In a word, YES!
Of course, not all discharges are made equal. Discharge is affected by the same things as odor (menstrual cycle, sexual activity, exercise, products you use, arousal) and can also be a sign of a health problem. First, let’s talk about what discharge is and where it comes from.
Discharge can actually be made of several different kinds of body fluids from different body parts. While it’s true that many people produce more vaginal fluids when they’re aroused (see quote above), it’s important to note that you can be aroused without feeling “wet.” And “wetness” isn’t all about arousal. Some discharge is just plain old sweat--you have sweat glands in your groin too! Some discharge comes from glands in the vulva and vagina; these glands don’t make sweat but do produce liquid for other reasons, like providing lubrication during sexual arousal or helping keep the vagina clean. Some discharge comes from the uterus and cervix. The most well-known example of this is period blood, which is the uterine lining being shed through the cervix and out through the vagina. It can also be normal to have yellow, pink, or brown discharge just before or right after a period; all of that is uterine lining too. But your cervix also has glands of its own that produce mucus. Depending on where someone is in their menstrual cycle, this mucus can either be thick (to keep sperm out of a uterus that isn’t ready to be pregnant) or thin and runny (to help the sperm swim up into the uterus so that a pregnancy may occur). Lastly, some discharge is actually just urine or fluid from the anus… everything is in the same area.
Because normal discharge can really look like just about anything, what’s important to know is what’s normal for YOU. If you’re having more or less discharge than normal, if it’s a different color than you’ve ever seen before, or if it’s accompanied by other symptoms like a bad smell, pain or discomfort, itching/burning, or fever, it’s probably time to seek help.
“The next day, I was itching like a m*****f*****. I was itchin’ bad, I was like aw s***, something’s wrong… I went to sleep. When I woke up… my whole left lip was gone. My right lip was all super swole… turns out I just had a yeast infection on steroids.” -Tiffany Hadish: Black Mitzvah
What does a healthy vagina feel like?
If you have a healthy vagina, you’re probably not really aware of it because healthy vaginas… don’t really feel like anything. If you can go about your normal day-to-day life without having your vagina pull your attention away frequently, if you can use the menstrual products you want, if you can enjoy sexual arousal when and if you want, then you’re probably doing OK in the vagina department. Other people in your life do not get to dictate to you what is normal and healthy for your vagina; please know that even a trusted sexual partner cannot tell you if your vagina is unhealthy, “unclean,” or “gross.”
A word on surgically-created or -altered vaginas (neovaginas)
Vaginas that have been created (“neovaginas”) or altered in surgery may be made up of very different kinds of tissue from the vaginal tissue found in people born with vaginas. Neovaginas may not produce much discharge (or may produce lubricating discharge not in accordance with sexual arousal) and therefore will need lubrication before any kind of penetration. It is also recommended that people with neovaginas douche regularly because the neovaginal tissue does not self-clean in the same way as vaginal tissue that was present at birth. People with neovaginas may get different kinds of infections owing to the difference in tissue type, and they may be given physical therapy exercises or tools to support the continued strength of their vaginal tissue.
Regardless of the kind of vagina in question, if you notice irritation, itching, burning when you pee, pain with inserting something into the vagina, bumps or sores, new cramps or pain in your low stomach/pelvis, bleeding when you’re not expecting it, or a change in discharge or odor like we talked about earlier, it may be time to check in with a trusted health professional. Life with a vagina does not have to and should not be painful.
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