Smells Problematic Here Is What Your Red Day Odor is Telling You

This is because a woman’s menstruation naturally comes with a certain smell, which is of blood — shocker.

If you’re wondering how come our menstruation smells nothing like the blood coming out of our wounds when we accidentally cut ourselves? It’s because of three main reasons. First, the blood coming out of our menstruation comes with other toxins like dead cells, bacteria, part of our endometrial lining, and an unfertilized egg. Second, thanks to our sanitary napkins, tampons, or menstrual cup, our menstrual blood is kept for way longer than blood directly coming out of our wounds. Lastly, there are other factors such as nutrition, hygiene, and lifestyle, that come into play to dictate the smell of our red day odor.

Like most things, the red day odor isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. As the natural bacteria in a woman’s vagina fluctuates, so does the smell our red days come with. But while there are a handful of red day odors that are completely normal, if your red day odor is persisting and showing up to be stronger and more pungent than usual, don’t hesitate to give your trusted OB-GYNE a call.

Here are some red day odors you might notice and what they’re trying to tell you.

Smells metallic

That metallic smell you get a whiff of when you’re on your red days comes from the combination of blood, iron, and bacteria that your vagina is discharging through your period. This metallic smell can be compared to that of a copper coin and is a sign of a healthy period and is probably the most common odor a woman can have on her period. If your red day odor smells like this, you have nothing to worry about. That metallic smell should only be around during your red days, and should eventually settle down after your period.

Smells rotten

As unappealing as it may sound, it’s natural for the intimate area to have traces of smelling rotten during the latter part of our red days. This scent is caused by having a foreign object like a tampon or a menstrual cup, inside the vagina for a longer period. This scent is caused by the mixture of our menstrual flow with the different kinds of bacteria being discharged.

A good way to combat this red day odor is by changing your sanitary napkin every time you use the toilet, especially at the peak of your menstruation. If you choose to use tampons, be sure to change them every six to eight hours.

Smells like body odor

If you feel like your red day odor smells very close to body odor, you are likely going through a lot of stress. See, even our genitals have apocrine sweat glands that produce body odor in times of high stress and anxiety. And that sweat mixed with other bacteria in the Intimate area is what causes that funky body odor down there. Unlike exercise-sweat, apocrine sweat has a higher temperature that contributes to the imbalance of pH levels in the Intimate area.

If this is the scent you have been noticing, all it means is you have to unwind a little bit. Clock in some me-time and double up on good hygiene!

Smells Fishy

Mild fishy odor during red days may be caused by poor red day hygiene, but if that mild odor becomes very pungent and comes with a grey or white discharge it may be an irritation about to level up to an infection called Bacterial Vaginosis. This means that there is an imbalance in the pH levels in your vagina, and is likely caused by an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria as compared to the “good bacteria.” When you notice this strong fishy odor, check in with your OB-GYNE.

Smells like an old sweaty gym sock

Speaking of hygiene! If your vagina, on the other hand, reeks, in a way that’s reminiscent of an old sweaty gym sock, you should be concerned. Not necessarily because this is medically dangerous, yet. But because this is a sign of poor red day hygiene. Yes, it’s absolutely a thing! Here are a handful of things you can do to make sure your red day hygiene is in tip-top shape:

• Shower often: Showering may sound like a no-brainer but on your red days, you should be doubling your effort to keep your body squeaky clean. Especially with our naturally humid weather, it’s almost impossible not to sweat throughout the day. So what you can do is double up on your body baths and half showers.
• Change your menstrual tool regularly: Whether you’re a menstrual cup, sanitary pad, or a tampon kind of girl, make sure to regularly dump out your menstrual blood. For tampon users, change your tampons every six to eight hours. For menstrual cup ladies, even if your cup can fit 12 hours worth of blood, dump it out and clean your cup every six hours. For ladies who opt for sanitary napkins, do not wait for your pad to be full before you change it, this will build up unnecessary bacteria on your vulva which is never a good idea.
• Have a feminine wash for your red days: We are more prone to itch, odor, and irritation especially on our red days, and this is why it’s vital to turn to a feminine wash like GynePro to keep your feminine area protected. It’s made with Chlorhexidine digluconate which is an anti-infective agent that fights off bacteria that may lead to further irritation.
• Cleanse from front to back: When you wash your feminine area and change your menstrual tool, be sure to cleanse yourself from front to back. The last thing you want is for your vagina to get irritated because of the transfer of bacteria from your anus to your vagina. So remember, in whatever that involves your feminine area — front to back!
• Go for cotton underwear: Wearing synthetic materials like nylon, polyester, and spandex trap heat within our feminine area, which produces moisture that contributes to bacteria build up. Instead, go for cotton underwear to keep your Intimate area as comfortable and breathable as possible — especially on red days.
• Eat better: Red days come with a lot of cravings, we get it. And this isn’t to say you should deprive yourself of food and your red day cravings, not at all. But do choose the better alternative. Our menstrual cycle causes us to lose a lot of blood, iron, and nutrients and it’s this time of the month that we should also be replenishing that.

Most red day odors are normal and may be resolved with better red day hygiene but when symptoms and odors persist, call a professional. When in doubt, consult your OB-GYNE! Keep your feminine area in check by constantly using a feminine wash made especially for red days.

GynePro Ultra Protection feminine wash is recommended by OB-GYNEs because it comes with tri-protection that conquers odor, itch, and irritation.

ASC REFERENCE NO. U024P060222GS

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/vagina-smells

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-clean-your-vagina

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-clean-your-vagina#other-hygiene-tips

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