That "Fish" Smell, Explained

[Vixxen81]

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) causes the fishy smell in vaginas. It's usually caused by douching or not using condoms and having multiple sex partners or using toys that aren't body-grade silicone. Most men describe a pungent vagina as "fishy" when they're dead wrong, it's just fragrant. BV smells like an ocean of fish died in your crotch and that's what most men say a healthy vagina smells like. Again, dead wrong.

Yeast infections do not smell at all. Just itchy and uncomfy. And one guy tried to say it was from old semen in her vaginal canal and that's not it either. Because we all know how gravity works, or at least I hope we do. BV is extremely embarrassing and can sneak up on a woman at any time but most common during early child bearing years. I even provided CDC evidence and they still mocked me.

(This convo started in another thread on ACF, which originally began for me on a different forum. Pardon the no context in the above paragraphs.)

 

[LaceyRoyce]

Boric acid was a game changer for me with BV! It can kill sperm though so not for use if you’re trying to get pregnant!

 

[Vixxen81]

Boric acid was a game changer for me with BV! It can kill sperm though so not for use if you’re trying to get pregnant!

I've heard about this but I use boric acid to kill ants sooo I have questions. LOL

 

[AmberCutie]

I'm going to go ahead and say something that no one probably wants to say, too:

a sweaty crotch smells like onions.

Lume all-over-body deodorant lotion REALLY helps that.

 

[Vixxen81]

I'm going to go ahead and say something that no one probably wants to say, too:

a sweaty crotch smells like onions.

Lume all-over-body deodorant lotion REALLY helps that.

I wish they would make that without all the froo-froo scents. I hate scented products. The Hydro Boost smells like rain and that's about as much as I can tolerate.

 

[AmberCutie]

I wish they would make that without all the froo-froo scents. I hate scented products. The Hydro Boost smells like rain and that's about as much as I can tolerate.

there's an unscented!

 

[Vixxen81]

there's an unscented!

Oh? Well then I stand corrected.

When the commercials first started rolling out they were set in a yoga studio and I had the most hilarious thought that all of these women did downward dog at the same time or some other pussy-forward pose and everyone got a whiff of the same formula they were using and giggled a bit. (Yes that sounded better in my head but you had to be there I guess.)

 

[MarieElise]

Holy shit, missed this entirely. Informative convo.

Omg I got stuck in a heat yoga class they oversold one time, behind a dude in spandex. All over body spandex. Well to his knees and elbows anyway. I kid you not. I won’t say more. I’ll leave the rest to your imaginations.

Let’s just say I’m happy paying more that $14 a spot for a heat yoga class going forward. Very happy and very willing to pay whatever it takes to support adequate ventilation .

 

[bamdicted]

(Warning @Vixxen81 the following comment is meant as sarcasm )

Is it really that much to expect that you/women in general smell like roses and lilacs 24/7?

Personally I always smell minty fresh after a 9-hour shift, doing manual labor in 26-30C.

 

[Vixxen81]

(Warning @Vixxen81 the following comment is meant as sarcasm )

Is it really that much to expect that you/women in general smell like roses and lilacs 24/7?

Personally I always smell minty fresh after a 9-hour shift, doing manual labor in 26-30C.

I can never remember the man's name but he was a famous poet who told his lovers to not wash their fannies so he could get all of their scents on his. I think the 50's really fucked up how men view a woman's hygiene while ignoring their own.

 

[LaceyRoyce]

I've heard about this but I use boric acid to kill ants sooo I have questions. LOL

yeah i mean.. I KNOW. It freaked me out too???

but like... my nurse practitioner was like "you can try this".
You do have to order from reputable sources etc. But.... it was an absolute game changer. BV meds were expensive, and I would take them and then it clears out all the bodies good bacteria too and then I'd end up with a yeast infection, so i'd take the meds for that then that'd clear out all the natural stuff that is supposed to be in there and I'd get BV again and it NEVER FUCKING STOPPED.

I started doing boric acid after shooting like 12 days in a row at conventions etc.. and it fixed it so fast. I BARELY ever have to use it now!


Side note if you are on BV meds (metronidazole) orally (usually much cheaper than the cream version) do not have even the slightest sip of booze. You will feel like death.

 

[Vixxen81]

yeah i mean.. I KNOW. It freaked me out too???

but like... my nurse practitioner was like "you can try this".
You do have to order from reputable sources etc. But.... it was an absolute game changer.

Would you mind making a post in DMP on MO to explain?

 

[LaceyRoyce]

Would you mind making a post in DMP on MO to explain?

I don't have a ton more info than that.. and I totally get why you might want this in MO but I think dudes need to fucking learn more about vaginas so they can read my gross stuff LOL. I edited my post above to add a bit more.. beyond that, if you have questions make a post in DMP MO and tag me I'll come answer what I can!

 

[AudriTwo]

do not buy those feminine/ph level body washes. they sometimes make yeast infections or BV worse or cause them outright. my gynecologist recommended me to wash my pussy with dove unscented sensitive skin bar when you do need to wash, but most of the time use water. you do not want to strip away the good bacteria.

You do have to order from reputable sources etc. But.... it was an absolute game changer.

they are now selling boric acid at the pharmacy over the counter. i saw it today! im pretty sure it was azo too. so i think they are finally catching on. i sure do not miss the days when i had make my own suppositories from boric acid i bought from a pharmacist. it took me FOREVER to find one willing to do it.

this is the one i've been getting for a while that was recommended to me here.

 

[Vixxen81]

Awesome responses. I bought a microban shower head and wash my pussy with it. No soap. Just water.

 

[Ozzie_]

Not being the owner of a vagina, and having enjoyed the company of far too few (for my liking), I have always been a little perplexed by the "fish" jokes / comments in mainstream life. Sometimes a strong or robust smell? Sure, but never unpleasant that I have encountered. (Medical conditions excluded of course)

And as for all of the "feminine hygiene" products that get pushed on to vagina owners by business and advertisers, I have always shared the view espoused in Even Cowgirls Get The Blues: "The vagina is a self cleaning organ".

 

[Marceline]

Last time I went to the gyno we had a discussion about boric acid for bv and she was saying how she absolutely recommends it. She was saying how it’s great for preventing bv, and as far as she knows there’s really no downsides to it. I actually asked her if it could cause fertility issues if used often, and she said no, and that was always one of my biggest concerns with using it.

However, she did say she still recommends taking oral meds if you have an active infection, but coupling it with a two week course or boric acid nightly (and you’ll definitely want to take it at night, because when you first get up you’ll have a lot of watery discharge). Also seconding not drinking at all if you’re on bv meds. I’ve personally never had to deal with it (I’ve only taken prescription bv meds once and had a not so great reaction to it, which is why I love boric acid suppositories), but my mom once drank on it and got incredibly sick.

But yeah, I’m a huge fan of boric acid. I personally use the pH-D brand ones I get from CVS, and have never had an issue with them.

There’s so many misconceptions around stuff like bv and yeast infections. Both can be caused by literally anything that throws your ph balance off, which then causes bad bacteria to grow. Eating too much sugary foods, not drinking enough water, swimming and then wearing wet bathing suit bottoms for too long, taking scented bubble baths, using scented soaps/laundry detergents, not wearing breathable underwear, having unprotected sex (and it’s not an std), using lubricated condoms, using lubes that have glycerin in them, even stress. Vaginas have their own little ecosystem and any little thing can throw it off.

With all that being said, I think we need to normalize the fact that vaginas generally do tend to have a smell. Not a strong smell or a bad smell, but they have their own scent. In my experience, most guys tend to love the scent of vagina, hahaha.

 

[MarieElise]

Same supplement Audri linked works great for me too.

 

[AmberCutie]

I always see posts (kinda like above) warning women not to wash their pussy with soap...

I'm nearing mid 40s and have always washed my crotchal area with bodysoap (most often Lever 2000) all up in the folds... then use a handheld showerhead to clean it all up by squatting and rubbing/spraying it all clean. I even go as far as to stick fingers up in the coochie sanctum to get out any extra goop and wash that away with the handheld showerhead.

every. time. I. shower.
for 2 decades.

So... yeah if you have issues with your coochiemama, certainly change up the way you clean, but in general, if you wanna get your coochiemama all clean and free of goops, please don't let the Internet make you afraid. just listen to your body.

 

[AmberCutie]

side note: every coochie holder should have a hand held shower head.
bonus points if you can get a bidet attachment for your toilet (and keep it clean)

 

[LaceyRoyce]

I always see posts (kinda like above) warning women not to wash their pussy with soap...

I'm nearing mid 40s and have always washed my crotchal area with bodysoap (most often Lever 2000) all up in the folds... then use a handheld showerhead to clean it all up by squatting and rubbing/spraying it all clean. I even go as far as to stick fingers up in the coochie sanctum to get out any extra goop and wash that away with the handheld showerhead.

every. time. I. shower.
for 2 decades.

So... yeah if you have issues with your coochiemama, certainly change up the way you clean, but in general, if you wanna get your coochiemama all clean and free of goops, please don't let the Internet make you afraid. just listen to your body.

I always was told to wash with GENTLE soap but only the outside of the vulva (so folds, etc.. lips) but the no soap thing was cos people shoving soap like .. internally.

Also "the coochie sanctum" would make a fun band name. Or album name.

 

[AudriTwo]

I always see posts (kinda like above) warning women not to wash their pussy with soap...

I'm nearing mid 40s and have always washed my crotchal area with bodysoap (most often Lever 2000) all up in the folds... then use a handheld showerhead to clean it all up by squatting and rubbing/spraying it all clean. I even go as far as to stick fingers up in the coochie sanctum to get out any extra goop and wash that away with the handheld showerhead.

every. time. I. shower.
for 2 decades.

So... yeah if you have issues with your coochiemama, certainly change up the way you clean, but in general, if you wanna get your coochiemama all clean and free of goops, please don't let the Internet make you afraid. just listen to your body.

i'm speaking from personal experience. after i stopped washing my cunt with that stupid eve soap majority of all my yeast infections and UTIs went away. i get maybe one a year now. im not saying all soap but scented soap will strip away good bacteria that prevent infections. plain unscented wash occasionally and warm water is the safest way.

everyones bodies are different and will react differently. i know the feeling of using these products that i was told by every person in my life that will work seem to do nothing at all or exacerbate. there has been lots of studies this past decade on products that have found an increase in infections with use. that's why doctors have been recommending women to stop using them.

Feminine hygiene products: Are they safe?

Are intimate hygiene products, such as 'feminine' washes and douches, safe to use? Why or why not? In this Spotlight feature, we investigate.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

"Several studies have found that douching can upset the natural bacterial balance in the vagina, rendering it more vulnerable to infections — including sexually transmitted infections — and increasing a person’s risk of cervical cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.

In 2018, researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, concluded that the use of gel sanitizers was linked with an eightfold increase in a person’s risk of developing a yeast infection, and a nearly 20 times higher risk of getting a bacterial infection.

The same study also found an association between the use of intimate washes and a 3.5 times higher risk of bacterial infections, and a more than twofold higher risk of having a urinary tract infection (UTI). The scientists noticed a similar association between using intimate cleansing wipes and UTIs."

im not trying to fear a monger, but share my experience and what i have learned from my journey of having angry muffin.

 

[AussieCosplay]

PREACH!!
THE VAGINA IS A SELF CLEANING ORGAN!!!

As someone who was always told NO SOAP...when I started doing Bubblebath stripshows (you know...car sponge, kiddy pool, and bodywash)...I found out the WHY!!! The only one that didn't causeissues for myself and my colleagues was Palmolive milk and honey, and this is just on external.

In my own shower I just use water and a facewasher on the flappy bits, as I'm prone to thrush thanks to meds. Definitely bodywash in the bit where it joins the legs and the butt crack, those are the bits that actually get BO.

As for Boric Acid, it's also fantastic for Lichen Sclerosis and microtears. Which is what my "recurring thrush" turned out to actually be when I finally got a female GP who actually took a look.

So yeah, definitely insist on a visual exam if you're ever having recurring anything, all it took was some steroid cream and she's all good.

Oh and since we're ranting here---
Hypoallergenic lube is NOT always actually hypoallergenic, patch test on your arm first! Don't chemical burn your bits like I did so so many times!

 

[bud9752]

I always was told to wash with GENTLE soap but only the outside of the vulva (so folds, etc.. lips) but the no soap thing was cos people shoving soap like .. internally.

Also "the coochie sanctum" would make a fun band name. Or album name.

and you haven't registered that name yet ??
it's a money maker

 

[AnaBee]

I'm prone to BV and boric acid is my saviour as well.
After I use it I get watery white discharge and guys always get extra excited "because I'm creamy it means I'm super turned on". I'm done trying to explain to my cam room what is actually going on.

 

[Vixxen81]

This is such an awesome thread. Bubble bath was my downfall. And yeah drinking on the oral meds for BV results in technicolor vomit. But the vaginal gel is the most disgusting visual ever. Looks like dead maggots enscased in goo. Sorry for that visual.

I have a bar of ivory soap for those days where I was sweating a lot or whatever or a budding yeasty sitch.

I'm def going to look into these suppositories though. Even one dose yeast treatments take 7 days to clear out.

 

[Lilly_____]

I baffled by the boric acid thing. I always have it in my house but to make slime

 

[MarieElise]

I can make slime out of that stuff too? Awesome

ETA; I think it’s good that men learn realistic information about vaginas. This is a great thread. Many things can make a vagina creamy. These boric acid suppositories definitely do it to me too. But also upon ovulation and for the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that happens as well. Along with that if I come really hard, that happens too. I’m sharing that in the spirit of letting “people” know (ie men who might read this thread) that vaginas do a lot of different things, at different times. It’s not cut and dry. If anyone decides to start a cock and balls thread, I’ll totally read and participate in that one too. Sharing true information is the best

 

[Lilly_____]

I can make slime out of that stuff too? Awesome

Yes I'm now finding out it might be one of the most versatile components ever lol.

You mix glue + food coloring + boric acid and you have slime

 

[Vixxen81]

Occasionally I'll forget where I am when I'm working and try to explain that vaginal secretion doesn't necessarily indicate arousal and the guys turn into absolute zombies and are all nuh uh yes it is. Some think we pee out of our vaginas. Or that we can stop and start menstruating at will. Like bro, c'mon on now. (The truest indication of arousal is how dark her outer pussy lips get. Though hard to see if she doesn't shave.)

I do want to disclose a disclaimer from my GP about the oral BV meds. He warned that at some point I had to figure out what my specific trigger is because taking the meds multiple times a year could damage my kidneys and make my tongue turn black for a short or long period of time. So if you are having trouble, please please figure out what your triggers are as best you can and eliminate them one at a time.


If you must use soaps as a preference, consider using formulas designed for infants baths.