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Q: I feel that I have a strong smell in my genital area. I don't have any itching or burning sensations, though. During sex this makes me reluctant to let my boyfriend touch me or give me oral sex, and he doesn't understand why I am so tense. It's ruining my sex life! Help!
Advice from the Baroness: All women have their own signature aroma below, which changes in intensity throughout the monthly cycle. I've heard men compare this scent to everything from oysters to the forest floor to salty sea air to honeydew melon. There's absolutely no reason for you to be self-conscious about your smell — this natural female aroma can be one of the very things that drives men crazy with desire. It seems apparent that your boyfriend isn't remotely put off by it, since he is so eager to put his hands and mouth down there! The next time you feel the urge to shrink from his touch, remind yourself that a man is much more likely to be turned off by a partner who's uptight or insecure than by the natural scent of the female body.
That said, there are instances in which a strong smell in the genital area indicates a health problem. If you smell a bit like yeast (think freshly baked bread) or very fishy (sea scallops), you should consult a gynecologist to see if the odor is caused by an infection. "A vaginal odor that resembles ammonia and worsens during a woman's period or when mixed with semen is probably bacterial vaginosis, which requires prescription treatment," says Dr. Heidi Rosenberg, a New York City ob-gyn. "Yeast infections have a definite odor and usually manifest with itching and burning." While treatments for yeast infections are available over-the-counter, you should visit your doctor before treating yourself, to make sure that you obtain a proper diagnosis.
Should you somehow try to mask your natural smell? Experts say no. "Do not douche," says Miriam Zieman, assistant professor of gynecology at Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta. "Douching changes the PH balance and natural flora of the vagina. It can even bring on an infection. Wash the area only with mild soap and water, and stay away from all perfumed cleansing products.
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