The short answer: maybe a little. But probably not enough for anyone to notice! Explore the common causes of period blood smell, 6 tips to prevent period odor, and when to see a doctor.
If you’ve had your first period, you may have noticed an unusual smell that came with it. You may have even wondered, “Why does my period smell so bad?!”
The first thing you need to know — odor during your menstrual cycle is normal.
In even better news — it’s unlikely anyone else can smell it!
That being said, many women understandably feel self-conscious about the smell that can come with their period. In this article, we’ll dive deep into what causes period smell, different types of period smells, and 3 tips to help prevent excess odor.
What is a period?
Before we get into what causes odors during our menstrual cycles, let’s do a quick refresh on menstruation. Menstruation, also called your period, refers to the (usually) 3-4 days during your overall cycle where vaginal bleeding occurs.
Specifically, your period starts after an egg that was released during ovulation passes the time limit for fertilization, meaning it won’t result in a pregnancy. The body sheds the uterine lining tissue, blood, and unfertilized egg to make room for fresh blood and tissue to support a new potential pregnancy. This all helps keep the vagina clean and healthy.
What influences period blood smell?
There are 3 main influencers of period blood odor:
- Infections
- Personal hygiene
- Hormones and vaginal pH levels
What does period usually smell like?
Because your body is essentially ejecting old biological tissue (the uterine lining, egg, and blood from the other 3 weeks of your cycle) — slight odors are normal. You might also notice this odor is stronger on some days and less evident on others. This is also entirely normal.
Metallic period smell
Have you noticed a faint smell that reminds you of pennies? Many women often report their periods as having a metallic smell, a bit like copper. This makes sense, considering blood has iron in it. So as our body clears out those old biological materials, it’s natural for the iron in our blood to mix with sweat on our skin to produce a distinct metallic scent.
Body odor smell
You know how the sweat under your armpits has a specific odor? The same sweat glands we have in our armpits (apocrine sweat glands) are also located near the vagina. Specifically, in the labia majora (the larger skin folds surrounding the vaginal opening.) These sweat glands produce a unique sweat odor, which many of us know as “body odor.” When the sweat from these glands mixes with our skin and the blood from our periods, it can create a unique smell.
Sweet smell
If you notice a sweet smell during your period, this could be related to the vagina’s acidic environment mixing with certain bacteria. It’s important to note that the vagina is healthy when it’s moderately acidic on the pH scale (between 3.8-4.5). This is key to its self-cleaning properties, which help keep bacteria balanced and prevent infections. When estrogen levels drop during our period, it can also decrease levels of healthful bacteria, like lactobacillus, and create a sweeter smell.
Period smells that could be red flags
While numerous odors are linked with a healthy period, some smells may be a sign to check in with your doctor. Usually, these more “foul” smells come with other symptoms, making it easier to know when to visit a doctor.
For instance, it might be wise to consult your doctor if your symptoms also include:
– Fever
– Worse cramps than usual
– Heavier bleeding than usual
– Pain in your stomach and/or pelvis
– Yellow, green, gray, or red vaginal discharge outside of your period
Rotten Smell
While some women say their periods “smell like death,” a truly overwhelming rotten smell could be a sign of an infection or that a foreign body was left inside, like a tampon. If you think you may have left a tampon inside, wash your hands, then gently see if you can find the tampon string. If you don’t find anything but are still worried, schedule an appointment with your physician for a vaginal examination.
Fishy Smell
A strong, fishy smell — either during or outside your period — could indicate an infection, like trichomoniasis or bacterial vaginosis (BV).
→ Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection. It often is accompanied by changes in vaginal discharge, itching, burning, and/or soreness.
→ Bacterial vaginosis is a common infection caused by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Risk of BV can be increased by vaginal douching and with new sexual partners.
Both infections are fairly easy to treat with antibiotics. If you’re worried you have either of these, get in touch with your primary care provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Sweaty gym smell
Some women report noticing a “sweaty gym” smell with notes of onion or salt. This is more likely due to hygiene habits and can be relieved with more frequent washing, wearing clothes with more breathable materials, and changing out your menstrual sanitary products more frequently. (But we’ll get into more of that below!)
6 Tips to Help with Period Blood Smell
Before we dive into these tips, a quick reminder — period blood odor is 100% normal and usually isn’t detectable by anyone other than you. If you’re worried about odor, it’s best to avoid scented tampons, scented pads, sprays, or “special cleaners,” as these can cause extra irritation and vaginal infections that can worsen the smell in the long run!
#1 Bathe daily
This one might be a no-brainer, but regular cleaning is the first-line defense for bad smells! Bathing daily and making sure to clean the skin outside the vagina can help keep odor in check. Be careful with scented shower gels and cleaners, as these could cause irritation. Also, no need to clean inside the vagina — it’s self-cleaning! And any extra cleaning you do could upset its preferred pH balance and acidity.
#2 Wear breathable fabrics
Breathable cotton underwear is a great option to help reduce sweat build-up and the smells that can come with it.
#3 Change your sanitary pad more often
While general guidelines suggest changing your pad every 4 to 6 hours, on heavier flow days, change your pad every time you go to the bathroom. This leaves less time for the blood to collect, oxidize, and mix with body sweat in your pad and could help reduce odor intensity.
#4 Change your tampon every 2-3 hours
Essentially, change your tampon sooner rather than later. Again, the usual safety guideline is to change your tampon every 4 to 6 hours and no later than after 8 hours. But changing your tampon more frequently can help keep things hygienic if you’re worried about smell.
#5 Avoid douching the vagina
Douching can negatively affect the vagina’s acidity and levels of healthy bacteria. So instead of “cleaning” the vagina, douching can actually clear the way for growth of harmful bacteria and infections like BV or yeast infections.
#6 Use Pinkie’s Toxin-Free, Organic Cotton Pads!
Cotton is typically considered one of the best materials for breathability. And with Pinkie’s high-absorbency, all-natural sanitary pads with zero toxic materials, you can feel confident knowing you’ve got first-line defense to keep odors away!
Learn more about Pinkie’s approach to health-first-period products here >>
