If you think you caught a whiff of something funky down there, you might not be imagining it.

Smelly Down There?

Most vaginas have their own natural scent, which is totally normal.

chihuahua standing with its eyes closed, sniffing the air

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Plus, it cleans itself, so (no!)

you don’t need any kind of scented spray or those special vagina-cleansing products.

(Mark those as something you should never put near your vagina.)

a woman in white underwear and a white shirt covering her pubic area with her hands

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That said, there are certain things that can change your nether region’s odor.

So how do you know if your smell is normal or not?

Smell something…off?

on the left, a stack of condoms wrapped in different colors of packaging, and on the right, an orange condom half-unwrapped from its packaging

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First, go see your doc stat to ensure everything’s okay.

But FYI, here are a few abnormal reasons your vagina might smell.

“It triggers when there is an overgrowth of the less favorable bacteria,” says Dr. Brodman.

two pairs of underwear — one pink with white trim, one black with pink flowers and pink trim — hung with clothespins on a clothesline with a bright, clear sky in the background

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The discharge occurs because of the inflammatory change in the vaginal cells, adds Dr. Brodman.

So that “I can smell my discharge through my pants” situation?

It might be a symptom.

a woman wearing a black tank top and black underwear lying in a messy bed on her side, facing away from the camera

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Trichomoniasis is the most curable STI, so go see your doc and never skip checkups.

Sex

You know that “sex smell” in the bedroom after a romp between the sheets?

It could be your natural vaginal secretions interacting with semen.

a hand dangles a tampon by the string in front of a pink background

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“Sperm has an alkaline pH.

So, while the odor might not be super “sexy,” there’s nothing wrong here.

A Trapped Tampon

Sounds painful, right?

six women in colorful workout outfits doing a barre class, facing away from the camera with their hands on a ballet barre in front of a mirror

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Surprisingly enough, it happens and it can smell…bad.

Sweat

Admit it.

Plus, at night, you could ditch the undies altogether to let it breathe.