What could this be? D;

[[ iDuck ]]

So I'm having a few problems in my crotch area. D;

I have a REALLY strong odor. It doesn't smell fishy (to me, at least), but it's so strong that I can smell it through my jeans when I'm sitting in class. My boyfriend has even smelt it before - and he was sitting in the chair next to me at the movies. I know there's supposed to be SOME smell, but I didn't think you were supposed to be able to smell it through your pants. Somethings up with that. gonk

Second, most days my discharge is normal (well, SEEMS normal), but then some days I'll get in the shower and reach down to clean my crotch and I'll just pull out this GIANT glob of discharge. x___x; It's mostly white and it's really sticky and... gross. D;

So yeah, I'm pretty sure that something's up but I can't quite pin point what it is. Also, I'm really shy about going to the doctor. I'm only 16, so my mom has to bring me, and I'm not really wanting to tell her what's going on. x_x;; I'd much rather buy a cream at the store myself. Or just wait until my next doctor's appointment.. but I have NO idea when that is going to be and this already seems pretty bad - i don't want it to get any worse. ;-;

edit: (Also, when I spread my "lips", I see this white stuff that kinda resembles cottage cheese. It's not discharge or anything [it's located kinda near the clitoris/urethra] but I find it quite odd and I've never heard it mentioned so I'm wondering if it's something else I have to worry about. D; But it's been there for as long as I can remember, so I'm not sure. >_<;; )  

[npladybug99]

i suggest you wait for a few days and if it doesnt get better go to your gynochologist  

[LorienLlewellyn]

You're right that a healthy v****a does have some smell but you should not be smelling it through your pants unless you skipped your shower or are wearing dirty underwear.

Sometimes discharge is watery, other times it's tacky, other times it's stringy, other times it comes out in a big glob. That is all normal. It varies a lot.

If it isn't discharge, then the other white stuff that you're noticing in your skin folds sounds like it might be toilet paper lint. That's pretty common, but it might mean you're not washing properly.

So when you shower try holding your lips open a bit. Rinse the area really well. You can also use soap there as long as you are careful not to get it inside your v****a.

You can also try switching to a less linty toilet paper. Some women even use cloth strips to wipe when they pee, then they throw them in the hamper, wash them, and reuse them.

I would recommend getting checked for an infection though. I know you would rather not go, but going to the doctor often is all part of getting older.

It's nothing you should feel funny about in front of your mother though. The most common vaginal infections are not sexually transmitted.

But whatever you do, do not buy a cream yourself. There are many types of vaginal infections, but they only make over the counter medication for one type (yeast infections). And if you don't go to the doctor, you won't know if you have a yeast infection or another type of infection. And taking medication for the wrong kind of infection can make things worse!  

[!namorata]

I get the same discharge and "cottage cheese" that you described. They are normal. Usually I discover the latter if I have used the toilet before showering, so I think Lorien is right about paper towel lint. Make sure that you use your fingers or a washcloth to clean the folds of your labia. I wouldn't really suggest soap, though.  

[Nikolita]

I use water in the shower to rinse my v****a, and then I have a Vagisil body wash (that can also be used for washing your v****a I believe, as long as you don't get it up inside) that I find helps a lot. You could also buy something like Vagisil wipes (I'm not plugging the brand, honest, they're just the ones I know best) to use if you find you can smell yourself while you're out in public.

And I so know what you mean. I try to change my underwear often enough so that doesn't happen, but sometimes I've noticed that I can still smell a little even with clean underwear, and that's usually the point where I have to wash my jeans and wear a new pair of pants. sweatdrop

Otherwise, I totally hear you. I hate being out in public and realizing I can smell myself, because then I get *super* paranoid that other people can smell me too. My boyfriend has said he can't smell anything, but still... other people could have a better sense of smell.  

[XxAngelicxGracexX]

What I was going to say is the same as what everyone else has said, basically.


Especially the part about letting your mom know, even though it might be embarrassing -- part of her job of being a mother is helping you out with the more girly things ;]


And, commenting on LorienLlewellyn's post about stores only selling things for yeast infections, this is incorrect. Well, stores probably /do/ only sell stuff for yeast infections. But the part about having no other option BUT going to the doctor to find out what it is, is incorrect.


Vagisil has a screening kit that you can use to see what type of vaginal infection you have (other brands probably have screening kits, too) -- it detects yeast infections as well as a few others, so you could look into getting that to see if it's an actual infection. ;] Once you figure out what you have, if it IS an infection, you can go from there as far as getting treatment. And, if stores don't sell the necessary treatment, you will need to see a doctor, as LorienLlewellyn said. ;]


But yeah, check first to see if it's toilet paper that you're seeing on the lips -- it could be. Recently me and my fiance switched toilet papers. We used Angel Soft and we switched to Charmin, but I've noticed that since I've been using Charmin, I've had these weird little white specs on my panties, and it is because Charmin leaves little lint pieces. I like it because it's all soft and stuff, but I think we'll go back to Angel Soft.  

[LorienLlewellyn]

XxAngelicxGracexX

And, commenting on LorienLlewellyn's post about stores only selling things for yeast infections, this is incorrect. Well, stores probably /do/ only sell stuff for yeast infections. But the part about having no other option BUT going to the doctor to find out what it is, is incorrect.


Vagisil has a screening kit that you can use to see what type of vaginal infection you have (other brands probably have screening kits, too) -- it detects yeast infections as well as a few others, so you could look into getting that to see if it's an actual infection. ;] Once you figure out what you have, if it IS an infection, you can go from there as far as getting treatment. And, if stores don't sell the necessary treatment, you will need to see a doctor, as LorienLlewellyn said. ;]

It's true that there is a screening kit. However, I do not recommend buying or using them yet (maybe in the future when they get more high tech!).

I used one not too long ago when I knew (got tested at the doctor) I had a bacterial infection (bacterial infections have the same symptoms as yeast infections but are caused by different things and require a different treatment). I read the directions. I followed the directions. And the test said I had a yeast infection.

Maybe it was defective? Maybe I did something wrong without realizing it? Maybe the test is rigged to say yeast infection seeing as how the company who sells the screening kit also sells the yeast infection medicine that they want you to buy?

I don't know for sure. But that was enough proof for me that an over the counter tester is absolutely not a substitute for a doctor. Besides if it's anything other than a yeast infection, you'd have to visit the doctor anyway, so why waste the time and money on a tester? And if you're sexually active you could have more than one type of infection, and that might confuse the tester into giving an incorrect diagnosis (and no that wasn't the problem with my case because I had been tested for STDs too).

So if you think you might have an infection, it's best to cut the crap and visit a real doctor. If you don't have insurance or cash, you can even get the test and meds for free from clinics like Planned Parenthood and Family Planning.  

[[ iDuck ]]

How exactly are you supposed to clean yourself? Some of you mentioned cleaning up inside the folds, well, isn't that like, bad? D;

I dunno. D; All I remember is a three year old version of me telling my mom that I "cleaned myself real good - even 'down there!'" and having her reprimand me and telling me never to do that because it'll burn.

(Now that I think of it, my strong smell is probably due to poor gential hygiene on account of i was never taught how to do it, not an infection. D; )  

[LorienLlewellyn]

[ iDuck ]

How exactly are you supposed to clean yourself? Some of you mentioned cleaning up inside the folds, well, isn't that like, bad? D;

I dunno. D; All I remember is a three year old version of me telling my mom that I "cleaned myself real good - even 'down there!'" and having her reprimand me and telling me never to do that because it'll burn.

(Now that I think of it, my strong smell is probably due to poor gential hygiene on account of i was never taught how to do it, not an infection. D; )

You absolutely should be cleaning in the folds with water. Hold the folds open when you're in the shower. But whether or not you should use soap depends on whom you ask.

Unlike your v****a, your outer skin folds aren't completely self cleaning. So if you don't help them out, they're not getting completely clean.

However, soap is never ever supposed to get inside your v****a. And since your skin folds are right there next to your v****a, some people say that using soap in the folds is too risky and can potentially irritate the delicate area.

So it's up to you whether you use soap. I do. As long as you are careful and your skin isn't too sensitive you should not have a major problem, but it obviously does carry some risk of infection if any soap gets inside your body on accident. If you do want to use soap, it is best to to opt for something with no fragrance or dyes to reduce the chance of irritation. Or you can get a soap like Summer's Eve (make sure you grab the soap, not the douche!), which is specifically made to be more gentle so you can use it in that area without as many problems.  

[[ iDuck ]]

Okay, thanks for all of your help. ^^