The Doctor Is In: Smelly Cat. Literally

By CC Staff

Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I’m a little concerned about the way things smell and taste downtown. It’s not like anyone has told me anything is funky down there, but I’ve had lots of guys perform oral sex on me once and never do it again. What can I do to clean it up (you know, if that is the problem)?

A: Truth be told, it may have nothing to do with you at all.  Some guys are hesitant to give oral sex because they feel clueless.  Maybe they felt they didn’t pleasure you and question their technique? Did you communicate that you liked it? If they give it their all and you don’t appear to like it, this may trigger a guy’s own insecurities. So if you’re not doing this already, give him a few oohs and aahs to let him know you like his style.

If you’re already doing that, it’s possible that they guys don’t like your smell or taste. For some, it’s an acquired taste, but keep in mind: real men love giving a girl pleasure. If he’s not going down on you, it may have nothing to do with you. Some guys are just selfish and would rather focus on their own pleasure during sex. If that’s the case, there are plenty of guys that I’m sure are dying to go down on you. I suggest communicating with your partner. Ask why you’re not getting any. Be honest about how you feel and tell your partner that you like oral sex and want to get more of it.

 In case he admits that he doesn’t like your smell or taste, here are a few tips:

1. See a doctor to make sure you don’t have bacterial vaginosis, a vaginal infection that can make you smell suspiciously like salmon. (And not the delicious smoked variety.)

2. Shower before sex. What’s not to love about a freshly bathed coochie?

3. Use baby wipes after you pee or poo. They do a better job of removing potentially smelly bacteria than toilet paper alone.

4. Watch what you eat, drink and smoke. Although there’s not a lot of science behind it, rumor has it that what you eat affects how you smell and taste. Cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol may make you taste bitter, while red meat, dairy, garlic, onion, curry, broccoli, asparagus, spinach and multivitamins may make you taste salty or sharp.  Vegetables high in chlorophyll, such as wheat grass, parsley, and celery are reputed to make you taste sweeter, as are spices like cinnamon, peppermint, cardamon, and lemon. Eating fruit may also sweeten your taste. Drinking lots of water helps too. Vegan diets, particularly diets high in raw vegetables and fruit, are reputed to make you taste fresh and sweet. Is this true? All I can say is that my husband swears that my taste improved after switching to a largely raw vegan diet.

5. If all else fails, try flavored lubricants. Chocolate pussy, anyone?

 If you feel insecure about how you might smell or taste, let me remind you that we all have our own smell and taste. Assuming you’re bathing and don’t have an infection, your lover should love your smell and taste, just the way it is. I’ll leave you with the wise words of Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues.

 “My vagina doesn’t need to be cleaned up. It smells good already. Don’t try to decorate. Don’t believe him when he tells you it smells like rose petals when it’s supposed to smell like pussy. That’s what they’re doing, trying to clean it up, make it smell like bathroom spray or a garden. All those douche sprays- floral, berry, rain. I don’t want my pussy to smell like rain. All cleaned up like washing a fish after you cook it. I want to taste the fish. That’s why I ordered it.”

 I say, “Amen, sister!”

–Dr. Lissa Rankin’s book, What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in Fall 2010. She invites you to join her Pink online community (www.owningpink.com/forum) or read more of her writing at Owning Pink (www.owningpink.com).