What causes vaginal irritation after sex in a 19-year-old?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 19-year-old, and I had protected sex, and after a day, I started having a lot of irritation in my vaginal area, and a very foul smell came for a few days. Now that has reduced a bit, but the labia appear to have grown or something. Is this normal? I have not taken any pills or anything, and there is very little irritation, with almost no smell.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Possible causes of your symptoms:

Vaginal infection : Bacterial vaginosiss (BV) causes a foul or fishy smell, thin discharge, and sometimes irritation.
Yeast infection : Usually causes itching, thick white discharge, swelling of the labia.
Irritation or swelling from sex itself: Friction, latex (if condom allergy), or minor microtears can cause the labia to look swollen temporarily.
Sexually transmitted infection (STI): Some STIs, like trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia, can cause foul smell, irritation, and discharge — though condoms reduce the risk, they do not eliminate it fully.

Why does your labia look bigger?

After sex, it is common for the labia to stay slightly swollen for a few days due to friction and increased blood flow. If the swelling is lasting beyond a week or is paired with discharge or odor, infection, or irritation is more likely.

What you should do:

See a gynecologist, who can examine you and do a swab to check if it is BV, yeast, or an STI.
Maintain hygiene — wash only with water (avoid soaps or douches inside the vagina).
Cotton underwear and avoid tight clothing until symptoms settle.
Monitor and if swelling worsens, discharge increases, pain or fever develops, do notdelay seeking care.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.