Ever since I was a young girl my mother would tell me not to leave the house for the day without washing. Especially my private parts and armpits.

When I was ready for sex, I knew about preventing pregnancy so I started taking the pill. I took care of my body and cleaned it properly…or so I thought. But I started to notice an odd smell coming from down there.

I tried washing as much as I could every day. I put on perfumes and even baby powder, but nothing worked. I didn't know what to do.

I went to a clinic far from my house where nobody knew me. I was shocked when the nurse told I had a sexually transmitted infection. I thought the pill protected me! But the nurse said that only condoms protect you from pregnancy and STIs when having sex.

I was given some medication to take for my STI. The nurse also said I should only wash my vagina once a day with water. Anything else can be too harsh on the sensitive area.

Sex without a condom can cause more than a bad smell! Only a male or female condom can protect you from both pregnancy and STIs. So if you’re using another form of contraception, you still need to use a condom or female condom every time you have sex.

This story was written by Tune Me community member.