Strong Private Odors

Dear Harlan,

I'm not sure how to approach this situation. How do you tell a girl that her private parts have a rather strong odor? I'm not sure how to do it without making us both feel uncomfortable. Help!

Strong Scented

Dear Strong Scented,

Let's start with what you should avoid doing. Never tell your friends about this (no good can come from this). Never put it in your Facebook updates (that's just cruel). Never bring it up during an intimate moment (wrong time). Never bring it up during an argument (again, wrong time). Never use loaded words like "disgusting" or "stink." The way to approach this is to come at it from a loving place. Find a time when you're fully clothed and in a comfortable place together (not on the phone). Tell her how much you care about her and the relationship. Then mention the problem and that you didn't know if this was normal. Explain that sometimes a strong odor can be a sign of a medical condition and you wanted to let her know because you were concerned. Sure, she might get uncomfortable (I get upset when people tell me my breath stinks), but I guarantee that she will deal with the situation. Approaching her from a loving place can make an uncomfortable situation as comfortable as it can be. Whatever you do, tell her! If you don't say anything, she'll never know that there is a problem and then the problem will follow her from relationship to relationship.