Irritation of vulva

The external female genital area is called the vulva. The outer folds of skin are called the labia majora and the inner folds are called the labia minora. If you see changes on the skin of the vulva, or if you have itching, burning, or pain, contact your gynecologist or other health care professional. Your health care professional may examine you, ask you questions about the pain and your daily routine, and take samples of vaginal discharge for testing. In some cases, a biopsy is needed to confirm diagnosis of a disease. Some of the skin disorders that affect the vulva include folliculitis, contact dermatitis, Bartholin gland cysts, lichen simplex chronicus, lichen sclerosus, and lichen planus.

Back to Health A to Z. Vaginitis is inflammation of the vagina that can cause itching, discomfort and discharge. If you're sure you have thrush and you've treated it successfully in the past with over-the-counter medication, you can treat it yourself again. Read more about over-the-counter thrush medicines. This is known as vaginal atrophy or atrophic vaginitis, and is due to the thinning of the vagina's lining. Yeast infections, such as vaginal thrush, are usually treated with antifungal medicines , and bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotics. HRT replaces the female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.

The vulva is the outer portion of the female genitals. The vulva is a very sensitive area of skin that a person needs to treat with some care to prevent irritation. There are several potential causes of an irritated vulva. They can range from benign conditions, such as contact dermatitis, to more severe conditions.

Error: This is required. Error: Not a valid value. Irritation around your groin or inside your vagina is often caused by the sensitive skin of these areas coming into contact with:. Groin irritation can also be due to a build up of sweat from not washing and drying your groin properly, or from over-washing or scrubbing the area. Vaginal irritation is quite common and most women will experience it at least once in their lives.