What is vulvar itching

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See the world through the eyes of someone with MDD. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Causes of vaginal itching.

When to see your doctor about vaginal itching. What to expect during your appointment. Medical treatment for vaginal itching. Home remedies for vaginal itching. Medically reviewed by Michael Weber, M. What Helps Yeast Infections? Treatments and Prevention. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph. Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M. Medically reviewed by Fernando Mariz, MD. Perimenopause and Depression.

Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. Depression and Military Families. By some estimates, one in 30 older women has lichen sclerosus; it's especially common in women with psoriasis. Itching is usually the first symptom, and it may become severe enough to disrupt sleep and other activities. During an examination, the clinician may notice white sometimes crinkly or shiny patches.

Some may contain tears or red areas from bleeding often the result of scratching and these areas may be painful and sting. As the disease progresses, there's a danger that vulvar tissues will scar and shrink. Lichen sclerosus is diagnosed by its appearance and sometimes by biopsies. No matter how mild the symptoms, it should be treated to prevent progression.

The usual treatment is application of a high potency corticosteroid ointment for several weeks, then slowly tapering the dose. Women also need regular examinations after treatment for lichen sclerosus because the condition can make affected skin more likely to develop skin cancer.

Early treatment and prompt attention to new lesions or nonhealing sores in the area will reduce the risk further. Some women with vulvar skin problems may benefit from estrogen therapy delivered vaginally via ring, tablet, or cream, or applied directly to the vulva , which can help counter atrophy and inflammation and make the vulvar skin less vulnerable to irritation.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Itching at night. Yeast infection. Bacterial vaginosis. Irritants and allergens. Lichen planus. Lichen sclerosus. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. What Causes Clitoris Itching? Read this next. It may be due to various reasons, including:. Latex rubber and semen are potential causes of contact urticaria.

Benign and malignant neoplastic disorders of the vulva are often asymptomatic in their early stages, but they can cause itch. The most common cancerous lesions are:. Neuropathy should be considered as a cause of vulval itch if there are no signs of infection or skin disease apart from lichen simplex — which can be secondary to a pruritic neuropathy — especially if vulvodynia is present.

The neuropathy may be caused by injury, surgery or disease locally pudendal entrapment , within the pelvis or in the spine. The clinical features depend on the underlying cause of the vulval itch.

There may be an obvious or subtle rash or no signs of disease at all. Itch often only affects one anatomic part of the vulva:. The itch can also involve other adjacent skin of the abdomen, thighs and perianal area. An examination may reveal healthy skin, scratch marks excoriations and the specific features associated with the underlying cause of the itch. Morphology may be modified according to the site, with minimal scale evident.