Vulval fissures or something else?

[whatsnewpussycat34]

Shamelessly posting in chat for traffic

For the last two months I've had a tiny little paper cut type thing on my inner labia. Ive tried every cream under the sun and nothing makes it go away.

I'm 35 with no children and not actively having sex at the moment. I have an appointment in two weeks with my GP but my brain is running away with me. I've convinced myself I have vulval cancer 😭

Has anyone had this before and it's not been anything sinister?

Hopeful bump

I get similar and it's due to the menopause/fluctuating hormone levels

More likely to be - lack of oestrogen (even at 35, peri menopause lasts years and years) - you can get internal and external oestrogen creams for this (Ovestin, Vagifem). Thrush - have a swab done, you don’t necessarily have to have the cottage cheese discharge, and in fact if you have low oestrogen and are dry you probably won’t. If you do have thrush you’ll need the internal cream rather than pessaries as if you’re dry / sore they won’t dissolve properly. (Internal cream comes in a pre-filled applicator and isn’t the same as the thrush external cream). And - it may be lichen planus. Have a google. I have a combination of all these three and have been on a fairly long journey to sort it out! (I have a lot of autoimmune issues).

Sound like menopause symptoms.

I ignored mine and it's much worse now even after treatment. Constantly sore. 😕

I’d be inclined to think it’s something dermatological like lichen planus or dermatitis. Book an appt with your GP.

I find as I got older I can no longer wash my undies in biological washing powder. (I am post menopause and had been suffering from vaginal atrophy for quite a few years but now on local oestrogen which is helping with that) I'm definitely much more sensitive down there and get what you're describing. I've read bleached loo paper is a possible irritant and unbleached or bamboo is recommended as an alternative. Try not to worry x

Lichen sclerosis

Thank you all for replying. It makes me feel better that there are other possibilities other than cancer!y anxiety is in overdrive

Vulval cancer is a pretty rare disease in general but it is very rare in women of your age (average of 16 new cases a year in the UK in your age group). It is a cancer much more associated with elderly women (80yrs+).

It is much more likely to be something else.