Recently become super sensitive to washing ‘down below’- the itchiness is torture!

[Summergarden]

It used to be the case that if I was washing in the shower with something lovely smelling but highly scented and I accidentally got a bit near my vagina it will be intensely itchy for a few days after.

But recently if I get a bit of the milder shower creams there it’s having the same effect, including Dove which had previously always been ok.

Does anyone have any suggestions on anything to reduce the itching please? It’s driving me mad.

Definitely ask your GP about lichen sclerosis. Often misdiagnosed!

Same here. For more years than I care to think about I suffered from severe itch, soreness and tiny cracks which bled and were so sore. It was only when I was into my 60s that I was diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosis. Treatment started and took over a year to work to the point where it is under control but never goes away. Do not let it get bad. Go to a GP and get a referral to a dermatologist who knows what they are looking at. LS is insidious and will eventually cause bits to be reabsorbed.

I’m amazed by so many people putting soap on their vulva. My mum, a gynea nurse, taught me never to use soap on vulva/vagina and only on bum. Gp has reiterated the water advice after a uti. Any dirt in the area is entirely water soluble! This is what I have taught my daughters also. None of us smell bad.

Sanex Zero (the pink one) is all I use. 0 perfume and 0 soap. Gets you nice and clean though.

I must have tough old flaps 😂 as they are luckily fine (and nice and clean) with a good old soaping.
Must be close to menopause though so some good tips on here if Her Majesty decides to get sensitive!

Yes

Which sanex baby zero the unscented one ?

Yep

I have the same issue OP, I am 44. I have always been sensitive down there but now everything seems to make me itch. I have just started oestrogen pessaries and I use ‘yes’ moisturiser. I have also found (when it’s really bad) taking a antihistamine really helps.

Low oestrogen causes dryness in vagina and also pain and itching. Oestrogen cream and pessaries for down there sorts it out as does oestrogen spray to help with the rest of you of peri. It’s important to get on top
of your hormone levels as things like uterine and vaginal prolapses happen due to the lack of hormones and many other medical conditions get triggered by it

Just a little bit of info for the posters here who like me have LS. Mine has completely disappeared since I’ve been in Mounjaro to the extent my gynae dermatologist told me there’s absolutely no trace of it and if she didn’t know i had LS she’d not know from looking at me. Anyway, I’m due to come off Mounjaro in a few weeks and if my LS comes back I’m going to go back on it at a low dose. My Dr has spoken about doing an informal study amongst her patients to see if others have noticed an improvement.

@Boododedoop I have never been diagnosed with LS, but before mj I was very itchy and could never figure out why. I realised the other day that in the 18 months I’ve been on it that has completed cleared up. I thought maybe it was that I was lighter and now less sweaty or something, but maybe this explains it.

I didn’t know whether I could use that one cause it said it was used for buble bath aswell but I thought it would be milder that the regular sanex 0 unscented for adults. It’s definitely this one right -

That’s the one, think it says bath, wash and shampoo on it. It’s like an all in one thing

thanks hopefully it’s a good wash and won’t irritate .