To ask for help with daughter’s vulvovaginitis?

[2TheLighthouse]

Posting in desperation really. We’ve been to the doctor who had a good look and took a swab (results back tomorrow but she didn’t think on first inspection there was an infection). The skin is just so inflamed/sore in places that she is in pain every time she pees. We’ve tried Vaseline, sudocrem, bepanthen, now using epiderm from the dr.

It has been about a week of soreness and doesn’t seem any better. What on earth can we do?! We’re already avoiding all soap/bubble bath, using 100% cotton underwear etc. Is there a magic ointment out there somewhere?!

My daughters get this a lot and the doctor eventually prescribed a kind of anti fungal cream that also had hydrocortisone in it. It’s really horrible for them and I feel so bad when they’re crying that their vagina hurts. I’ll post the name of the cream when I get home.

It’s just one thing after another with being a woman. If it’s not periods, childbirth or menopause, it’s this!

I had vulval damage from brachytherapy which took ages to heal and to provide relief I had regular Epsom salt baths and used medihoney barrier cream. Lots of nappy creams are very drying and that makes things worse.

I currently have damage from radiotherapy late effects and I have lidocaine ointment and am using barrier cream. I have medihoney again but also cavillon.

I never use soap in the area and change my knickers 3 or 4 times a day as well as wearing a nightie with no knickers to allow air flow.

I hope she gets some relief soon because it’s so miserable.

My child has this. The only thing that’s eased it a bit is washing every day. Make sure you show her how to properly clean down below. Just sitting in a bath isn’t good enough. Weleda nappy cream is the best I’ve found. And a mild hydrocortisone to stop the itching. Even a day of not washing properly is enough to make it a bit sore and red again.

Op this the cream. This is the only thing that’s worked for us, having done all the best practice stuff and using barrier creams and no bath bubbles etc.

Ergh what a nightmare. Could she be allergic or intolerant to milk.

My daughter got very sore in that area when she was younger, fortunately seems to be growing out it. Try a bath with a few drops of tea tree oil in.

Thank you so much for all the help. We’ve tried the bicarbonate bath this evening and a very mild hydrocortisone. Fingers crossed. Also got the threadworm medicine.

I have vulvodynia, my flare ups aren't as bad as they used to be, but I still apply an ointment I found off Amazon called Vulva Harmony. It's pricey but a little goes a long way. There's nothing medicinal in it, it's purely just soothing where areas are dry and sore. You can put it in the fridge but I don't bother.

I also take the Optibac for women. There's a school of thought that say you don't need a probiotic for your vagina, and it might just be a coincidence, but the vulvodynia really seemed to calm down taking those in combo with the ointment so I've carried on just in case!

Attached pic of Vulva Harmony and ingredients list.

Could she be allergic to toilet paper. I find some brands can cause problems

Sit her in a waist deep warm bath. Get her to part her legs and drop in a around five table spoons of bicarbonate of sode. Let her sit for 15-20 minutes. Repeat every 3 hours for first day , every four hours for second day and twice on third day.

It can be caused by allegies so try stopping different food and changing the soaps/washing up liquid you usually use.

Lidocaine ointment really helped me when I had dermatitis in that area. It stung when applied but oh the relief!

All the females in my family had this as children and its linked to a citrus allergy.

Everyone has it at varying degrees,my DD couldn't drink orange but could eat oranges whereas my sister can't do either.

Some have outgrown it once they hit puberty and some haven't.

As well as all the other advice here also try organic pant liners to rule out allergy to wash powders. The other think that really helped me was the bicarbonate baths and epaderm ointment (not cream) which helps protect the skin while it heals

I really hope she feels better soon

It’s often misdiagnosed as thrush be used the symptoms are similar but rarely is as the Candida needs oestrogen to grow and there’s no appreciable oestrogen before puberty.

It’s a problem before puberty because the vaginal/vulval area lacks oestrogen and this is easily irritated/friable and the PH is relatively high.

Try vinegar douches as an alternative to baths, prob more effective. 1 tablespoon vinegar per litre warm water; twice a day have your DD stand in the shower and open her vulva while you pour the water over the area.

My daughter suffered from redness and sores that would bleed that was passed off as nappy rash until a different GP diagnosed a sensitivity to salicylates. We cut out food rich in these - strawberries were a big trigger - and also treated with hydrocortisone cream.

She also suffered from eczema treated with a bath additive (apologies it was a few years ago and I don't recall the name) which also soothed the redness and sores at their worst.

She's now fourteen and has been fine for years.

Grape seed oil?

My youngest has this recently after covid although no rash. Just incredible itch :-( only 3yo so it was awful. Thankfully it passed in 2-3 weeks - no pants at bedtime, showers, no soaps. Good luck x

Please don’t use tea tree oil, I have found that to be very aggressive and caused itching and inflammation

I bought some Dermol 500 for my daughter to use, its a very skin friendly, moisturising cleanser & she found it helped. Your dd could also try pouring water on herself as she wees to help stop the stinging. Basically time heals and things should calm down once puberty hits.

Strawberries!! She loves strawberries and has obviously been eating them in recent weeks because it’s strawberry season! May have to lay off…

Whenever my daughter gets a red sore vagina it is always due to threadworms. Infact that will be her only symptom! No itchy bottom at all. I feel so sorry for her as you can see them moving around 😢

Not sure if it is the same thing but my 8 year old sometimes wakes in the night saying it’s very sore and it looks very inflamed. A warm bath with some baking soda in for 10 minutes always works and she’s fine again for months.

Metanium worked really well for my daughter. Didn't cure the problem but treated it effectively - it would disappear in a day or two and then come back within a month.

The problem disappeared at puberty.

Hydromol ointment is really gentle to wash with
It kind of melts so you can use it in the bath too

All the females in my family had this as children and its linked to a citrus allergy

this. In our family it’s blackcurrant juice, grape juice or strawberries.

cut out fruit and fruit juice for a few days and see.