What is going on with my vulva?

[soredownunder]

Hi, three times in the last few months I've had this problem with my vulva. Inside the labia (but not the inner labia) I am irritated and when I dab it with toilet paper it has blood, but it's not from the vaginal canal. Just grazes inside the folds on both sides, but not the inside bit. Similar if you scraped your knee and dabbed toilet paper and some light bleeding would be on the tissue.

It hurts and burns like crazy. It's not a UTI as it's not coming from inside, literally just on the inside of both of the outer lips. Like road rash and it is terribly uncomfortable. I've tried sudocrem, vagisil, canesten cream. It has clears on its own the last two times and now it's back again. I'm 41 and have a phobia of going to the drs so don't want to go to my GP. please can you give me any advice or recommendations of a cream. Thanks

Hi, it sounds like lichen sclerosus.
I had same pain, saw gp said it was easily treated with a steroid cream. ( Dermovate, which is strong and can’t be bought over the counter)
After using it for a few days it cleared, I the relief was amazing, and worth the trip to the GP, she literally looked for a few seconds, way easier than a smear test. I’ve had to use it a couple of times since , but can treat it early so it didn’t get too bad.
Please don’t put off a trip to see the GP when it must be making you miserable.

Sorry, just re read your message .
You could ask a pharmacist for the strongest steroid you can buy, they may not be happy to give for vaginal application though.

I’ve had this before and it was treated with betnovate. It comes back now and again but it’s easily treated.

I thought it was LS but GP said no, and it was more like a type of eczema.

I also have lichen sclerosis. I developed it during covid and avoided the doctor for a good year. It was HORRENDOUS! Please go and get seen. Similar to @Rollerboots she had a Quick Look and I was given strong steroid cream that helped very quickly.

I now have to use to prevent flair ups. (Although you still sometimes do get them and then you have to up usage.)

Please go and see the doc. For a few uncomfortable minutes you will be so grateful!

Possibly LS as others have said but could also be menopause related. Ask your Gp for Ovestin cream - you can use it internally as well as externally (comes with an applicator but you can just squeeze it out of the tube and apply it too). It’s really helped with my issues.

I agree, it could be LS. Could it maybe be herpes? No Shame here xxx

Sounds awful OP, I hope you find relief for it.

Bad Thrush ?

Agree with a pp it could herpes. Does it appear around your period?

LS is common after menopause my GP said last week. I've had betnovate the relief was great. But now GP wants me to try something else a moisturizer but to go back if I had another flare up. I've only been examined by a nurse so far

Definitely consider if it might be the start of perimenopausal vaginal atrophy, as a PP has suggested.

Just because it is so common, and yet nobody speaks about it. It's very typical to spend ages thinking it's something else, like LS or recurrent thrush or an allergy to the washing powder -- until finally you get a tube of Ovestin and do the initial loading dose, and it's like a magic wand.

I would encourage you to see a doctor. It is probably nothing, but best to check.

My aunt had a similar issue and eventually went to the doctor and it was cancer. She's fine! Very treatable. But please check it out.

You need to keep using it for the specified time after a flare up- not just a few days to reduce the long term cancer risk.

See the nurse at your local GP surgery.
They will be able to advise: they see it all most days.

Could be anything really. Vaginal irritation can have many causes. If it’s sore you could even be scratching it in your sleep and making it bleed. Stuff like bacterial vaginosis or even thrush can irritate the skin, or herpes, or even rare things like cancer. You need to let your GP have a look, nobody here can diagnose you.

OP, would you be comfortable taking a picture / video of your vulva and the area of discomfort and going to your GP?

Explain you don't want to be examined but show them the photos? Perhaps take your partner or a friend with you (obvs don't need to show them photos, they just sit in the room with you?)

Is your phobia being examined or being inside the GP practice?

Could you ask for a telephone appointment? They might have a secure link to send photos through before or during the call? I know not every GP surgery offers this.

It could even be the toilet paper. I used a certain brand for years and they changed the recipe which left me itchy and bleeding.

How old are you? Could be vaginal atrophy (Genito urinary syndrome of menopause is the new name) which can also affect much younger breastfeeding women or those in peri. Could also be LS. Your local sexual health clinic could be a good place to go.

Im having a horrible time with what i am SURE is LS but the Gp says no😞

Externally the skin is itchy dry and wrinkly , internally on inner labia its red , sore and some of the flesh is white coloured. Also had some blood blisters. Its bloody miserable.

Also had horrid soreness peri-anally.

Im laid sudocrem'd up to the eyeballs 😞

I empathise OP.

Thanks everyone, I have had a good look and it looks like no white patches or blisters, just very red and scraped looking. It actually does look a bit excema looking, but I didn't realise you could get it there! I'm thinking a steroid cream will probably help.
The thing about the dr's is a bit the reverse of health anxiety, I will literally not seek medical attention when I should as I am so worried about wasting anyone's time.
I will see if I can get into see the nurse at least as it's hideously uncomfortable and I need it sorted. Thanks again for your replies x

Oh thanks, I was never told that.

I would definitely get a second opinion!

Did the doc do a biopsy? Mine didn't as was sure on sight and sure enough the clob (steroids) cleared it up and has (mainly) worked with maintenance.

I would ask to see another doctor/push for a biopsy if they're 'sure' it's not as it very much sounds like it! And it's horrible without treatment and dangerous!

Another thing to consider is psoriasis, it presents as you describe in that area

@owlyboo thankyou so much

Peri menopause has played havoc with my skin 😞

I had vulvar eczema too, it was just as you describe. Like little paper cuts on the inside of the labia. Very sore.

I think it was triggered by a bout of thrush, but stayed after the thrush was long gone.

Steroid cream and no sex for a while helped a lot though I still get flare ups every now and then but nothing like as bad.

Took ages to get diagnosed as had GPs suggesting all sorts incl vaginal atrophy… I was 27…

I’m a lot older than you but what you’ve described sums up a lot of what I suffer from. I’ve seen 2 vulval dermatologists and just have the general diagnosis term Vulvadynia ie vulval pain. I didn’t even know vulval eczema was a thing so have looked it up, it comes close to describing the symptoms I have but not totally. I doubt any of this is new to you given the number of great responses you’ve had but I’d eliminate fabric conditioner , soap based washing, baths [shower instead], tight clothing, keep a food diary [I became convinced sugar intake aggravated my symptoms], get your hormone levels checked in case you have early menopause beginning, use creams that create a barrier to protect your skin so nappy creams like Bepanthen are easiest. I became convinced my own urine was aggravating my skin but I’ve had a lot of slightly crazy ideas over the years. If you are overweight [I am] possibly friction as you walk or exercise is causing skin/nerve damage, I’m taking steps to lose weight to see if it helps. Sex is an obvious source of friction and possible skin/nerve damage. I’m on HRT and it hasn’t helped my symptoms but I’m at a different stage of life to you so I imagine your hormone levels are naturally higher than mine which had flatlined! However doctor averse you are I’d try and see one, I see a nurse practitioner at my surgery and she is amazing, kind, a good listener, thorough and reassuring so you might strike lucky with a NP. Good luck and be persistent, don’t be fobbed off, ask for blood tests and a referral to a specialist if you can manage it.