When I scratch my vaginal area, the skin looks like it’s peeling and there are tiny cuts. What is it?

female gender symbolThere can be different reasons for your symptoms. You could have a yeast infection. If you are sexually active it’s possible that you could have an STI. You could be allergic to a soap or lotion.

There is also the possibility that you could have a skin condition such as lichen sclerosus which often affects the vulva and anogenital area (skin between the anus and genitals). Symptoms of lichen sclerosus may be different from person to person and they can be mild to severe. All of the symptoms are in the vulvar area, though. Girls and young women who have this skin condition often have mild to severe itching and the skin in the area is fragile and tears easily that can look like tiny cuts on the skin.

Because there are many possible causes for your symptoms, it’s IMPORTANT to be evaluated by a health care provider. There is medication to treat your symptoms!


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