What Could Cause Itchy, Red, and Painful Vulva?

Pain, itching, and redness in the vulva may be caused by drug allergies or chemical irritation, vaginal inflammation, poor hygiene habits, and other factors.

1. Drug allergies or chemical irritation: Chemicals such as benzalkonium chloride, soap, condoms, and merbromin can cause contact dermatitis and result in symptoms of vulvar itching and redness due to direct irritation or allergies.

2. Vaginal inflammation: Mold vaginitis and trichomonas vaginitis are the most common causes of vulvar itching and redness. Severe itching may lead to unconscious scratching, resulting in scratches or even swelling of the vulva. This may be accompanied by a burning sensation or pain in the vagina, pain during sexual intercourse, and pain during urination. The pain during urination is often caused by the urine irritating the inflamed vulva.

3. Poor hygiene habits: Neglecting to cleanse the vulvar area, including the sebum, sweat, menstrual secretions, urine, and fecal matter, can lead to long-term irritation and cause vulvar itching and redness. Poor quality menstrual pads used during menstruation or wearing non-breathable chemical fiber underwear can also induce itching due to dampness and heat accumulation.

1. Clean the vulva with cool or warm water and avoid rinsing the vagina every day. It is best to use running water for each cleaning, meaning the water used should not be reused. A vaginal douche can be used to spray water onto the vulva. The cleaning order should be from front to back, starting with the labia minora and majora, then the vaginal orifice, and finally the anus. If one bathes daily, it is sufficient to clean the vulva during the bath and no additional cleaning is necessary.

2. Frequently change sanitary napkins during menstruation and choose pads with good breathability to avoid itching and swelling caused by discomfort from the sanitary napkins. It is generally recommended to avoid using panty liners and instead change underwear frequently.

3. Wash and dry underwear frequently, choose cotton materials, wash separately, and expose to sunlight. People with athlete's foot should fix the order of bedding when sleeping and avoid placing underwear at the foot of the bed to prevent the transmission of bacteria from the bedding to the private area.