Itching in the genital area - what to do when it itches and burns
It's not talked about much, but annoying intimate itching is very common.
Itching and burning can occur in the external genital area and, in women, also in the vagina. To address the problem properly, it is important to know the reason. Therefore, read this article carefully until the end.
- When it "itches down below"
- What does itching in the genital area feel like? Typical symptoms
- Where does itching in the genital area come from?
- What helps with itching in the genital area?
- How to prevent itching in the genital area
- Table causes, symptoms, treatment options
- Itching in the genital area in men
- Relief of itching in the intimate area with care ointment
1. When it "itches down below"
In most cases, intimate itching is harmless. However, a persistent itchy rash or burning area should be examined by a doctor.
In this blog article, we describe some causes of the annoying itching and burning and you will learn what you can do to relieve the itching.
Itching in the genital area occurs in both women and men.
For information specifically related to itching in the genital area in men, you can jump to the relevant section here.
2. What does itching in the genital area feel like? Typical symptoms
Itching in the genital area can manifest itself in different ways. Depending on the individual sensation or the cause:
- Slight tingling
- Burning
- Feeling of pins and needles
- Persistent itching that makes you want to scratch.
If you visit a doctor, describe your symptoms in detail.
3. Where does itching in the genital area come from?
Pay attention to when the itching occurs and in which places . Since itching can have various causes, especially in women, this information will help you to make the right diagnosis.
Here you will find the most common causes of the problem:
Itching in the inner intimate area in women (vagina)
Itching during the menopause
During the menopause, a woman's oestrogen level drops. This affects the skin and mucous membranes: The skin becomes thinner and drier and subsequently sensitive.
In many women, the lack of oestrogen makes itself felt through vaginal dryness, which in turn can lead to itching. This is unpleasant but harmless. A suitable intimate ointment generally relieves the symptoms quickly.
If you are sure that the menopause is the cause, you can find the right intimate ointment here.
Itching associated with your period
If itching in the vagina occurs regularly
before your period, hormones may also be the cause. Before the period, the oestrogen level drops and the skin of the vaginal walls becomes thinner and more sensitive. This can promote itching.
Itching that occurs
after your period is often related to the use of tampons. Tampons can dry out the vagina, which in turn can cause discomfort.
Burning in the vagina after sex
If there is a burning sensation and itching in the vagina after sex, inflammation is often the cause.
Inflammation in the intimate area can be caused by bacteria, viruses or protozoa. Read more about this at
point 5 "Health causes of itching in the intimate area".
Burning in the vagina caused by intimate hygiene
If the external intimate area itches or is reddened, intimate hygiene habits may be the cause:
- Washing too often
- Intolerance of cleansing products
- Intimate shaving
At the end of this article you will find simple tips on how to prevent this type of itching.
Ingrown hairs
Shaving the intimate area can also be a cause of itching. Individual hairs can grow into the skin instead of outwards when they grow back. In the sensitive skin of the intimate area, these ingrown hairs can cause pain and itching and, in the worst case, even lead to infection.
Sweat and heat
Sweat glands are also found in the intimate area, so it is quite normal to sweat there. However, if the
sweating is very heavy, such as during sports or cycling, it can become a problem because it can promote vaginal fungus or bacterial diseases. These diseases in turn cause itching.
Health causes of itching in the genital area
Most causes of itching in the intimate area are harmless, but there are also serious
diseases such as diabetes that can trigger it.
If the itching persists or if you observe the
typical symptoms listed below, you should consult a doctor.
Vaginal infection caused by bacteria
Because the vagina is a warm and moist environment, it is a breeding ground for bacteria. Most of the time, these bacteria are harmless. However, if they get out of hand, they can become very troublesome. Bacterial vaginosis is characterised by white discharge and a typical fishy smell.
Vaginal infections caused by fungi
The symptoms of
vaginal candidiasis are similar to those of bacterial vaginosis. Typical symptoms are burning and itching when urinating and discharging.
The discharge can be watery or crumbly-dry or resemble curdled milk.
Burning in the vagina caused by viruses
Viruses can also cause inflammation of the vaginal flora. These viruses include
herpes simplex viruses (HSV), known as cold sores, and
human papilloma viruses (HPV). Strong-smelling discharge can also be a symptom.
Burning in the vagina caused by protozoa
Another type of micro-organism can be responsible for burning in the vagina: These are protozoa(especially Trichomonas vaginalis). The disease is transmitted sexually. A light greenish-yellowish discharge with a pungent odour is typical.
Allergic reactions
A wide variety of substances can trigger
allergies in the intimate area. Latex, shower gels, metals from piercings, medical suppositories, textiles, residues of detergents or other substances that come into contact with the intimate area can be the cause.
Burning in the genital area without an identifiable causeIn many cases, it is not possible to find out what triggers the unpleasant symptoms.
Then the following causes should also be considered:
- The intimate mucosa can be irritated by constant moisture and the urea in the urine. This can occur in cases of incontinence, for example.
- One of the most common causes of itching is simply dry skin. This problem can be remedied quite easily with special ointments such as AndreaCare Intim .
4. What helps with itching in the genital area?
You may have received well-intentioned advice or read about home remedies that are supposed to help with itching or even diseases in the genital area.
We take a closer look at the most important home remedies.
Do home remedies help with itching in the genital area?
There are countless recommendations for home remedies against excruciating itching. Unfortunately, most home remedies do not help or even harm.
Yoghurt, vinegar, coconut oil and tea tree oil against itching?
Yoghurt with honey is often recommended for itching in the genital area. However, yoghurt contains lactic acid bacteria and other types of bacteria and sometimes also additives that can aggravate fungal diseases.
We also advise against the often recommended
tea tree oil or
coconut oil. It is not suitable for the sensitive vaginal flora. Vinegar water can also unbalance the vaginal flora and make it even more susceptible.
Medicinal bath with camomile
A sitz bath with
camomile can alleviate the unpleasant symptoms, especially excruciating itching. But these sitz baths cannot cure diseases such as vaginal mycosis.
Avoid sugar
If a fungus is the cause, it is often recommended to consistently avoid
sugar, because the fungus needs sugar to grow. Although this
anti-fungal diet is so often recommended, it has not yet been proven in any study.
What to do - Treatment of itching and burning sensation
Itching in the genital area is very rarely dangerous. Nevertheless, you should take the symptoms seriously. So what should you do if you have an "itchy bottom"?
Itching in the genital area - when to see a doctor?
An infection or another disease can be the cause of itching. So go to the doctor if the
itching persists or
becomes unbearable, if you have
pain and
fever at the same time, or if the
discharge is unusual.
Our intimate care product AndreaCare Intim
In many cases, it is enough to use a special
cream like AndreaCare Intim. It is suitable for both men and women.
5. How to prevent itching in the genital area
In most cases, itching and burning in the genital area can be avoided quite simply.
If there is no underlying disease, it is often sufficient to consistently observe the following 3 points:
1. wash the intimate area daily with warm water or mild detergents only. 2.
Always wash off all cleansers completely. 3.
3. since water containing lime also dries out the skin: consistently lubricate the skin with a water-free ointment, e.g. AndreaCare Intim.
Please note that tight clothing, mechanical stress or visits to the swimming pool can also lead to infections or skin irritations.
Basically, the intimate skin is very sensitive. If you suffer from itching, you should take care of it after it has been mechanically stressed.
Lubricate the skin after bowel movements, after sexual intercourse or if you have sweated a lot.
Read our 13 tips for proper intimate care.
6. Table causes, symptoms, treatment options
7. Itching in the genital area in men
The good news is that it is even more common in men than in women: Itching in the genital area is unpleasant but almost always harmless. However, if the itching does not disappear over a longer period of time, a visit to the doctor is recommended.
The skin around the glans is very delicate and sensitive. Germs can easily accumulate and multiply under the foreskin. Therefore, conscientious intimate care is indispensable.
Most common causes of itching in the genital area in men
In very few cases is there a disease behind the itching, but rather irritated or damaged intimate skin. The causes can be chemical or mechanical:
- Washing the intimate area too often
- Washing with alkaline soap
- Shower products that do not rinse off the skin properly
- Intimate sprays
- Intimate shaving with ordinary shaving foam
- Frequent visits to the sauna and swimming pool
- Wearing tight cycling shorts
- Heavy sweating in the intimate area
- Urea, e.g. for incontinence, irritates the intimate skin.
In our
13 tips for proper intimate care, you will learn how to prevent itching with simple means.
8. Relief of itching in the intimate area with care ointment
If the skin in the intimate area is very dry and irritated, AndreaCare Intim Ointment quickly brings relief.
The ointment is free of perfume. It nourishes and increases the resistance of the skin in the external intimate area. It makes the skin elastic and supple, so that irritated skin is quickly soothed. Irritations are eliminated and the unpleasant itching subsides.
AndreaCare Intimate Care Ointment is used for sensitive skin as well as for dryness and the resulting burning or itching in the external intimate area.
Simply apply AndreaCare to the affected areas several times a day.
AndreaCare Intimate Protection Ointment contains no emulsifiers, hormones or preservatives such as parabens. - This is extremely important for the very sensitive intimate skin. The skin compatibility of AndreaCare Intimate Protective Care Ointment is therefore very good and has been confirmed by dermatological tests.
Ingredients (INCI) AndreaCare Intimate Protective Care Ointment without perfume:
Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, BHT.
You can order AndreaCare Intim Ointment or a sample of it directly in our webshop .
