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Dear Aunt Vadge,
I was shaving down there and accidentally cut myself on the inner labia. When I pee it bleeds and burns. Is there a cream I can use, or does it heal itself?
Sincerely,
Shaved
Age 19, Miami, Florida
Dear Shaved,
A shaving nick like this heals itself, so you don’t need anything special — just protect it while it does. A thin smear of a plain barrier like paw paw ointment or Vaseline over the cut shields it from your underwear and from urine while the skin knits back together.
When you pee, take a cup of warm water to the toilet and pour it over your vulva as you go: it dilutes the acidic urine so it doesn’t sting or set the bleeding off, which is by far the most uncomfortable part of a cut down there.
Otherwise, leave it alone to heal — no shaving over it, wash with plain water only, skip soaps and scented products, and wear loose cotton so nothing rubs. A small nick usually closes over within a few days.
The only reasons to see a doctor would be if it doesn’t start improving, keeps bleeding, or you notice spreading redness, swelling, heat or pus, which would suggest infection. But for an ordinary razor cut, a little barrier ointment, the warm-water trick and a few days’ patience are all it needs.
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
