Itch and a cut down there after menopause: causes

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Dear Aunt Vadge,

I use diluted apple cider vinegar to douche, because I have this itch just down at my vaginal opening, and then I noticed a cut down there. What could be the cause? I haven’t had sex in about three years.

Yours sincerely,
Confused
Age: 48
Country: Nigeria

Dear Confused,

You don’t mention your menopausal status, but at 48 I’d expect you to be at least partway through menopause. So one very reasonable possibility is that your vagina is struggling with low oestrogen, which happens as the ovaries wind down.

Skin that cuts easily, along with itching, are classic signs of atrophic vaginitis. Vaginal and vulvar symptoms like this can often be helped in a couple of ways: with foods that contain phytoestrogens (one option is 100g of tofu plus a teaspoon of freshly ground flaxseed daily), or with oestrogen creams prescribed by your doctor.

There’s another possibility worth having checked, though. Itching together with skin that splits or cuts easily, especially around menopause, can also point to lichen sclerosus – a skin condition of the vulva. This one matters to pin down, because it’s managed differently and does best with proper treatment. A doctor or dermatologist can take a look, and may take a small biopsy to confirm it.

Either way, please stop douching – with apple cider vinegar or anything else. If you don’t yet know what’s causing the itch, douching can easily inflame things further, and you may be treating the wrong thing entirely. Is it a yeast infection? General irritation? Atrophic vaginitis? Lichen sclerosus? Until you know, it’s kindest to leave that delicate skin alone.

My first guess is low oestrogen, but both the itch and the cut deserve a proper look. A visit to your doctor to pin down the cause will be time well spent, so you can treat the right thing rather than guessing.

While things settle, be very gentle with the area – soft breathable cotton, no soaps or washes anywhere near the vulva, and let any minor cut heal undisturbed. If you’d like help working through the root cause of the itch and dryness, you’re welcome to book an appointment with us.

Write any time.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.