Vulvar itch that won't go away: what it could be

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Hello Aunt Vadge,

First, thank you for this wonderful website – it’s a great source of comfort. I’ve been dealing with a recurrent itch, mostly on the labia around the clitoris, and at times raw skin under the clitoris, since early March 2016.

On Tuesday 1 March, after a high-intensity spinning class, I went home to shower and noticed a little blood on my underwear. When I looked, I found a small cut on my right labia minora.

I asked my gynaecologist whether to do anything, and he said no. So I carried on as usual, washing myself (maybe a little more vigorously, as I was worried about infection) with the special intimate wash I use (Roger Cavailles), pouring it onto my fingers rather than using a sponge.

Three days later the itch started. I worried it was a yeast infection, since back in 2012 I had recurrent yeast infections after taking Augmentin, so I took a Diflucan [antifungal]. The itch went, then came back, so I took another, and eventually several (about four in total), plus an antifungal cream (the first one burned, so I switched). I also stopped exercising for a week. But the itch kept coming and going.

I saw another doctor while mine was travelling. She saw nothing wrong and prescribed Vaseline before exercise (I train 3 to 4 times a week) and a cream called NystaLocal for 10 days. The itch kept coming and going. Then I went back to my gynaecologist, who was concerned about a small cut on the left of my labia and ordered a full STD panel. It came back clear – no herpes or anything – but showed Gardnerella vaginalis.

He prescribed a week of antibiotics and SudoCrem [emollient/skin protectant] twice a day. I took the antibiotic (with one Diflucan on the first day and one near the end to avoid a yeast infection) but only used the SudoCrem once or twice. The itch went, then came back.

This was also a stressful period, as I was moving apartments.

I saw a third doctor, who saw no sign of infection and said it must be a skin issue. He prescribed a steroid, Betnovate ointment [topical corticosteroid], twice a day for five days. Fearing it was too strong, I used Elocon cream [topical corticosteroid] instead, once a day. The itch went and came back, so I called him and he said to stop everything for two days then do his original treatment, which I did. The itch went, then came back.

Basically the itch comes and goes, though lately it’s less frequent and less intense. When it itches, the skin looks a little red, and sometimes it feels raw. There’s no unusual discharge, though occasionally I see a little white mucus around the clitoral glans.

From my own research I’ve taken probiotics (general, then targeted for vaginal flora) and some other supplements. I shower as soon as possible after exercise, wear cotton underwear and loose clothes as much as I can, cut down on sugar, and stopped indoor cycling after the incident.

In London last week I spoke to a homeopath, who thought it was down to Candida overgrowth in my gut (for context, I often get sinus problems and colds, have had muscle pain in the past, and was diagnosed with IBS around 2006, though the symptoms went once I started exercising).

He advised cutting out sugar and yeast for three weeks, taking probiotics and grapefruit seed extract, plus zinc and magnesium. I started on Monday. The itch came back yesterday and seems to be easing today.

I’ve also changed what I wash with – now using Aveeno, and making sure no shampoo or anything else runs down over my vulva.

I’m worried the water treatment in my new building might be irritating me. Could that cause an itch that comes and goes, or would it be constant?

This is really affecting me. It feels like no one knows what’s going on, and doctors here seem to treat it lightly, while it’s causing me anxiety and affecting my sex life with my boyfriend – we haven’t had intercourse since this started in early March.

Many thanks in advance!

Sincerely,
Itchy
Age: 32
Country: Lebanon

Dear Itchy,

Thank you for all that detail – let’s work through it. You’ve tried a huge number of antifungal and corticosteroid treatments that haven’t worked, the itch is only on the vulva (not inside the vagina), and small cuts keep appearing.

The overgrowth of G. vaginalis doesn’t necessarily mean much on its own – lots of women have it, and it can settle by itself. It’s classed as bacterial vaginosis (BV), and all those rounds of antibiotics and antifungals likely gave it room to proliferate. Importantly, though, BV doesn’t cause vulvar itching, so it’s probably not your culprit here.

What this sounds more like is a contact allergic reaction, some form of dermatitis, or possibly a lichenoid condition. Those are characterised by exactly this kind of itch and ‘unexplained’ cuts appearing on the vulva.

Some conditions to look into

Contact dermatitis (and see lichen simplex chronicus below)
Lichenoid conditions – lichen sclerosus (LS), lichen planus (LP), and lichen simplex chronicus (LSC)
Genital psoriasis
Scleroderma

The process of elimination

Without knowing what’s in the water in your building, it’s hard to say whether it’s a factor. If this is contact dermatitis, it should clear once the irritant is removed – so it could be worth testing the water theory by avoiding it entirely for two or three days, and only wiping yourself with bottled water and a face cloth, no soap.

That means no wipes either, as they can be very irritating. Use pure bottled water (warmed on the stove if you like), wash the areas that need it, and see whether the itch fades. If it’s bad at that point, the test may need longer. Do you have irritation anywhere else on your body? You’d often expect other signs if you were reacting to the water, though not always.

If the water seems fine, work through the simpler culprits: toilet paper, laundry liquid, and yes, your special intimate wash. Remove anything that could possibly be irritating you, even things labelled ‘hypoallergenic’ – being designed for delicate areas doesn’t automatically make it right for your body.

If it is a lichenoid condition, the diagnosis is clinical – meaning it’s made by examining you and ruling other things out.

See a dermatologist

It’s well worth seeing a dermatologist. One of the real weaknesses of the conventional system is how it separates the body into specialties. Many of these conditions also show up elsewhere – lichen planus in the mouth, for instance, which a dentist might spot but a gynaecologist may be less familiar with. Gut conditions like Crohn’s can have vaginal features too. We treat these as separate problems when they can be one condition affecting nearby or similar tissues, so a dermatologist may see something your gynaecologist can’t.

Then bring in a herbalist

Once you’ve exhausted the testing and conventional diagnoses (a proper diagnosis is ideal, though sometimes it isn’t possible), it’s worth seeing a herbalist or naturopath who looks at the whole picture. Take all your test results and records, and a clear timeline of what you’ve tried and what happened, to save repeating steps. This kind of stubborn, whole-body itch often responds to a well-chosen herbal approach plus a closer look at the other systems involved, like your gut. If you’d like our help with that, you’re welcome to book an appointment with us.

Sometimes these problems have unexpected causes, so keep looking. Have a read of this other Aunt Vadge letter on a never-ending itch too – there are some tips in there you might find useful.

Please write back and let us know how you get on.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

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