Hi Aunt Vadge,
So I was recently at a hotel, and I washed up, but I was rushing and kind of washing down there hard, and afterwards, my vagina had become dry.
The next day it was sore and itchy, then the itching stopped, and every time I wash or touch it, it hurts.
Did I scratch myself or could it be a yeast infection due to using the hotel soap? What can I do to stop the pain?
Write back soon
Soapy
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Dear Soapy,
That sounds uncomfortable! It sounds like you have had a reaction to the hotel soap, which is never going to be the world’s nicest soap, no matter what it says on the pretty packaging.
Hotels aim for cost-effective products, and since soap is free it is likely to be one of the cheapest soaps around. That means cheap ingredients, which can easily cause reactions in your delicate vulvar tissues, known as contact dermatitis, with dryness, soreness and itchiness very classic symptoms.
This reaction will likely go away over the next few days, so be gentle with your vulva and don’t touch it. You can soothe the outside only with a light oil to keep your folds lubricated – stuck-together, dry, itchy labia can get pretty uncomfortable.
When you pee, if it hurts, get a cup of warm water and let it run down your labia as you pee, so it mixes – and dilutes – your acidic urine. Pat dry with a soft cloth.
If the pain continues, you’ll need to go and see a doctor, since there is something more going on that you can’t treat properly at home.
You’ve reacted, and typically these reactions just go away with no lasting damage. In the future, you’ll know to take your own soap to hotels, be gentle when you wash, and don’t get any soap inside your labia. Your flesh is very delicate and will react strongly to things it doesn’t like.
You’ll be fine!
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
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