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Hi Aunt Vadge!
I’m on fire – itchy, burning and with discharge after using a new bubble bath. I don’t usually take bubble baths, and now I’m so uncomfortable. What can I do to help?
Best,
On Fire
Dear On Fire,
Classic case of contact irritation – you’ve found out the hard way that bubble bath and vulvas are mortal enemies.
The foaming agents and fragrances that make the lovely bubbles are exactly what your delicate vulval skin can’t tolerate. And once a bit of that sudsy water gets into the folds it stings like fury (the cheaper the product, the harsher the ingredients tend to be).
But let’s get you comfortable, since that’s what you actually asked. Rinse it all off with plain, cool water straight away, and then nothing but plain water from here – no more soap, wash or product of any kind on the area.
Cool it down with a cool (not icy) plain-water soak or a fabric-wrapped cool pack against the vulva to take the heat out, and an oat bath (colloidal oatmeal in plain warm water) is properly soothing for angry, itchy skin.
Afterwards a thin layer of plain coconut oil or a fragrance-free emollient forms a calming barrier while the skin recovers, and loose cotton underwear (skip tight or synthetic anything) helps it settle. Once the irritant’s gone, this usually calms within a day or two.
One thing to keep an eye on: a chemical insult like this can disturb your normal balance, so if the itch and discharge don’t ease within a few days, or get worse, it may have tipped you into a yeast flare on top, which is worth checking – but most of the time, removing the culprit is the whole cure.
Going forward, keep bubble bath and all scented washes well away from your vulva; plain water is all it ever needs. Have a read of our ingredients-to-avoid list and check that bottle so you know exactly what bit you.
Feel better soon,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
