Itchy weird "blisters"

[solestria.livejournal.com]

Hey all, I was hoping for some help. Sometime in the past week, I started itching on both sides between my inner and outer labia, and the itching was pretty intense. A day or two later, I looked carefully and saw that there were whitish patches of skin on either side where the itching was, and the skin there was broken, almost like a blister, but not really raised. It still itches, and it didn't hurt until it got rubbed raw (I tried to be good, but it itches so much!).

So, any ideas what this is? Obviously this calls for a trip to PP, but I thought I'd ask here first. I had unprotected oral sex 17 days ago (I went down on him, though he didn't reciprocate), and my last sexual contact before that was months ago. I've never experienced anything like this before.

Comments

[how-predictable.livejournal.com]

OK, have you ever been tested for STDs? Obvious question, but you should get tested regardless.

What type of soap are you using, and how vigorously/often do you wash yourself down there? I had constant itching - seriously, constant - and thought I was having a million and one different things ranging from a yeast infection to herpes (though my most recent tests indicate otherwise). It went away after I:
1) changed my soap from a heavily-perfumed rose soap to ivory moisturizing soap
2) stopped washing down there so thoroughly; really, you don't need to, you should be brief and gentle
3) stopped washing down there every single day (from 7 to maybe 4 or 5 day a week)
My guess is that the skin was broken because of the itching. Stop itching and change your soap and washing habits. To soothe the irritated skin, put vitamin E on it.

[solestria.livejournal.com]

I have been STD tested, but not terribly recently (though I've also not been very active the past couple years).

I don't use anything stronger than water to cleanse my vulva. I have vulvar vestibulitis, so I'm careful not to use anything that might irritate me there. Meanwhile, I've been using emu oil to soothe the itching and broken skin, which seems to be helping.

I did have a yeast infection recently, and I'm not sure whether I've cleared it up, though my symptoms seem to have dissipated--I'll get a culture when I go to PP.

The reason I worry about the skin is because the itchy area is very concentrated where the white skin was. I know there are STDs like syphilus where the initial symptoms disappear with or without treatment, so I don't want to just see if it goes away in case it's something where the symptoms may disappear while whatever caused them sticks around to continue causing problems.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

[lindsey-nichole.livejournal.com]

Could possibly be an external yeast infection as well.

[fnord23.livejournal.com]

sounds like external yeast infection. I'm diabetic so I'm prone to yeast. blech.

[babycrank.livejournal.com]

If you do decide to get tested for STD's make sure you ask for a herpes blood test. The word "blister" alerted my little pre-med brain. Good luck!

[solestria.livejournal.com]

I will, though it looks like I have textbook symptoms for lichen sclerosis, so that's what I'm assuming as of now. I will definitely be seeing a doctor to confirm my self-diagnosis and for treatment.