I’ve experienced irritating skin in the genital region for a good part of my life. Eczema was most common and was extremely uncomfortable. I know the pain if you are going through it also. With this post, I hope to help you heal it and prevent it from coming back for life. How to treat eczema in the genital region?
To treat eczema in the genital region, first, see a doctor who will confirm whether it is eczema or a different issue. The doctor should then prescribe a mild topical steroid or emollient to reduce inflammation. Shower or bathe each morning or night, pat dry after, apply the topical steroid leaving no excess.
There’s much more to take into consideration when treating eczema in the genital area. For example, do not overuse steroid cream or ointment to avoid thinning the skin. The skin in the genital region can be quite sensitive and thin, so you don’t want to use a strong steroid cream.
Your doctor will prescribe a mild dose as the genital region is so sensitive. Be wary of self-treating. And watch out for the many, many harmful everyday products that may be causing the inflamed skin.
Read on to learn more about how to treat eczema in the genital region and prevent it from recurring!
How to Treat Eczema in the Genital Region?
To analyze genetic skin inflammation, the clinician will get some information about your side effects; your history of dermatitis, hypersensitivity, and related conditions; your cleaning routine; and any products your genitals have come in contact with. Amid the test, the doctor will search for redness, scaling, breaking, and thickening.
All dermatitis, especially in the genital region, requires delicate, careful skin care. In patients with minor symptoms, they can apply mild topical corticosteroid balms two times every day for about 3 to 4 weeks and, after that, slowly lower the recurrence of application until eczema, redness, or another issue is cleared. Extreme cases may require a short course of stronger corticosteroid cream.
Amid treatment, you should do your best to quit scratching, so your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine (normally taken around evening time to avoid sleepiness during the day). An ice pack can also help mitigate the itch.
Regardless of whether you have a genital skin issue or only experience irritation from time to time, delicate consideration of the genital region is a requirement. Wear free-flowing underwear. Pick cotton clothing (and wear nothing when at home to allow for airing out).
To fully clean the region, utilize your fingers rather than a washcloth and use unscented, non-alkaline soap, for example, Cetaphil or Basis. It is okay to wash only with plain water as well. Douse for five minutes in tepid water to wash away any buildup of perspiration or remaining product. Pat dry and apply any recommended prescription or a calming product, for example, Vaseline or olive oil.
Stay away from items with numerous ingredients. Products that sound like they are intended for genital skin issues, like A&D Original Ointment, infant creams, or Vagisil, contain synthetic compounds that could chafe or cause contact dermatitis. Avoid baby wipes as they are too harsh and irritating. If the area is too dry, fill a spray bottle with just water to spray on when needed and then gently pat dry.
See the below video for genital eczema for women, and see this video on vulvar dermatoses:
For info on genital eczema for men, see the below video:
Getting a Diagnosis for Genital Eczema
The genital region is at risk of the scope of skin issues, many of them accidentally self-caused. You may routinely spoil your face and strive to keep it hydrated, youthful, and eczema-free, yet what have you done of late for the more touchy skin of your genitals.
Many people think no more than “itch is just yeast infection.” But with age and the decrease in collagen production, men and women are progressively inclined to an assortment of conditions that aggravate the genitals, including eczema. And genital eczema isn’t getting the consideration it needs — and people aren’t getting the help they should be getting.
Genital skin conditions are very treatable; however, the treatment relies upon a particular reason. What’s more, recognizing the fundamental cause can be exceptionally difficult.
Inform your clinician concerning some other past or present medical problems and any skin issues somewhere else on your body. For instance, psoriasis in any place on the body raises the danger of a genital condition known as lichen sclerosus. “Lichen,” as a term connected to skin issues, alludes to skin sores that look like lichen on rocks.
Crohn’s disease, an extremely irritating intestinal issue, may cause abscesses or depleting fistulas in the genital region, and vulvar skin issues, including eczema, is regularly one of its initial indications.
A mouth condition called lichen planus is another reason for genital issues. Long-term treatment with oral steroids, safe suppressants, or anti-toxins can influence genital skin and raise the irritation.
Your doctor will need to know how you normally care for your genital skin, which can help determine the cause of aggravation. Regardless of whether you can’t pinpoint a change, that doesn’t mean your standard routine isn’t the guilty party. Many times, eczema in the genital region is the aggregate impact of harmful long-term practices.
It’s frequently what you’ve done for quite a while, after quite a long time, after many years, that causes the issue. On the off chance that you wear synthetic or rough-textured clothing, take part in high-friction exercises like bicycling or running, and wear tight shorts or pants that open your genital region to sweat, over time, it can affect you.
Report every one of the side effects that worry you, including redness, rough skin, soreness, itching, bumps, and any rashes in the genital region. It will likewise help in the event that you can give your doctor a background of these effects and review what appears to aggravate them.
Your doctor will look at the genitals, may test the pH of the area, and take samples of the skin to see under a microscope if there is a culture of yeast. Keep in mind, regardless of whether you’re seeing a qualified doctor. A few visits might be expected to analyze whether it is eczema you have or a different skin issue.
Why You Should See a Doctor Instead of Self-treat
Whenever itching in the genital region happens, the sufferer often accepts it’s a yeast disease and treats it with an over-the-counter anti-fungal cream. Many times this works, however not all the time.
Rather, the reason for the itch may be basic dry skin, an STD or bacterial contamination, a strain of yeast that requires unique drug treatment, or disturbance by and unfavorably susceptible responses to normal hygiene products, for example, cleansers, creams, and ointments.
In the event that yeast isn’t the issue, an anti-fungal cream or ointment isn’t always the best treatment. Also, if your skin is constantly itchy and inflamed, you may make the issue worse by putting harmful chemicals (for example, liquor or propylene glycol) and different ingredients in numerous anti-fungal treatments.
That is the reason it’s essential to see your doctor or dermatologist, especially if an issue endures after you’ve attempted an anti-fungal cream.
Another normal reaction of men and women with eczema in the genital region is to wash the genital skin energetically, with the idea that this will fully clean it and remove all aggravations. Vigorous cleaning, forceful washing, and rubbing can add to the problem. Until the issue is fully diagnosed, it’s best to pursue a delicate, healthy skin routine.
To be sure, delicate cleansing habits should be practiced whether you have genital eczema or not. Wash the region tenderly with your fingertips or delicate material and pat dry with a delicate towel. Try not to utilize a harsh washcloth, and don’t rub.
On the off chance that underlying treatment hasn’t cleared eczema, your doctor may need to take a little tissue test (biopsy) to make a determination. The method, which is minor and done under anesthesia, can be incredibly beneficial, many times changing the diagnosis and how it should be treated.
Possible Causes
Possible causes that can lead to genital eczema, psoriasis, redness, burning, allergic reaction, or other inflammation are as follows:
- Cleansers including soaps, shampoos, conditions, and bath salts
- Baby wipes
- Panty liners and their adhesives
- Fragrance in many products, baby powder, deodorants
- Synthetic underwear including nylon
- Sweat, urine, discharges
- Spermicides, ointments, lubricants
- Liquor and astringents
- Latex (in condoms and diaphragms)
Possible allergens are as follows: (side effects may not show up until a few days after coming into contact with these allergens)
- Chlorhexidine
- Benzocaine
- Imidazole Antifungal
- Neomycin
- Propylene glycol (an additive used in numerous items)
Also, poor diet, sleep, or lack of exercise can, over time, cause immune or gut problems that can lead to eczema or psoriasis. If you have eczema or psoriasis in areas other than just your genitals, then there is a good chance it is your lifestyle that is a factor in causing it.
If you are only experiencing it in the genital region, then there is a good chance it is just something your genital region is coming in contact with. This is called Contact Dermatitis or Contact Eczema.
Genital Eczema
Many genital skin conditions are similar to conditions found on other parts of your body; however, they might be hard to diagnose when they show up on the genitals.
Eczema is a chronic, highly irritating skin condition that upsets the skin’s surface, causing redness, cracking and flaking skin, weeping skin, and rough, crusty skin. On the genitals, crusting is not as common, yet dermatitis may start a vicious cycle of itching and scratching that prompts lichen simplex chronicus — thickened and seriously bothersome skin.
On the off chance that dermatitis influences the opening area of the genitals on men and women, it can lead to stinging and greater irritation. Some of the time, skin inflammation shows up in early youth, and its cause is not fully determined. Commonly, it starts with coming in contact with an aggravating product or allergen (Contact Dermatitis).
Still wondering how to treat eczema in the genital region? See the below video for more information and tips on how to treat it:
Genital Psoriasis
When discussing eczema, it’s a good idea to mention psoriasis as it is so similar. A doctor can help diagnose if you have one of these diseases.
Psoriasis is a typical condition in which new skin cells are created too quickly, prompting thickened, flaky patches of red, irritating, inflamed skin on different parts of the body. On the genitals, the skin surface is too damp for dry scaling, so psoriasis is bound to show up as pink patches with clear edges. If the skin breaks open, it can become infected.
You may have treated psoriasis episodes somewhere else on your body with cures containing coal tar, vitamin D, or anthralin. Don’t put these on your genitals, as their cruelty can increase the issue. Your doctor may recommend a may topical steroid cream or balm. On the off chance that parts of the skin have cracked open, to prevent infection, an antibiotic or anti-yeast treatment may be used.
Conclusion – How to Treat Eczema in the Genital Region?
So how to treat eczema in the genital region? To treat genital eczema, go see a doctor to get a diagnosis of the specific skin condition – to determine if it is eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, yeast, or something else. The doctor will then generally prescribe a mild topical steroid or emollient to reduce inflammation.
Shower or bathe each morning or night, pat dry after, apply the topical steroid leaving no excess. Do not apply too much, or it can irritate the skin. Follow the instructions for how often to apply the topical steroid cream or ointment. Do not apply more than instructed, or it could thin your skin. Do not apply too little as then you won’t reduce inflammation.
Wear loose, 100% cotton clothing, or at home, wear nothing to allow the area to breathe and heal unobstructed. Avoid strenuous exercise and sweating. Instead, go for walks and/or do mild weight lifting. Follow a well-balanced, healthy diet including important fats.
Be patient and fully focused on following the proper steps to healing eczema in the genital region (or whichever other skin condition is present there), and you will see results.
Related Questions
Is genital eczema contagious? Eczema, including genital eczema, is not contagious. Although, if the rough, inflamed, cracked skin of eczema becomes infected, the infection could be contagious.
Will eczema go away without treatment? It is possible for eczema to go away without treatment. But keep in mind that there is no remedy for eczema. To heal and prevent eczema, you can manage the issue and following a proper lifestyle. Doctors and dermatologists can help with a plan and tips for keeping it at bay for life.
What are other natural remedies for eczema? A popular natural treatment for eczema is to soak in a tepid bath with 4 to 5 tablespoons of baking soda. This will help soothe the persistent itch and decrease redness. Soak 2 times a day for about 10 to 15 minutes. After bathing, gently pat dry and then apply a thin layer of coconut oil.
Related reading:
Calamine Lotion for Eczema – Is it a Good Treatment?
Noxzema for Eczema [Is Noxzema Good or Bad for Eczema?]