[anonymousie]

Hi all. Just a warning that talking about this kind of stuff makes me pretty uncomfortable, but I’d rather face this first since I can maintain anonymity. I’m trying to not have to talk to someone IRL about this, even though I might be forced to. So sorry if I’m awkward sounding at all.

I’m concerned I might have an infection of some sort in my vagina. It’s mostly because it’s been pretty itchy for a couple weeks now. Now, I shaved down there around the 18th of February, which I rarely do, because it always makes me itchy. So for the first week or so of this, I let the concern slide because I figured it was the normal, post-shave itchiness I get. But, it hasn’t stopped. And it’s sort of gotten a bit worse? It’s hard to say, but it just gets pretty itchy throughout the day around the “main hole”, mostly. A bit on/around the lips. It can start to hurt, too. Especially if I go to the bathroom recently after I’ve itched it. It burns when I pee. I looked down there yesterday with a mirror and tried to see if anything looked out of the ordinary. The only thing I could notice is that my skin there is red and clearly irritated. But I didn’t see anything else questionable, though I suppose I don’t exactly know what I’m looking for.
Probably important to add... I’m not sexually active and never have been.

I just want to get the opinion of others if y’all think this is just an irritation from shaving still, or if there’s something not right going on down there. I’d appreciate it. Now let me go crawl under a rock since this is the one of the only times I’ve opened up about this stuff, lol.

[jns]

Do you possibly get ingrown hairs when you shave? Would trimming work instead of shaving? atskitty2 , Claret , Ashlee T. : any thoughts on this?

[atskitty2]

Nothing at all to be embarrassed about my Dear! All part of being a girl You did great describing the problem, I just have a few follow-up questions to clarify.

Are you shaving the entire region of your genitals, including the lips? Or are you shaving the bikini line, or the outside periphery of the hair line only?

It's not very likely that you're still experiencing that much irritation from the shaving, but it's possible. I'm more concerned that you have a yeast or bacterial infection.

Is there a Mom, aunt or other trusted woman you are comfortable discussing this with and asking for help?

Having an infection in that area of your body can be very uncomfortable. (Hugs)
But it gets sick, just like any other part of the body. It's nothing you did wrong, and not to be ashamed of, tho I also remember the utter embarrassment at having to tell my Mom the first time I had a problem.

[anonymousie]

jns I think I do get some ingrown hairs. I usually do stick to trimming every so often. But sometimes I just want to shave it entirely. I probably should just stick to trimming, though.

atskitty2 Thank you for being so kind about this! It’’s much appreciated. I would say that I shave the entire region? I mostly focus on the skin above, the bikini area I suppose (sorry I’’m not up on the official terms! haha) and do a little bit actually inside. I definitely am more gentle when I shave the lips and inside parts. A couple years ago when I really didn’’t know anything about all this, I wouldn’’t be so gentle and get a lot of cuts, yikes. Not fun. But I’’ve learned a bit from then and have been trying to not go too crazy shaving the inside portions.
I’’m not that close to my mom anymore to feel comfortable enough to talk about this stuff, unfortunately. Really, all I have is my dad, who actually is a nurse practitioner. So I know I should probably just talk to him, but it’’s just difficult, you know, seeing as he’’s obviously a man and my dad. That’’s why I thought I’’d get some advice from others first.

[atskitty2]

3 wks is a pretty long time to be having this much irritation from shaving. Is the burning sensation when you pee coming from the inside, or does it feel more like the skin?

If you have continued scratching it tho, I could imagine it staying irritated. Or if the hair is particularly coarse as it regrows, it could be irritating the surrounding sensitive tissues.

Is there a school nurse you can see?

Otherwise, my suggestion is to absolutely stop scratching for a day or two and see if it's better. No scratching at all, no rubbing or touching at all. See if it improves. If not, speak to your dad and let him know what is happening. If it's helpful, show him this post, so you don't have to say it all
And remember, it's likely as uncomfortable for him, as for you He probably likes to pretend you're not growing up if he's a CNP, he's seen and heard a lot, so he can guide you based on your words.

Hugs my dear...it will be ok. Just take good care of yourself. You should allow plenty of air flow around the area as much as possible. Try sleeping with no undies. Wear cotton as much as possible and avoid thong undies. Wash with water only. No scented products around the sensitive area.

Let me know what happens.

[Ronit Raj]

I understand that discussing personal health concerns can be uncomfortable. While post-shave itchiness is common, if the symptoms persist for several weeks and are accompanied by burning during urination, it's worth getting checked by a healthcare professional to rule out any potential infections or other conditions. It's difficult to make a definitive diagnosis without a medical examination, but the symptoms you described could be indicative of a vaginal infection. It's important to prioritize your health and seek proper medical advice for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.