What are the causes of vulvar itching in the elderly?

Female vulva itching not only affects daily life and work, but can also lead to marital discord. If it is not cured for a long time, it can also lead to the occurrence of multiple diseases at the same time. Therefore, female vulvar itching is a common symptom among women that cannot be ignored. The cause should be found out in time. So what are the causes of female vulvar itching?

1. Fungal vaginitis: itching of the vulva and vagina, flushing of the vulva, dregs-like leucorrhea with odor, and scratching can cause eczematous changes of the vulvar dermatitis.

2. Vaginal trichomoniasis: Itching of the vulva and vagina, foamy leucorrhea, often accompanied by a special odor, and eczematous changes in the vulva after scratching. A vaginal smear test can be used to distinguish it from the above conditions.

3. Pubic lice: Pubic lice often stick to the skin surface or attach to the roots of pubic hair. Pubic lice eggs are grayish white and the size of a needle. The bites of pubic lice and their venom and excrement can cause itching and desquamation of the skin, and may lead to eczematous changes and folliculitis.

4. Pinworm infection: It mainly affects young girls, but adult women can also be infected. When the anus relaxes at night, pinworms crawl out of the rectum and swim to the vulva to mate and lay eggs, and stimulate the skin and mucous membranes of the vulva, causing local itching.

5. Scabies infection: When scabies occurs, the external skin lesions are the most serious, so local itching is also the most obvious.

6. Local skin uncleanness: Some women use toilet paper improperly, and the skin of the vulva is soaked by menstrual blood, vaginal secretions, and even urine, feces and sweat, which causes chronic inflammation of the local skin and causes vulva itching.

7. Drug allergy: "Fixed drug rash" caused by sulfonamides or other drugs in women with allergic constitution often occurs at the junction of the skin and mucous membrane of the vulva. In addition to local itching, it may be complicated by erosion and exudation. Vulvar itching may also occur if allergic reactions and contact dermatitis occur when using drugs for vaginal washing or vaginal insertion.

8. Skin diseases of the vulva: The skin lesions of tinea cruris often extend to the vulva, causing severe local itching. The local itching caused by vulvar eczema and neurodermatitis is more severe. The former is manifested as papules and blisters with unclear local skin boundaries and erosion exudate, while the latter often causes thickening of the skin with lichenification due to scratching. In addition to causing local itching, leukoplakia of the vulva is often accompanied by vulvar malnutrition and skin atrophy.

9. Viral infection: Genital warts mostly occur in the female vaginal wall, cervix and vulva, and may also cause foul-smelling leucorrhea. Molluscum contagiosum occurring in the vulva often presents as round papules with an umbilical-like depression in the center, and may also cause itching in the vulva. Genital herpes is often manifested by the appearance of bright, rice-sized blisters on the urethral opening and vaginal wall, accompanied by local itching.

10. Sexual allergy: This is an allergic reaction that occurs during sexual intercourse. There are people who are allergic to semen, condoms, and friction.

11. Other reasons:

When women suffer from diabetes, due to the irritation of the vulvar skin by urine sugar, they are prone to complications of bacterial vulvar and vaginitis, causing vulvar itching. When jaundice occurs due to liver, gallbladder and other diseases, vulvar itching may also occur due to the increase of bilirubin in the blood and the irritation of the skin by bile salts. In addition, some women may experience vulvar itching due to psychological factors when they are under stress.