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Suggest Treatment For Itchy Vaginal Rash
Question: I have a rash that is wide spread, like a fan, above my vagina. It is itchy and has a defined line at the edges. It is itchy, but no sores. What could this be?
Brief Answer:
Possible ring worm.
Detailed Answer:
Without seeing a picture of it, it is hard to know, but given the defined border, it may be tinea corporus. This is a fungal infection of the skin and usually makes a noticeable border.
Treatment is an antfungal medicine such as clotrimazole cream (lotrimin) which you can buy without prescription at a pharmacy. It needs to be applied twice a day for 14 days.
If after 14 days there has been no improvement you may need a prescription antifungal.
I would advise you go in to see a doctor in person if:
the rash is getting any worse during the course of the 14 day treatment (in which case it may not be ringworm),
or if after 14 days there isn't noticeable improvement.
I hope this information helps.
Possible ring worm.
Detailed Answer:
Without seeing a picture of it, it is hard to know, but given the defined border, it may be tinea corporus. This is a fungal infection of the skin and usually makes a noticeable border.
Treatment is an antfungal medicine such as clotrimazole cream (lotrimin) which you can buy without prescription at a pharmacy. It needs to be applied twice a day for 14 days.
If after 14 days there has been no improvement you may need a prescription antifungal.
I would advise you go in to see a doctor in person if:
the rash is getting any worse during the course of the 14 day treatment (in which case it may not be ringworm),
or if after 14 days there isn't noticeable improvement.
I hope this information helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your answer. The edge of the rash, I should clarify, is not a darker color then the rest, but it just stops. Theres no fading from rash to normal skin. Is this fungal infection something I can pass on to my partner during sexual intercourse?
Brief Answer:
It is contagious.
Detailed Answer:
Skin to skin contact can definitely spread this. You can also spread it via towels and shared clothing, but skin to skin is more likely to spread it.
It is contagious.
Detailed Answer:
Skin to skin contact can definitely spread this. You can also spread it via towels and shared clothing, but skin to skin is more likely to spread it.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Would it present as ballinitus for him at first?
Brief Answer:
More likely to be spread to the area that is directly in contact.
Detailed Answer:
Balanitis can be caused by a number of different microorganisms, including yeast/Candida but it would be more likely that his skin that is directly in contact with your rash would pick up ringworm. From your description I am assuming the infected area is on your mons pubis or above that.
More likely to be spread to the area that is directly in contact.
Detailed Answer:
Balanitis can be caused by a number of different microorganisms, including yeast/Candida but it would be more likely that his skin that is directly in contact with your rash would pick up ringworm. From your description I am assuming the infected area is on your mons pubis or above that.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes, that's where it is. And spreads from one side to the other., like a fan. I thought at first it was jock itch because after one of my runs a week and a half ago, I noticed the rash and it was bright pink and so defined. And it was itchy. I went to the doctor and she prescribed an anti fungal topical cream. Is that enough? I haven't used it yet, but the color has gone down, though still itchy. I can still see where it was because it is still a darker color than my skin. Would this infection be inside my vagina as well? It's not itchy.
Brief Answer:
I would recommend using the cream; Probably will not affect your vagina.
Detailed Answer:
First about spreading inside the vagina: I don't think that will happen because different microorganisms like different environments, and vaginal mucosa is different from the skin.
I would recommend going ahead with the anti fungal cream on the affected area. Sometimes fungal rashes will completely go away on their own, but sometimes they look like they are better and then flare up again.
Without seeing the rash in person, I am guessing that it is fungal, and that is what your doctor thought too. So it's worth a try using the anti fungal cream.
I would recommend using the cream; Probably will not affect your vagina.
Detailed Answer:
First about spreading inside the vagina: I don't think that will happen because different microorganisms like different environments, and vaginal mucosa is different from the skin.
I would recommend going ahead with the anti fungal cream on the affected area. Sometimes fungal rashes will completely go away on their own, but sometimes they look like they are better and then flare up again.
Without seeing the rash in person, I am guessing that it is fungal, and that is what your doctor thought too. So it's worth a try using the anti fungal cream.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I'm concerned because several days after I had sex with my boyfriend, he was diagnosed with balinitus. I'm concerned that I passed my fungal infection to him.
Brief Answer:
Possibly related
Detailed Answer:
Given the information that your boyfriend developed balanitis after contact with you makes me thing there may be a correlation. Balanitis can be caused by a fungal infection too, although usually the fungus in balanitis is yeast (Candida being the most common). But "jock itch" (tinea cruris) can cause it too in some cases and perhaps your infection is tinea cruris rather than tinea corporis ("ring worm"). Either way, the treatment is the same. It's possible you gave the infection to him. It's hard to know once there is fungus about, who gave it to who first. Both should be treated.
Sometimes tinea cruris (jock itch) can be spread from tinea pedis (athlete's foot) so both of you should check your feet to make sure your feet do not need to be treated too.
Possibly related
Detailed Answer:
Given the information that your boyfriend developed balanitis after contact with you makes me thing there may be a correlation. Balanitis can be caused by a fungal infection too, although usually the fungus in balanitis is yeast (Candida being the most common). But "jock itch" (tinea cruris) can cause it too in some cases and perhaps your infection is tinea cruris rather than tinea corporis ("ring worm"). Either way, the treatment is the same. It's possible you gave the infection to him. It's hard to know once there is fungus about, who gave it to who first. Both should be treated.
Sometimes tinea cruris (jock itch) can be spread from tinea pedis (athlete's foot) so both of you should check your feet to make sure your feet do not need to be treated too.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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