What"s Causing My Red Vagina?
A red vagina can seem like a mysterious condition, but the truth is, there's usually one main cause for vaginal redness: irritation.
Vaginal irritants are more common than most women realize, and can be found all over the home.
Read on to learn what some of the most frequently used vaginal irritants are, so you know what to avoid and how to heal your red vagina.
Vaginal infections While irritation is the most common cause of redness, some types of vaginal infections can also cause reddening of the vagina as one of the symptoms.
With infections, redness is never the only symptom.
It will be accompanied by things like itching, burning, an unpleasant smell, and discharge that's different than normal.
Some common kinds of vaginal infections are a yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis.
If you suspect that a vaginal infection is causing your red vagina, see a doctor.
They'll be able to diagnose any potential infections and get you treatment.
Now let's move on to the most common culprit of vaginal redness: irritation.
Hygiene products Do you often notice vaginal redness around the time of your period? If so, the feminine hygiene products you're using might be the source.
Many products made to be used around the vagina aren't really gentle enough for use in such a sensitive area.
Pads, tampons, and panty liners that are colored or scented are a huge cause of vaginal irritation.
If you use these products containing fragrances or dyes, you're almost guaranteed to end up with a red vagina.
To eliminate this problem and soothe your vagina, choose plain white, unscented items instead.
This includes toilet paper, along with all the feminine hygiene products listed above.
Soaps and detergents Two other possible causes or irritation are bath soap and laundry detergent.
Fancy soaps containing things like exfoliating beads, chunks of flowers, or mineral-infused pearls are fine for your body, but not so great and often irritating for the vagina.
Laundry detergents can be irritating and cause a red vagina as well.
It may not seem like they come into contact with that area, but very concentrated varieties can leave residue on the clothes washed in them, including underwear.
The underwear then reaches your vagina and causes irritation.
Finally, if a red vagina is a problem with a younger girl, bubble bath may be a possible cause.
All you have to do to eliminate irritation and redness caused by these products is to choose a gentler version.
The problem with douches Although douching is meant to be healthy and keep you clean, there are a lot of ingredients and chemicals in store-bought douches that can irritate your sensitive area, causing a red vagina.
Douches rid your vagina of both the good and bad bacteria, which can lead to vagina infections if the bad bacteria grow back faster than the good.
If you must douche, don't douche very frequently.
The best thing to do is to make homemade douches using organic ingredients you know are safe and won't cause irritation leading to a red vagina.
Vaginal irritants are more common than most women realize, and can be found all over the home.
Read on to learn what some of the most frequently used vaginal irritants are, so you know what to avoid and how to heal your red vagina.
Vaginal infections While irritation is the most common cause of redness, some types of vaginal infections can also cause reddening of the vagina as one of the symptoms.
With infections, redness is never the only symptom.
It will be accompanied by things like itching, burning, an unpleasant smell, and discharge that's different than normal.
Some common kinds of vaginal infections are a yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis.
If you suspect that a vaginal infection is causing your red vagina, see a doctor.
They'll be able to diagnose any potential infections and get you treatment.
Now let's move on to the most common culprit of vaginal redness: irritation.
Hygiene products Do you often notice vaginal redness around the time of your period? If so, the feminine hygiene products you're using might be the source.
Many products made to be used around the vagina aren't really gentle enough for use in such a sensitive area.
Pads, tampons, and panty liners that are colored or scented are a huge cause of vaginal irritation.
If you use these products containing fragrances or dyes, you're almost guaranteed to end up with a red vagina.
To eliminate this problem and soothe your vagina, choose plain white, unscented items instead.
This includes toilet paper, along with all the feminine hygiene products listed above.
Soaps and detergents Two other possible causes or irritation are bath soap and laundry detergent.
Fancy soaps containing things like exfoliating beads, chunks of flowers, or mineral-infused pearls are fine for your body, but not so great and often irritating for the vagina.
Laundry detergents can be irritating and cause a red vagina as well.
It may not seem like they come into contact with that area, but very concentrated varieties can leave residue on the clothes washed in them, including underwear.
The underwear then reaches your vagina and causes irritation.
Finally, if a red vagina is a problem with a younger girl, bubble bath may be a possible cause.
All you have to do to eliminate irritation and redness caused by these products is to choose a gentler version.
The problem with douches Although douching is meant to be healthy and keep you clean, there are a lot of ingredients and chemicals in store-bought douches that can irritate your sensitive area, causing a red vagina.
Douches rid your vagina of both the good and bad bacteria, which can lead to vagina infections if the bad bacteria grow back faster than the good.
If you must douche, don't douche very frequently.
The best thing to do is to make homemade douches using organic ingredients you know are safe and won't cause irritation leading to a red vagina.