Herbal Health

Women’s HealthUlcers. An area of skin with a hole in its surface is called an ulcer. Sometimes ulcers form around the bottom area, and there are a few common (and uncommon) causes. These include:

• herpes infections.

• traumatic abrasions, like little cuts and scratches, often from intercourse. If these become painful and don’t seem to be getting better, it is usually because there is some bacterial infection in them.

• thrush (candidiasis) can occasionally cause local ulcers in the skin.

• nonspecific ‘aphthous’ ulcers, like the ones we get in our mouths from time to time, can occur in the vulval area.

• rare syndromes, such as Bechet’s syndrome, can give recurrent vulval ulcers.

• reactions to some medicines (again fairly rarely) can give vaginal ulceration, in a condition called Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

• very rarely, ulcers may be a sign of a skin cancer.

Thickened skin. If the skin is irritated for a long period of time, it will usually become thicker. People who have long-standing itchy conditions, like eczema, or recurrent thrush, may develop thickened, whiter skin around the vulval area. This is more common in middle age. Most forms of vulval skin thickening are benign, but very rarely, in older women, changes may occur which may be precancerous, so it should be examined by a doctor.

Lipomas. These are soft, discrete lumps of fatty tissue under the skin. They may occur anywhere on the body, including the bottom area. They are perfectly harmless, and have no potential to develop into anything else. They can be removed surgically, but this is usually only for cosmetic reasons.

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