Intimate itching

also you could look at homeopathic remedies which can be taken alongside allopathic treatments..

Also make sure her underwear is clean and preferably hot washed and hung outside, Cotton underwear is easily available and also check the washing powder for allergies as some others have said.

This is a problem easily remedied and you have some good advice here. Hope mum gets some relief soon, it's horrible.

Your Mum may have Lichen Sclerosis, unpleasant to say the least but treatable - please ensure she sees her GP and don't be fobbed off because of her age. In the mean time,
Cotton knickers are a must , wash them separately from other garments do NOT use detergent , knickers worn once do not need soap of any kind! Trust me it will make a difference. I wish your Mum well , please get medical advice for her.

I'm sorry to be personal but does she itch inside or outside? If it's outside she might need to use a good, scent free body moisturiser like Double Zero. If it's inside then maybe she is very dry and needs to use a lubricant to help the skin. Dry skin can be incredibly itchy. If she can use a lubricant she needs to, again, go for scent free.

So many good ideas so just add....

About intimate washing - my mum used to stand at the sink and scrub...oh dear......when a vv gentle shower/bath is better.

If its thrush diet adjustment might help?

Thank you for all of your replies, I’ll google the card game to try lol, on a serious note, yes l have taken mum to the GP and she has done a smear, (awaiting the result) GP suggested sylk and yes, both water based moisturisers, no relief so far, l have made a note of the suggestions, her GP did tell me not to use canestan, I’ll let you all know if one turns out to be helpful thank you xx

Keepingquiet, l wish it was a simple fix, she can’t wear cotton pants as she wears tena pants, they are changed three times a day with personal care given each time, the problem is not bad hygiene !!

Aw....
Just googled and Tena has both a wash and a cream.

Vampire queen, mum has estriol cream applied internally prescribed by her GP and l had been using vagisel externally

As others have said it could be lichen Sclerosis, which is treatable with a steroid cream dermovate. Better to see a dermatologist rather than a gynecologist as it’s a skin condition. Your mum shouldn’t use any scented soaps etc. Suggest using something like zeroderm emollient as it acts as a barrier and helps with dryness. Hope it gets sorted out soon as the itching caused by LS is intolerable

If her clothes are not washed in washing powder or liquid washing soap that is guaranteed not to cause allergies and is free from perfume - this is the first step to take, combined with stopping using fabric softener in her washing.

You may find it hard to persuade her, but she should wash herself only in lukewarm water - no soap in the affected area, talcum powder or anything else she has used all her life.

Get rid of any and all synthetic fibres worn as underclothes - pure cotton only.

Obviously, she should consult a doctor as well, but if she hasn't tried any or all of the above it is the right place to start, as itching in the pubic area can be caused by all of the things I have mentioned at any age, and in both women and men, although they of course are not so prone to it as we are.

If her doctor cannot find a cure and nothing works, suggest forcibly to him/her that you ar dealing with a food allergy!

Has she tried taking anti histamines, may ease the urge to itch

Another vote for Sudocrem

My GP prescribed Ovestin without an examination. It's a cream you apply internally using an applicator like the old Tampax cardboard ones (maybe tampax still uses the applicators I'm 85 so it's a long time ago).
I use it twice a week.
I think (not sure) it contains a low level of HRT - but it works for me.
It's sooo very embarrassing and rather humiliating to be intimately examined when you're older and the doctor seems like a child, but a doctor won't insist if your Mum really feels she can't cope with another inspection. She only has to say she'd prefer not, or you can say it for her! She can use a swab privately at home and hand it in at the surgery in a special container.
Ok OK I know doctors have seen it all before, but we don't expose ourselves to others, your doc understands this.

I use estriol internally using an applicator. Consultant told me to also smear a little on the outside. This has a low dose HRT. I shower only with Deramol lotion. It can also be used generally as a moisturiser. On occasion I've used Dermovate with success.....not long term.
Sometimes I use Lanacane or Vagasil.
With this regime I'm pretty much symptom free.
I started with the Dermovate.

Since she needs pads, there is a chance they are damp some of the time, even if changed 3 times a day. That can lead to irritation a bit like nappy rash. At least that seems to be my problem which is why I find Sudocrem works for me! It's a type of barrier cream so protects the skin and vulval area from moisture and soothes the irritation.

Thank you everyone l have a long list of options now

Wyllow3

So many good ideas so just add....

About intimate washing - my mum used to stand at the sink and scrub...oh dear......when a vv gentle shower/bath is better.

If its thrush diet adjustment might help?

Very true. Thrush feeds on sugar. 😱 I had a Dr who recommended live yoghurt.
He recommended that when possible go underwear free. As well as sugar thrush loves a moist warm environment.

I had the same problem when I hit the menopause at age 55. I tried every preparation I could find. Nothing worked. However I was recommended Dermol Lotion to be used as a soap substitute and moisturiser- by a gynae colleague. It's available over the counter and also on prescription. For me this was and still is a miracle worker. No more itching, soreness or discomfort. I wasxalso told to avoid the most famous feminine hygiene wash and totally avoid Aqueous cream as these both contain things that will irritate females even more.

Wyllow3

So many good ideas so just add....

About intimate washing - my mum used to stand at the sink and scrub...oh dear......when a vv gentle shower/bath is better.

If its thrush diet adjustment might help?

Scrub! The very word makes my eyes water😖

It certainly sounds like lichen sclerosis (often found in older women) if she scratches till she bleeds. Not thrush. I tried all sorts for ages and silly nurse at surgery prescribed Canestan, no use.
Once prescribed the steroid cream by an actual doctor YES, it was like an overnight miracle and I wish I had been prescribed it much earlier.
I urge you to insist that this might be the cause, the condition can drive you mad!

I agree with Petra - yesterday I bought a pack of 4 ‘yumyums’ - they have a sugar coating . I certainly paid the prize 😂

I wad plagued with itch diagnosed as thrush as a young woman and fewer bath with no bath bombs etc worked. I now no longer wear tights just leggings after a recurrence during the menopause.. Hope the GP finds a solution for your mum soon. I remember feeling wretched.

Janburry
Does your mother take PPIs ( Omeprazole etc) these seriously interrupt your gut microbes ( thrush starts in the gut)

Try Sudocrem - I use it for all sorts of itchiness and bug bites - good enough for babies so can't harm ..