Painful cracks around vagina

I was a Manager for an Infectious Disease Specialist for 12 years.  Cracks heal within days, not the case for a Herpes breakout.  Tissue tears, like a paper cuts are from being dehydrated, wearing thong underwear or heat and friction.  A Herpes breakout is very different.   Herpes are round in shape and look like blisters and do not go away in days unless you treat them with medication.  In fact, a Herpes outbreak surfaces in the same location every breakout, the blisters don't change locations and bounce around sporadically around the vagina and anus.

You have no idea how happy i am to find this!!!! I noticed that i was really getting sensitive so i took a closer look to notice these really small red line streaks that were dry and would bleed on occasion. now i know i am clean. i was recently tested for std's. gonorhea, clamidea and all that stuff due to my abnormal pap smear. There's no yeast infection either. I had some antibiotic cream and i started using it. Its only been a few days i been using it but it doesn't burn as much now as before.. its great to know i am not alone in this.

I had the exact same thing, small red lines that were cracks and would bleed on the surface accompanied by soreness and tiny ulcers. I went to the doctor about it and they said it was a really bad case of thrush, to which i am prone. They prescribed me an oral tablet and some steriod cream but I am yet to see how it goes...they said it would be a slow improvement.

I am waiting for test results as well! Been in a monogamous relationship for the past two years so I figured it couldn't be an STD. I have gotten chronic yeast infections the last few months and have been under a significant amount of stress. I am hoping the little "cuts" are just from that and not something worse. :( The waiting is the worst.

i was wondering also only thing i have changed is going to spray tan!

OMG! I can't believe I finally found this discussion!

About 3 yrs ago I starting getting these very painful skin cracks and white patches between the anus and vagina, and in front where the vaginal lip crease begins.  Prior to this, I have never had an infection, yeast or otherwise, as far as I know.  So when this came out of nowhere it freaked me out.  I ran to pharmacy and bought OTC pH test, which was normal, and 3 day yeast treatment, which I did several times.  Nothing helped.  I've always been kind of obsessive about keeping clean down there and I am not sexual active right now, so I can't imagine where it came from. It hasn't let up since it started  - it will heal up and then start all over again.

I am at menopause age and thought that may be the first signs. Although I still don't know the cause, I am relieved to know I am not alone. Thank you everybody for posting.

Get tested seriously.

I had the same problem for years, very itchy especially at night and I noticed these painful cracks each side and didnt really take to much notice as they were not bothering me enough to get checked out. a few months ago I came out in ulcers down in the same area and all the classic symptoms of herpes, aching down the back of the legs and very painful ulcers. I have had recurring episodes since that are much less painful and dont last as long, I havent got tested but after reading through the net and having the syptoms im convinced I have it. After some research it is just an annoying skin complaint that has very unnecessary stgma attached with it. I was in a relationship and believe my partner was unfaithful or didnt tell me he had it to start with. After some research I found that 4 out of 5 people do not know they have Herpes and have very mild symptoms, the unlucky 1 out of 5 get ulcers and are brought on by stress. At the time the obvious symptoms came to light I was going through a cancer scare which turned out to be just a scare thank goodness so I guess if I have got Herpes then I will take that any day of the week over what could have been!

My vagina (inside the labia near the top on each side) has had very small cracks, hard skin peeling, and EXTREME ITCHING for the last 5 years!! It was complete torture! I was tested for herpes and STD's and came back negative. I finally found a Gyno who knew what it was and he said it came from moisture down there, from working out. Some people were just unlucky and got it. But once you had it you would never be rid of it. He said to use Cortizone Cream on it for the itching.

I read afterwards that if you use Cortizone Cream a lot it can thin the skin, and so I thought "Wouldn't that make it worse in the long run?" I researched on the internet and read that the following suggestions might help: keeping it shaved, I used Vitamin E to keep it moisturized and help healing, and tried many different soaps that were supposed to be gentle. I did this for 2 yrs, but it was still getting worse. I also tried keeping lotion (fragrance free) but it was still drying out.

THEN I TRIED LANOLIN, AND IT WAS AMAZING!!! I AM POSTING THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP THE REST OF YOU THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE TORTURE I WENT THROUGH. I PUT THE LANOLIN ON IT ONCE IN THE MORNING AND ONCE AT NIGHT. IN 2 WEEKS MY SKIN WAS COMPLETELY HEALED! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, TRY THIS STUFF! IT'S THE LANOLIN THAT NURSING MOTHERS USE ON THEIR SORE NIPPLES, FOUND IN THE BABY AISLE BY THE BREASTPUMPS. THE BRAND I USED WAS "LANSINOH LANOLIN", IT COMES IN A PURPLE SQUEEZE TUBE. NOW I NEVER EVER ITCH! AND PUT IT ON ONCE EVERY 2 DAYS, JUST BECAUSE IT FEELS A LITTLE DRY DOWN THERE. SURE BEATS PUTTING ON VITAMIN E 6 TIMES A DAY WITHOUT MUCH RELIEF! I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL AS MUCH AS IT HELPED ME!!!

might be yeast! not quite sure what's in vagisil, but i've found a single clove of garlic can be effective, even if you don't have normal yeast symptoms (like the itching and heavy discharge). just put a whole peeled clove up (homegrown/organic whenever possible - still cheap compared to meds!); remove the little wooded stub and make 0-1 little slits with your fingernail. any more and it'll be too strong a dose.

i have these little cuts every year when the weather gets cold and heat goes on, from dry air. was thinking about coconut; works as a sexual lubricant (NOT WITH CONDOMS; it's oiled-based and will break 'em!), but wondered about just for a moisturizes around my gines. thoughts?

Wow, so I've been having this on and off for several years. I think its this than I think its that. soap, laundry soap, panties, no panites, sex, tiolet paper...diet. I'd really like to be done with this. So many posts relating to me is great, but I want to know what the f**k is up with my body!?

I think its something behond a yeast infection, bacterial infection, or STD. I think its some type of microbe that effects skin....

Can anyone say that after they treated for a yeast infection they didn't get the cracks back again within a year? Maybe it is the soap...

For those of you throwing around the "std" and "herpes" scenario, I think some of you might be relieved to hear that I am 100% disease free and having the same painful "chaffing" down there also. It sucks! I am 29 weeks pregnant and got every test in the book done, all good. So don't be to worried.

This is an update to my post. Since I was diagnosed with Lichen Schlerosis,and prescriped Clobetasol (a steroid cream), over a year ago, I am able to manage this condition. I can certainly tell when something goes awry (itching, cracking) and I need to medicate for a week or so, and it's all better. The skin is still very light in color, and I am led to believe that is caused possibly by this, and possibly as a side effect of my age (47) and change in estrogen hormones. I am very thankful for the steroid cream, and hope everybody is able to find their treatment!

i always have very dry cracks around my vagina during my period, i assume due to the fact that im usually very wet and moist but when im on my period i wear tampons so its dries things up. 

Monistat Gold usually helps me the best, everything creares withing 3 days - I bring it from US because I