Allergies
For women who have vulvar pain, allergies may be the culprit. For example, allergens such as dust, pollen, and pet dander are inhaled or brushed into the vagina. Another source of allergies is food. Eating peanuts, for instance, can lead to a severe allergic reaction that can bring about vulvar pain. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system overreacts to something it considers harmful causing an influx of histamines and other chemicals into the area around the vagina. Histamines and other chemicals that cause an allergic reaction near the vagina may trigger vulvar pain.
Another common cause of vulvar itching from laundry products is sensitivity to perfumes or dyes. Women who experience symptoms in the genital region after wearing tight clothing or bathing in a new product need to look for ingredients such as quaternium-15 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in their laundry products. Also, some women report that certain brands of fabric softeners leave them itchy, especially if the product contains sodium lauryl sulfate.
