Why does a white coating appear between the labia? Causes of plaque on the labia in women and girls Why does a white plaque appear between the labia

The appearance of white plaque on the labia is a frequent phenomenon, but whether it means that a woman has any disease or is a variant of the norm, you need to figure it out. Throughout the menstrual cycle, the color, texture, smell and structure of vaginal discharge in the fair sex changes.

They may become more profuse, slimy, or creamy. The main thing is that the discharge does not have an unpleasant odor and does not cause discomfort in the form of burning and itching. The slightly sour smell of secretions from the genital tract may be the result of the work of conditional bacteria that normally live in an intimate place.

If, in addition to white plaque on the labia, you are worried about pain in the lower abdomen, redness of the mucosa, cramps after urination, as well as itching of the genitals and a bad smell of discharge, immediately visit a gynecologist for examination and treatment.

Causes of white plaque on the labia

• vaginal dysbacteriosis (violation of microflora);
• (thrush);
• hormonal changes associated with puberty in girls;
• insufficient intimate hygiene (on how to properly wash a woman,);
• unsuitable intimate hygiene product (it is better to use intimate hygiene products with a neutral Ph, such as,);
• wearing tight or synthetic underwear;
• malnutrition and malnutrition

Treatment of white plaque on the labia

If the white on the labia is not a symptom of any disease, you should not try to get rid of plaque, because it prevents the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the uterus and only represents a healthy microflora of the genital tract.

If white plaque gives you aesthetic discomfort, you can carefully remove it with a cotton swab dipped in vegetable oil, or with a shower jet. You can also use a decoction of herbs. Do not remove plaque using soap and gel, this can disrupt the healthy balance of microflora and cause irritation of the vaginal mucosa.

It is recommended for a woman to wash herself with special means for intimate hygiene. If, along with white plaque on the labia, a woman also notes severe burning, itching, pain in the vaginal area, you need to consult a gynecologist and take smears, because such symptoms are characteristic of a urogenital infection or a violation of the vaginal microflora.

You should also not ignore the appearance of white pimples or sores on the labia, as they can be a sign of such an unpleasant sexually transmitted disease as. Without a doctor's examination, taking special tests (a smear for flora, bakposev, PCR for STIs), it is rather problematic to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment, so the sooner you visit a gynecologist, the sooner you get rid of the problem.

In the presence of alarming symptoms, it is not recommended to take any medications on their own. You can not only blur the picture of the disease, but also harm your body by self-medication. You need to act on the results of the survey. If plaque is a variant of the norm, you can not touch it.

If white discharge, according to the analysis, turns out to be a manifestation of candidiasis (thrush), it will be necessary to be treated together with a partner. To do this, you can take a Flucostat capsule and put down a woman, or. White plaque in the vagina may also indicate bacvaginosis, in which case the doctor may prescribe you Metronidazole and suppositories or Neo-penotran.

At the time of treatment from sexual contact should refrain. After the use of antimicrobial and antibacterial drugs, it is necessary to restore the vaginal microflora, populating it with useful lactobacilli. Vagilak will do just fine with this.

To consolidate the result, you should also pay attention to your diet. Eliminate flour, sweet, too fried or salty, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, cook for a couple. You can drink a vitamin complex to boost immunity.

Often, women find a white coating on the labia. If it does not have an unpleasant odor, then in most cases it is a variant of the norm. A sour-smelling discharge may indicate an infection. It is important to pay attention to the presence of other symptoms: itching, redness, burning, swelling, and discomfort.

Why does plaque appear between the labia?

The reasons for this are as follows:

1. . Even in newborn girls, smegma is collected - a mixture of the secretion of the sebaceous glands, dead epithelial scales and a lubricant designed to moisturize the mucous membranes. A large accumulation of this mass in the folds of the labia minora and in the clitoris is due to insufficient hygiene of the intimate area. Sometimes smegma has an unpleasant sour smell, indicating the growth of pathogenic microflora. To stop the growth of bacteria, it is enough to wash your face twice a day, using a special intimate hygiene product or baby soap. It is not recommended to use cotton swabs or wipes to remove plaque.
2. Hormonal imbalance. In girls during puberty (from 11 to 18 years), serious changes occur in the body. An excess of hormones leads to a violation of the microflora of the vagina, as a result of which a white coating accumulates on the labia. This usually signals the imminent onset of menarche (first menstruation). You should not worry about discharge, but careful hygiene should be observed.
3. Beginning of sexual activity. After contact with the microflora of a partner, girls may develop a white coating. After a while, the problem disappears on its own.
4. Pregnancy. At the beginning of the first trimester, the amount of plaque and discharge in a woman can increase significantly. This is due to the fact that the body purposefully lowers immunity so that the fetal egg is not rejected by the uterus. After all, new life is a foreign object, from which the immune system seeks to get rid of. As a result, frequent recurrences of herpes, thrush and other chronic infections occur.
5. Vitamin deficiency. In dieting women, immunity is usually weakened. This increases not only the risk of colds and viral diseases, but also contributes to the reproduction of its own opportunistic flora. To restore the body's defenses, it is important to balance the diet. You can ask the doctor to prescribe a course of multivitamins.
6. Climax. White plaque on the floor of the lips in women during menopause is due to increased dryness of the mucous membranes. Due to the cessation of estrogen production by the ovaries, the discharge is scanty, dries quickly, leaving a film on the surface.
7. Sexually transmitted diseases or developing against the background of external and internal negative factors (herpes, thrush).

Most often, white plaque is formed due to thrush and smegma.

White plaque on the labia in women photo

Genital herpes

The second type virus infects the nerve cells of the body and manifests itself in the form of bubble rashes on the genitals. The infection has a high recurrence rate (up to 98%). You can catch it through vaginal, anal or even oral sex. The risk of infection increases if the partner and the woman herself have microdamages on the skin.

For some time, the pathogen does not manifest itself in any way, being in a sleeping state. Then, redness, tingling and itching occur in the perineum, small watery bubbles appear. From excessive dryness, the skin may appear covered with a white coating. After opening the rash, painful sores are formed, which are tightened with a crust and completely heal.

Usually the disease is mild. But in severe cases, there is a risk of damage to the urethra, vagina, cervix, cervical canal, anus and rectum. Therefore, when the first symptoms of herpes appear, you should consult a gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe drugs that stop the reproduction of the pathogen.

Thrush

White cheesy plaque on the labia with an unpleasant sour smell is a sign of candidiasis. Fungal infection is localized mainly in the vestibule and on the mucous membrane of the vagina. It can appear both in a little girl and in an adult woman. Yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida live on the skin and mucous membranes of a healthy person, being part of the normal microflora. Their growth is provoked by the following factors:

• weakening of the immune system;
• long-term use of antibiotics and hormonal agents;
• unprotected and promiscuous sexual relations;
• insufficient or excessive hygiene of intimate organs;
• microtrauma of the vagina and labia;
• diabetes;
• intestinal dysbacteriosis;
• pregnancy;
• lactation.

The first symptoms of thrush are itching and burning associated with the reaction of the mucous membrane to a fungal infection. Redness is observed, and. Thick, white or gray curdled discharge with inclusions of flakes and lumps also occurs. Drying, they leave yellowish marks on the linen. The acute form of the disease is characterized by the spread of the inflammatory process into the urethra and vulva. This is accompanied by pain during urination and sexual intercourse. If the acute process is not eliminated in a timely manner, then the thrush becomes chronic, difficult to treat.

When white plaque is not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, it is a variant of the norm and does not require therapy. It is enough to keep the intimate area clean and change underwear daily. But if itching, burning during urination, cracks or rashes, pains and pains in the lower abdomen, redness, bloody, curdled or purulent discharge, you should immediately consult a doctor. Inflammatory diseases of the genital organs (vaginitis, colpitis, vulvovaginitis) can be caused by viral, bacterial or fungal microflora. It is possible to determine the pathogen and prescribe the correct treatment only on the basis of laboratory tests.

White plaque on the labia in different situations can be both a pathology and a norm. Much depends on other accompanying symptoms, which are revealed by the sensations of the woman and special medical tests. This phenomenon is quite common, occurs in patients of all ages and social statuses. To exclude the possibility of developing a disease, a sign of which is a white coating on the lips, you should undergo an examination, as a result of which a diagnosis will be made. What can such a phenomenon mean, is it worth fighting it, and is there a risk of developing a symptom in children?

A plaque occurs suddenly, can persist for a long time. In fact, there are few reasons for such a symptom:

• Genital candidiasis. Another name for this disease is thrush. The pathology is caused by the Candida fungus, it develops quickly, it is difficult to treat, and the complications are serious. In this case, plaque will not be the only symptom, we will talk about this in more detail below. A similar symptom is given by other sexual infections, but less often.
• Hormonal changes in the body. Most often this happens in teenage girls, as well as in preschool children. Also, white plaque occurs in some pregnant women and during menopause. There is no particular danger in this, but an additional examination will not hurt - sometimes a serious illness can be behind a change in hormonal levels.
• First sexual relationship, and too active sex life. This is partly due to hormones, but the main reason is a change in the microflora of the vagina and external genitalia. It does not pose a danger, but taking into account the peculiarities of the lifestyle of such patients, it will not be superfluous to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

In children who have recently been born, a white coating on the labia indicates the onset of a sexual crisis. This is a normal phenomenon, which consists in the restructuring of the body and its adaptation to new conditions. This is primarily caused by the cleansing of the vagina from excess estrogen. There is no danger, usually the symptom goes away on its own in 2-3 weeks after the onset. If the plaque persists longer, it makes sense to consult a doctor, perhaps we are talking about an infection (some sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted from the mother during birth).

In some cases, plaque appears due to malnutrition and lack of vitamins. Also, the cause of the pathology is an allergy, especially to underwear materials (synthetic).

Other symptoms

Even if an infection develops in the body, it is not worthwhile to focus on plaque in the diagnosis, it is just a passing symptom that cannot say anything about the characteristics of the disease. For this reason, doctors recommend paying attention to other symptoms that accompany the phenomenon in question:

• pain in the lower abdomen;
• decrease / increase in sexual desire;
• unpleasant odor of discharge;
• intensity of menstruation;
• burning;
• discomfort during intercourse;
• increase in body temperature;
• swollen lymph nodes.

If we are talking about hormonal changes or a sexual crisis in newborn girls, then with a probability of 99% these symptoms will not occur. But in the presence of a venereal infection, a woman will fully experience a full bouquet of signs! And that is not always the case.

The fact is that most sexually transmitted diseases are asymptomatic - signs actively appear only in 10-20% of cases. We are talking about diseases such as HPV, mycoplasmosis.

No symptoms - no self-diagnosis, respectively, the disease can only be detected through clinical tests. And this is where plaque on the labia comes to the rescue. If the hormonal background is normal, then any doctor will suspect the development of pathogenic microflora even in the absence of other symptoms.

In the case of allergies, the situation is different. White plaque will be an insignificant symptom, itching and redness will be at the head of the series, and not only in the genital area.

Diagnostics

Since there are many reasons for the appearance of plaque, diagnosis includes a whole range of procedures. Their main task is to exclude some sexual infections and clarify the degree of danger of the phenomenon that manifested itself in the form of the symptom in question. As in many other cases, a visit to the doctor begins with an anamnesis. The doctor specifies:

• diet;
• sexual activity;
• the presence of any hereditary diseases of the reproductive and endocrine systems;
• number of sexual partners.

This is only a small part of the necessary information, everything else can be "obtained" only through analysis. Specific laboratory tests will be assigned based on the presence of other symptoms characteristic of various sexually transmitted diseases.

The main "suspect" is candidiasis. Other infections give such a symptom quite rarely, so tests that can detect them are prescribed only as a last resort. Among the main diagnostic measures:

• bacteriological culture;
• blood test for antibodies.

A general blood test usually does not bring results, it is not able to identify pathogenic microflora, and even more so to determine its DNA features.

The second most important study is a blood test for thyroid hormones. It is the violation of this organ that often causes white plaque on the labia. All other tests are prescribed only in cases where the doctor has serious reasons to assume a particular disease.

In very rare cases, this symptom may indicate the onset of oncology. Doctors usually prescribe a biopsy, which, although harmful to the body, allows you to identify a dangerous disease quickly and accurately.

Treatment

To begin with, you should answer the question of whether this is necessary in principle. If the symptom does not cause discomfort to the woman and does not indicate the presence of the disease, the genitals should be left alone - everything is natural, there is no danger. If the plaque is caused by thrush, then it should be treated with medication. The most commonly used ointments and creams are:

• Miconazole (costs about 150 rubles);
• clotrimazole (price does not exceed 180 rubles).

Simultaneously with them, a course of taking pills is prescribed. Recommended drugs:

• Fluconazole (price about 150 rubles);
• Mikogal (costs from 188 rubles);
(costs within 300 rubles).

White plaque on the labia usually does not pose a danger to the health of the patient. If pathology does occur, then most often we are talking about thrush. Although with difficulty, the disease is treated with medication. Despite the safety of the symptom, it should not be left unattended, because there is a risk of missing the onset of the development of the disease!

You can also watch a video where the doctor will tell you what herpes looks like on the labia, as well as what tests you need to pass.

White plaque on the labia often indicates the presence of a pathological process. It all depends on the accompanying symptoms of the disease. Moreover, a whitish coating can be observed at any age and even in newborn girls. This condition is dangerous during pregnancy, as it often indicates the presence of the disease. The norm will be considered a white coating between the labia, which does not cause an unpleasant odor, itching or burning.

White plaque on the labia - causes

White plaque on the labia often appears as a result of the presence of genital candidiasis or thrush, as it is called colloquially. This is a fungal infection that causes a curdled coating on a woman's genitals.

The main reasons for the development of this disease can be the following circumstances:

1. Sexual contact with a sick person.
2. Violation of the hormonal background, often associated with age-related changes in adolescent girls.
3. Violation of the microflora of the external genital organs in connection with the onset of sexual relations.

Where does plaque come from between the labia

As mentioned above, a white formation on the labia may appear as a result of the physiology of the female body or as a result of a disease.

Physiological causes

The vaginal microflora can react to internal or external changes. During the period of hormonal restructuring of the body in girls aged 12 to 14 years, plaque may appear on the genitals. Similar cases can be recorded during the period of bearing a child.

The beginning of sexual relations can also affect the condition of the genitals of a woman. For example, in some cases, in this way, the organs of a woman are protected from the alien microflora of the sexual partner.

The causes of white formations can be other non-pathological factors:

• lack of vitamins;
• tight underwear;
• nutritional errors;
• non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
• low quality body cosmetics.

If such factors are eliminated, then the plaque will disappear on its own, without additional treatment. Such a plaque in infants is called a sexual crisis and is considered the norm. Since in this way the body is cleansed after childbirth. After 7-9 days, this condition usually disappears.

Plaque caused by natural causes should not be eliminated. It protects the normal microflora of the vagina and also fights pathogenic microorganisms. Smegma (the so-called white formations between the labia) is associated with the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Remove it with a cotton swab with vegetable oil. You can also wet it with water. But various aromatic soaps and gels should not be used, so as not to irritate the delicate skin of the labia.

Pathogenic factors

If, along with plaque, additional signs appear - burning, itching, redness, pain, etc., then this may indicate the onset of the disease.

These include the following pathologies:

• infections associated with human genitalia;
• sexual diseases;
• fungus.

Among these pathologies, the following diseases are most common:

1. Thrush (candidiasis) and other fungal infections.
2. Vulvovaginitis and vaginitis.
3. Herpes of the genital type.
4. STDs such as syphilis, gonorrhea, etc.

You should not guess where the plaque on the genitals came from, it is better to immediately visit a gynecologist. Through examination and additional tests, he himself will figure out the causes of this condition. To avoid catching candidiasis, you should use a condom if you are not sure about your sexual partner.

White plaque on the labia may appear suddenly and be a normal variant or an alarming symptom of a fungal or bacterial infection. Most often, the cause lies in diseases caused by fungi of the genus Candida. The main reasons for such manifestations are discussed below.

Treatment

Therapy is chosen depending on the identified disease. It involves the use of external and internal use (vaginal tablets, ointments, creams, suppositories). The most popular medicines:

White plaque on the labia, not accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms (itching, burning, vaginal discharge), is not a sign of a dangerous disease. In other cases, you should immediately contact a gynecologist and pass the necessary tests to identify the disease and subsequent therapy.