The skin around vagina is turning black everyday and after periods it changes into dark, please suggest some remedies
A dark vagina can be a worrisome symptom if it appears suddenly. In most cases, the skin is darkened completely, whereas in others, there are black colored marks. The dark skin around the vagina can be attributed directly to the friction between the thighs and the sweating in the area. If you have been using creams and other products on your inner thighs, those could have also contributed to the darkened appearance of the inner thighs and consequently the dark vagina. Vaginal discoloration is usually not something to worry about, even if the marks begin to appear all of a sudden. If you are experiencing dark marks instead of an overall darker tone, it can usually be associated with the veins under the delicate skin of the inner thighs.
As you age, the vaginal area tends to become dark because the fatty tissues that make up the upper portions of the thighs begin to wan and the area becomes very tender. When the upper thigh region begins to thin down, the dark colored veins under the skin become apparent. Unfortunately, the veins in this region are so dark that often it appears as if there are dark banks of skin appearing on the inner thighs and the vaginal area. Hence, as stated earlier, the dark vaginal area is therefore nothing to worry about. That said; if you have a darker genital area, it can be embarrassing, especially when you wear swim wear or other clothing items that are short. However, if there is no pain in the genital region due to the darkening of the skin, there is no reason to raise alarm. The dark skin on the vagina is not a disease. It is simply a condition that occurs due to the natural ageing of the body.
Another condition, known as Acanthosis Nigricans, can also be attributed to vaginal darkening. This is a condition in which the hormone insulin, which is used for the metabolism of glucose, spills over into the skin. This happens when the insulin production in the body is excessive. The skin tends to have abnormal growths as well as darkening in color due to such kind of a spillover. The skin color may change into dark brown or black due to spillovers of insulin. There are no set patterns of such a spillover. As the insulin spills into the skin, it triggers the melanocytes, the glands which produce melanin, to go into over drive and produce excessive melanin. The skin color, as a result, begins to darken in those areas. Acanthosis Nigricans is characterized by hyperpigmentation in several areas of the skin. This pigmentation is usually seen in areas where there are folds of the skin. The folds around the neck, armpits, and groin are the most common areas where such pigmentation can be seen. Apart from insulin spill, insulin resistance can also cause Acanthosis Nigricans. In people, who suffer from insulin resistant type 2 diabetes, Acanthosis Nigricans is usually common.
Other causes of vaginal pigmentation include genetics, the use of very strong medications, disorders of the mucous membranes in very rare cases, polycystic ovarian syndrome,and gastric cancer. While PCOS and gastric cancer very rarely cause a dark colored vagina, in women who are younger than 40, this is a possibility. Imbalance of hormones in the body is also often the cause of a lot of misgivings. It is possible that conditions like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism may have caused the darkening of the vaginal area. Acromegaly and Cushing’s disease are two other diseases that may be associated with dark vaginal skin. To determine the exact cause of the darkened vagina, a doctor may have to examine the vaginal skin and make a diagnosis. There are some instances, however, where the doctor is not able to diagnose the problem even after examining the skin. By simply examining the skin, sometimes conditions cannot be identified, and therefore, a skin biopsy may have to be performed. There are also several types of blood tests and X-rays that might be needed to ascertain the condition from which a person is suffering. In certain cases, an endoscopy may be required to determine the exact cause of the discoloration of skin. All these tests are usually done to eliminate serious conditions like gastric cancer, PCOS, and diabetes.
Treatment and remedies
The treatment of this condition can be suggested only after the cause is ascertained. For normal darkening of the skin, Acanthosis Nigricans, and ageing skin, there is no treatment. The dark vagina can be treated with home remedies in such a case. If there is a disease that is causing the darkening of the skin tissues, the doctors will determine the appropriate treatment course. Meanwhile, to improve the skin color and texture of your groin region, stop wearing tight synthetic clothes. If you wear synthetic or polyester underwear, switch immediately to comfortable cotton ones. Also, avoid using a razor in your nether regions. Use of talcum powder should also be avoided as much as possible as it can contribute to the darkening of the skin.
As a home remedy, make a mixture of lime juice and yogurt. Apply this mixture in a thick layer along your vaginal skin and groin. Leave the mixture on for at least 20 minutes and then wash off. Do this every day till you begin to notice improvement. During this time, avoid using acidic soaps. Use only mild cleansers on your vaginal area. A paste of yogurt and dried orange peels can also be applied on your vaginal area to improve the skin color. This paste should be rubbed gently in the groin area. This will help you exfoliate dead skin, allowing younger and fairer skin to emerge. Another natural exfoliate is a mixture of powdered oatmeal and yogurt. A paste of this can help in improving skin texture and color. Another effective home remedy is a mix of turmeric powder and lime juice. This can help in improving overall tone of the skin.Make sure you use these remedies for at least two months before giving them up. These remedies act very slowly and may need time to show you results.
Causes Of Vaginal Skin Discoloration
The black marks and the darkened skin in the vaginal area is usually a result of the veins under the skin in that area. As you age, the fatty tissue in the groin region becomes tender and starts to thin as a result of which the dark colored veins that lie underneath can be seen. If there is no pain in the groin region, you do not have anything to worry about.
However, these marks could also be an indication of insulin spillover. If you are obese, the insulin production is excessive and the excess of the hormone spills over into the skin. Due to this spill over, the skin can have abnormal growth and the color too starts to change to a dark brown or black. The insulin fosters over activity of melanocytes which create melanin.
This condition is called Acanthosis nigricans and it is characterized by a hyper pigmentation of the skin and in poorly defined layers of patches. This pigmentation can be seen in the folds of the neck, groin region and under arms.
One of the other major causes of Acanthosis nigricans is insulin resistance that is usually caused by type 2 diabetes. Genetics and the use of strong medication are also causes for this kind of pigmentation in the vagina. People less than the age of 40 tend to suffer from this disorder. When the mucus membranes are not involved in the disorder, it could point to a malignant condition like the polycystic ovary syndrome or even gastric cancer.
An imbalance in the hormones could also cause this kind of darkening of skin. Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease or acromegaly are other conditions which are commonly associated with Acanthosis nigricans.
Generally Acanthosis nigricans can be diagnosed by simply examining the skin of the patient. However, there are instances where even after a skin examination Acanthosis nigricans has not been diagnosed If the case is severe or unusual, the physician could demand a skin biopsy.. Several blood tests, x rays and even endoscopy might be called for in such a case. The basic idea is to eliminate the possibility of gastric cancer and diabetes.
Though this could be serious, sometimes simply improving the diet and exercising regularly can help reduce the symptoms. It is important to note that though diabetes is a common condition because of which this hyper pigmentation occurs; cancer is only found in rare cases.
