Vaginal cysts

[Kaleigh_]

So me and my boyfriend had sex yesterday and everything was normal and worked well but I woke up this morning and felt a tenderness on my vagina. I went to the bathroom and checked in the mirror and saw redness and it felt like a knot on the inside of my labia. I researched what it was and many sources said a vaginal cysts. I don't want to go to the doctor so what should I do?

[Heather]

Welcome to the boards!

Almost always, vulval and labial cysts are benign, and there's really nothing to do about them. They also will tend to settle down over time so they're not big deal, even if after that time, you can still feel traces of them. Too, this can also be something like an ingrown hair or infected pore. Again, nothing for a doctor to do about those, either.

What you can do is just stick to loose clothing and undergarments made of natural fibers, and you may find a warm compress helps with any irritation, and to shrink it down. You also want to stay away from anything that causes friction to the area -- genital sex, including masturbation, riding a bike, etc. -- while it's so irritated.

If, over the next couple weeks, it keeps getting bigger or is causing you pain, then it's time to take this to a healthcare provider.