vaginal irritation (itchiness) after sex

[scarletibis]

hey scarleteen! i just want to start out by saying that i adore your site and it's been a treasure trove of inclusive and accepting information for a teen with few in-person resources to turn to on sex.
my issue is that i started having piv intercourse with my boyfriend around a week ago, and afterwards i noticed that i felt itchiness within my vagina, but it went away soon, maybe in a day. then a few days ago we had sex again, and i specifically remember a lot of manual sex being involved in addition to the piv. the day after i realised the itchiness was back, and it's more intense and distracting. so far it hasn't shown signs of going away. the itchiness is limited to the vaginal canal, with nothing on the vulva, and i haven't noticed any change in discharge or odor. i can't feel any textural difference when reaching in with my fingers.
as both my boyfriend and i are each other's first sexual and romantic partners, i'm ruling out STIs, and it's unlikely that it was caused by latex or silicone (from the lube) allergy as i've come into contact with both ingredients in non-sexual contexts without adverse effect. i was wondering if this might have been caused by irritation due to the stimulation of my vagina? and if so, would there be any way to alleviate it? or are there other possibilities for what it's been caused by? i'm using contraceptive pills, for further information. unfortunately, as we've only done this a few times, i can't say whether or not it happens because of piv intercourse or because of manual sex.
i am aware that i should also be seeking medical attention, but that's a lot more difficult these days due to the pandemic, and the only gynecologist i go to usually i don't feel comfortable sharing this with. in addition, it's extremely hard for me to find time away from my mom to address this on my own, as we haven't yet discussed sex in an open way (she has certain antiquated views) and i don't want to bring up the fact that i am having it now, now that i have a problem caused by having sex that i may need help with; it would increase her opposition to the situation.
i hope my question isn't too complicated, and thank you in advance for your help

[Siân]

Hi scarletibis!

I'm so glad you've found our site useful

Sounds like this would be worth getting in touch with a healthcare provider about if you are able to navigate it. We do always recommend getting in the habit of STI testing early - including with your first partner. Sounds like you were using condoms too though so I agree that the risk is pretty low. A couple of thoughts:

- Was it comfortable at the time? Did you go slowly, use enough lube etc? If there was a lot of friction that could have irritated your internal membranes and caused discomfort, including itchiness
- You could have a non-STI type infection, such as a yeast infection, which can cause extreme itchiness - you can read more about them here: FBI Files: Candidiasis, AKA, Yeast Infections

Do either of those sound like possibilities?

[scarletibis]

hi there!
thank you for your prompt reply, i'm afraid i forgot to check on this post for a few days haha
i think on the first point, we made sure to make it as comfortable as possible, and i didn't feel discomfort at the time, but it is likely that even with the lube the friction did cause some irritation.
on the possibility of infection, i am considering it (and hoping that's not the case) but i haven't noticed any of the other symptoms associated with yeast infections other than pain when urinating (and i think that might be due to a recurring uti), so that's why i've been a little baffled. thankfully i think it's lessened in the last few days so hopefully i won't require medical attention, but even so, i'll make sure to check with healthcare provider if i can.
thank you again for your help and advice!

[Sam W]

Hi scarletibis,

Checking in with a healthcare provider sounds like a good plan, especially if you notice it keeps coming back or gets worse. While it may not be a yeast infection, there are other infections (like UTIs) to rule out as well.

One other thing to keep in mind is that, if you're on the receiving end of a lot of manual sex, your partner will want to be really diligent about washing his hands right before it happens, or even wearing gloves when he does it. If fingers (or anything else) inserted into the vaginal canal aren't clean, they can introduce bacteria that make things feel not so great or cause an infection.