Scarleteen

Hii, i've tried to ask google this but i must be lacking in googling skills.

I have a vagina, and i've managed to get a dildo in me (yaay v fun) but lately whenever i do it, afterwards i start having terrible itchyness around there, closer to my urethral opening than the actual vagina. it lasts for a long while, but is very inconsistent. itchyness gets activated, then goes away for a bunch of time, leaves, repeat. I also feel like i really need to pee when i don't have anything to let out, and when i do let out a drop, the itchyness gets dialed to 100. Besides this, there is no bad smells, weird discharge, swelling, anything of the sort. (Maybe my urine smells worse than usual, but i think its a combination of not drinking enough water and the vitamins i ve been takin.)

I use a lot of lube when i do it, and i also always hop in the shower to get it all off when i m done (cant imagine sleeping in all that... additional question, is it ok to leave lube inside you? i can t exactly clean that deep inside me lol). I clean my dildo as well. I dont think my lube is an issue cuz its a brand i ve been using for a long while and had no problems with it. i have a new dildo though... but its the same material as the previous one : (
I don t know, do you have any idea what this could be? it s v annoying.

If it helps, 1. I'm on testosterone, nearing the 1st year mark, this might be a reason? maybe some extra dry vag cuz of the t?? 2. I m kind of rough when i do it.

thank u in advance for the response : D

Hm! My first thought would be that it would be related to some ingredient in the lube; if you're able to switch brands, that's something that I think would be worth trying. It's possible that you aren't able to clean the dildo well enough and there's bacteria on it causing irritation, but I wouldn't necessarily expect that every time. You could try using a condom with the dildo as well (which we often recommend in general, since many sex toys can't be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized) to see if that helps.

Discomfort around your urethra and a need to urinate even when you aren't actually passing urine can be a sign of a urinary tract infection as well, although it sounds like this discomfort passes after a short time and UTIs generally need antibiotics to be cleared up.

Testosterone can definitely increase dryness and may be contributing to the situation. It may be resulting in a sensitivity to lube that you didn't have before. I think what I'd try next is a new lubricant (one without any sort of cooling/warming effect, spermicide, etc as those can be irritants) and maybe using condoms with the dildo as well. And if the irritation lingers for several days or becomes pain that gets worse, it's probably worth checking in with a doctor.

Oh, and in terms of whether it's safe to keep lubricant inside you: yep! Anything that's marketed as a personal lubricant is safe to stay inside you after using a toy.

Thank youuu

I love this lube sob. I think i ll try using a condom first (and incorporate it into my routine from now on, it IS true that it s hard to keep these things 100% clean) but then i'll change my lube. It has no special effects that i know of, but its worth a shot.

If all else fails i ll ask the people that give me my t for some of those local estrogen gels, maybe my genitals are dyin a bit and this is a sign. If that Also fails, i m crying, but also gonna ask my doctor about it. Hopefully won t have to go to a gynecologist.

Again thank you. It s really useful to get a second opinion on things like these. Have a wonderful day/night. <3

(And hell yeah, that eases one of my worries. Good to know lube can stay there if i cant get it out lol)

Hi blblblbl!

You know, the instinct to ask your T prescribers about localised estrogen might be a good one. On T, your vaginally tissues become thinner and less stretchy (known as "vaginal atrophy", which I don't love), which makes them a lot more prone to irritation amd small tears - which you may be experiencing if you're really going for it with your dildo. It can also change vaginal pH, which in turn impacts all the good flora living there and makes you more prone to bacterial vaginosis, UTIs and thrush.

Yes, you can also take a second look at the lube you're using - in particular, things to look out for are that it's pH balanced and doesn't contain glycerin or parabens which can be irritating. If you want to talk brands, we can do that too!

With all that in mind, there are a few things that could be going on and a trip to a healthcare professional might be a good shout - do you feel like you have access to a good gender affirming healthcare service who will be able to help with this?