Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Swollen vaginal lips

My boyfriend and I haven't seen eachother for a few months! About a week ago we saw eachother again for the first time . We have sex now All the time and now my vaginal lips are really swollen. I wouldn't have noticed it unless he said something but now they hurt a little when I touch them, is that just from having a lot of sex? Will it go away? Or do I have to go to the gyno? I'm out at school and i don't have a gyno out here and i fell a little uncomfortable going to see the male gyno on campus!! Please help!!
73 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
A lot of sex and a lot of arousal is probably the cause.  I don't think it's a big worry.  If you haven't had sex for a while then acted like rabbits things are probably a little tight down there.  Maybe take a break for a couple days and see if it clears up.  Also get yourself some KY Jelly to make sure there is plenty of lube.  It's pretty nice stuff.  :-)  Friction could be causing some irritation.  

Something else that popped in my head was if you are using latex condoms maybe you're having a slight reaction to latex.  Just a thought unless you know for a fact that you are not allergic to latex.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The frequency with which you are having sex could most definitely have this affect.  I second the suggestion for additional lubrication.  KY or Astroglide work well.  I know when my boyfriend and I have sex more than a couple times in one day, I am sore the next day or two.

I also used to have a reaction to condoms with spermicide.  Once we switched to non-smermicide condoms, I did not have that problem anymore.

Hope one of these will help.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had the same thing happen to me after ahving sex for the first time (weeks after). Sense I really didn't know what to expect I had no idea. Then My Hubby and I tried with nothing (do not do this with a casual bf or if you DO NOT want a baby !!!!!!!! And actually also if you do not trust the guy, in other words I am not saying to try this but I was married!!!) anyway the swelling and the pain went a way. You could try to use latex free condoms. Good luck.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh, this happened to me a few weeks ago. My bf and I are long distance so I saw him after 6 weeks. I had just got off the plane, had a glass of wine.

After having sex the 1st time my vulva started feeling really warm and tingly.

Then when he looked, he told me the lips (inner labia) looked like mini sausages and he was right!

That has never happened to me in my life! Anway it went down after half a day and has not happened since.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I need an opinion with something similar to this also.

Today I had sex with my boyfriend of 4 months.
We have sex regularly, but not too much, maybe a few times a week.
I am on the Contraceptive Pill and am alergic to Latex so we don't reguire condom's as I am checked for any STD's when I collect my Pill packets from the family planing clinic. And i don't have any, neither does my b/f.
I am also much less likely to become pregnant on the pill.

But earlier on today I had sex with my boyfriend and Afterwards My outer labia was very swollen especially close to my vaginal opening. Also, my Inner labia was very red.
This has happened a few times. Not much but occasionally.
The swelling usually goes down after a 24 hours but can occasionally stay for slightly longer.

I don't have much problem with lubrication as I tend to have many orgasms and am usually very well lubricated anyway.

Does anyone have any idea why this may be happening?
It just happens to be conserning me, that is all.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Me and my boyfreind didnt have sex for a while and when we had sex my vagina felt sore and really hot when he looked it was swollen i stuck a cold compress and it stoped, but  it shappend a couple more times after and we ws really scared. we decided not to have sex for a while but when he  fingerd me it happend again when ever he dose anything down there i swell up  help?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i'M GOIN THROUGH THE SAME THING... MY BOYFRIEND WENT TO SEE HIS FAMILY FOR TWO WEEKS AND WHEN HE CAME BACK WE GOT BUSY. THE NEXT DAY I WAS SWOLLEN AND SORE... IT HASNT GONE AWAY YET BUT IT SEEMS TO GO BACK DOWN EVERY TIME I SOAK IN A WARM BATH. WE DIDNT HAVE SEX THE NEXT NIGHT TO SEE IF THEY SWELLING WOULD GO DOWN AT ALL AND IT KINDA DIDNT. IT DOESNT HURT WHEN I PEE OR ANYTHING MY "LIPS" ARE JUST SWOLLEN. I GUESS JUST KEEP TAKING HOT BATHS AND CLEANING YOURSELF EXTRA CAREFULLY TWICE A DAY.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
im goin throught the same thing the person above me is...me and my boyfriend have sex probably 3 to 4 times a week, and a few months ago, i noticed my lips were swollen. i thought they would go down within a few days or so, but they didn't. they don't hurt at all, but they just stay swollen ALL THE TIME! can somebody give me advice on this??? i take showers daily and clean myself well...but nothing seems to help...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think it's probably from having intercourse too often. This happens to me, too, but goes away usually the next day. If it doesn't go away with in a week, I would get tested or go to a gynocologist.  Usually, I feel really aroused, but I don't get wet enough and the inside feel kind of dry, but I can still lubricate that outside.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
this all sounds fam to what im going thru now.  bf and i had sex yesterday and 1 session lasted a good long while and at 1 point, started burning bc lack of lube.  anyway, woke up this morning and notice some swelling.  its doesnt hurt or anything but we noticed that when i sit, it kinda gathers all in 1 spot and almost looks like a ball and its kinda squishy.  im hoping this is nothing and hoping it'll go away in a day but just wondering if you guys had this or did anything in  terms of icing or hot showers or anything?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm having a similar problem.
I don't know if it is from having sex, or if I have a yeast infection.
I had one, and I took something for it, and the symptoms went away for a few days.. But then they kind of came back.. But I've been waiting it out..
Before I used the product, I had something that felt swollen inside, but I could feel it on the lips. It just feels like a round hard.. ball?
I didn't pay attention to whether or not that went away when I used the product..
So I don't know if I'm having sex too often, or if it could be the yeast infection.. Because at the moment I'm on my period, and the pain and size seems to be increasing. It doesn't hurt, really, unless there is pressure on it.
I'm just confused.. Thanks for your help. :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I DNT KNOW WHAT TO DO I HAVENT HAD SEX IN 3 DAYS BUT YESTERDAY MY VAGINAL AREA STARTED TO ITCH AND AS I SCRATCHED IT IT STARTED TO BLEED AS I TOOK MY PANTS OFF TO GET IN THE BATH I NOTICED MY VAGINAL LIPS HAD SWOLLEN AND IT WAS SORE DOWN THERE I DNT KNOW WHAT COULD BE CORSING THIS BUT HOPFULLY YOU COULD HELP ME !
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
to all the ladies out there... the vagina lips s swelling is basically known as bartholin's cyst!!!!!!!!


Most women don't even know they have a bartholin's gland, (I don't know why that is, we learned about them in school). It is a tiny gland inside each of the labia near the opening of the vagina, one gland on each side. They produce fluid that lubricates the vagina. There are tiny ducts in the gland and if those get 'clogged' up by skin cells or secretions, it can form a cyst - (a fluid filled sac). The cyst can grow from the size of a dime to larger than a golf ball. They can be tender and very painful when they are infected. Sometimes they aren’t painful at all and you just wake up one morning with a swelling on one side of your vagina, don't panic, there is help.

What caused this annonying cyst? Sometimes they are caused by an infection in the Bartholin’s gland, but not always. The painful ones tend to be infected. Usually the infection is from the normal bacteria that are found on your skin and in your vagina. Virgins get these annoying cysts too, it doesn't only happen to females that are sexually active, so don't be afraid to tell your parent that you need to see a gynecologist.

How do I know if I have one?

You'll know if you have one. It isn’t very subtle. There will be a round tender 'lump' in one of the vaginal lips, near the opening of the vagina, use a mirror and you will see it. Cysts that get infected can become very painful. Go to a gynecologist or your health care provider and let that person determine if it is infected.



Treatment:

The treatment really depends on several things; the size of the cyst, how painful it is, if it is infected and how your health care provider chooses to treat them. A culture of the fluid in the cyst is usually taken to determine what organism is causing the infection, if indeed it is infected. Some cysts are just treated with oral antibiotics.

Your gynecologist might decide to put a 'drain' into the cyst, The drain (like a thick string) stays in place for about 2 to 4 weeks. This allows the fluid to drain and causes a small opening to form inside the lip of your vagina. The drain is removed after that 2 - 4 week period. (Not a painful removal at all, not for me anyway). The opening will heal by itself, it will not be a noticeable opening.

If you have had a cyst that keeps coming back or if it is very large, usually larger than a grape, your gynecologist may decide to do a different procedure, especially if you have had it drained already. An incision is made in the cyst to drain the fluid that has built up inside. (I have had it done, it is fairly painful, but Tylenol helps and it is worth getting rid of the darn thing)! This, however, is no guarantee that it will never come back OR you can get another one. If it does come back It can be treated again. (The procedure is called marsupialization, from the word that means to make a pouch). Antibiotics may be given to you at this time also.

Sometimes an oral antibiotics is all that is needed to treat a cyst, especially if you catch it early. Remember, it is not necessarily caused from an STD, not most of the time. Let your health care provider know if it does reoccur, don't wait for it to become too large again.



Prevention

You really can't actively prevent them, if you know of a way, let me know. I found that the pressure on that area of my body from riding my bicycle caused my cyst to flare-up. It seems to be more of a case of bad luck than anything else, ask your GYN, that is probably what they will say also. Many women never get one at all. If you do get one (or one on each side), it does tend to come out when you are stressed or 'run down'. If you think you have a Bartholin's gland cyst, call your health care provider right away so you can get early and effective treatment.

Helpful - 0
525697 tn?1213742713
I Am A Virgin, But to day my boy friend wanted to eat me out and i let him... when he was done and he had left my place, i could fell the inter lips of my vagina and it was alil warm and also very swollen, and red, of course the first thing that came to my mind was something is seriously wrong and i really wanted to call and cus him the **** out but then i got on the internet and googled this and found this site, its very confusing because the only thing i can think about is that i dont have sex, so this helped me some but im still confued, any more advice or, help
Singed, Just Dont Understand
Helpful - 0
524159 tn?1215804969
it's mostly friction. come on! you gotta think about it. his pubic area hitting the sensitive tissue of our genitals. when someone gets punched in the eye, the area swells. it's kind of the same thing! i wouldn't worry too much about it.


to KayConfused-

was this your first time to have oral performed on you? if so, then you're probably fine. the skin around our vaginas are VERY, VERY sensitive. and when someone repetitively touches it, brushes it with facial hair, etc, it can get very irritated!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi to all the ladies out there suffering with swollen vaginal lips. i am experiencing something similar andneed some advice, my left vaginal lip has almost doubled in size since having sex with my boyfriend 2 days ago. we are both clear of sti's so i know its not an sti. The sex we had was quite rough so it could be friction but when i examined myself and felt the swollen vaginal lip i notice a lump within the swelling, this is worrieing me a bit, the swelling is quite big and the lump is within the swelling near my clit. could this still be down to rough sex? or could the lump i think i can feel just be swelling?  can anyone help me please.  nikki
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
alright same thing happened with me. Didn't have sex with my boyfriend for about 3 or 4 weeks and then we had really good sex and i had to stop early cause i was feeling sore. so we stopped and layed there for awhile then all of a sudden he flips out cause my lips are tripled the size they usually are. I got scared and googled for help and I found this...

From reading all these posts it looks like this is normal but it ***** to go through, so next time i'm gonna use KY Jelly. I hops everyone heals ok!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had sex with my bf over the weekend and now at home I am noticing that my vagina lips are swollen and it hurts when I pee. It is red where it is swollen but on the inner lip the color is fine. The swelling is just putting it 'out there' It is itchy and that is how I noticed it. I know neither of us have STD's. Any ideas, can anyone help, please????
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
this has happened to me once too. i had to go to the doctor to get some antibiotics for it. some kind of bacterial infection. it usually goes away in a few days
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
im having the same problem  im 17teen and me and my boyfriend have been together for a year we have sex all the time and we both been check so we dont have any thing but after we had sex one day my right lip was real swollen and twice the other one side and it hurts to touch it and it just dont seem normal
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i have and have had it b4 the same thing with the swollen lips i went to the doctors and it actually turned out to be bacterial vaginitus which is kind of like a yeast infection but is more popular it can be caused by tight panties that are not breathable, douching scented bath soap or perfumes there are a few other things that can cause it too but douching is actually a bad thing to do it can cause the bacteria that is supposed to be there for protection to go into over drive hence causing infections. there is medicine that your doctor can prescribe that you use for 3 to 5 days just like for a yeast infection and it goes away.
i hope this helps
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Me and my boyfriend have had sex recently and frequently and never had a problem.
But since yesterday night, my vagina was unbearingly itchy, and today I noticed a white odourless discharge. Also just a few minutes ago I realized I was really sore down there, and I noticed that my left inner labia was slightly swollen.
This has NEVER happened before.
Could this be a yeast infection? Something else?
Any advice?
Please let me know as soon as you can!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi everyone. i have noticed the same problem. this has never happened to me before and i am freaking out.! i dont know if i should go to the doctor or not. my vaginal lips are VERY swollen and they hurt. i cant sit down without pain. me and my boyfriend have been together for 8 months but we havent had sex lately. he fingers me sometimes but nothing like this has ever happened. my clit has like dissapeared from the swelling.. there isnt a smell but there was some discharge about an hour after. when he was finished i had to pee but i didnt notice until i got home. it hurt while he was doing it but it didnt bother me. someone help!  i want my vagina back!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
yer this happpened to me when me n my bf had sex

the swelling and soreness will *** in a couple of days use bath and showers the relax the muscles around the area this will help!!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Women's Health Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Normal vaginal discharge varies in color, smell, texture and amount.
Bumps in the genital area might be STDs, but are usually not serious.
Chlamydia, an STI, often has no symptoms, but must be treated.
From skin changes to weight loss to unusual bleeding, here are 15 cancer warning signs that women tend to ignore.