What is neurodermatitis in the genital area?
Neurodermatitis is also known as atopic dermatitis. It is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can occur in many different parts of the body, including the intimate and genital areas. The intimate area is not one of the main manifestations of atopic dermatitis, but it is exposed to several trigger factors that can trigger the skin disease.
The main symptoms are itching, dry skin and a rash called eczema. The disease often manifests itself in childhood. In many cases the condition improves during puberty. However, adults can also be affected by the skin disease.
Causes
The cause of neurodermatitis has not been conclusively clarified. However, it is known that an immunological sensitization is present. Certain trigger factors can trigger the symptoms of skin diseases.
For example, textiles, excessive sweating or intensive skin cleansing can lead to skin irritations. These are also triggers that can lead to neurodermatitis symptoms in the genital area. Particularly overweight people are predisposed, as they have fat-induced skin folds in which sweat and heat can accumulate.
Associated symptoms
The main symptom of neurodermatitis is itching. The skin is often dry, which can make the itching even worse. Frequent scratching often leads to open skin areas, which can become infected and inflamed by the penetration of bacteria.
The skin lesions can occur in different parts of the body, the most common localizations differ in different age groups. In children, for example, the head, face and extensor sides of the arms and legs can be affected, whereas adults are more likely to suffer from skin lesions on the flexor sides and neck. In the course of the disease, the skin may thicken and coarsen, a so-called lichenification.
Numerous other symptoms can occur in the course of neurodermatitis. For example, cracks may appear at the corners of the mouth or fine scales may form on the toe and fingertips. The symptomatology can be very variable, but the itching is always in the foreground as a continuous symptom.
As mentioned above, itching is the most prominent symptom of neurodermatitis. Especially in the genital area this can lead to a high level of suffering. In addition, the risk of infection increases with frequent scratching, which can be particularly problematic in the genital area, as numerous bacteria occur naturally in this region. If these enter the bloodstream via an open skin area, this can lead to an infection with fever, which must be treated with antibiotics. It is therefore important not to scratch if it is itchy, but to cool the skin or use creams that are less pruritic.
