Dr Margaret answers emailers’ embarrassing problems
in this monthly problem page.

Penile rash, rectal prolapse and other problems

Dear Dr Margaret
I feel very embarrassed because I have dark skin in the vagina area and between my legs. I am healthy and I do not have any medical problem. I want to know a name of very effective tested medicine to whiten the area of my vagina and between my legs.

It is normal for the skin to be darker in the vaginal area and around the anal area between the buttocks, so you should not be worrying about it. I do not know the names of any skin bleaches and I would not recommend that you use them. The skin in that area is sensitive and you could easily cause a nasty reaction.

Dear Dr Margaret
I have what seems to be to be a rash on my penis. It is not on my testicles and covers my penis about halfway up the shaft to the head. It seems to have what I can only compare to blisters on it, and it itches and is very tender to the touch. I have had no irregular discharge and it does not hurt when I urinate. What do you think my problem is and what should I do to treat it?

We receive a lot of emails about skin problems like yours, but I cannot provide a helpful answer. To make a diagnosis, a skin rash needs to be examined by a doctor (wherever it is on the body). So see your doctor, or visit your local sexual health (genitourinary medicine) clinic. If the idea of going to the clinic worries you, look at our section on Visiting a Sexual Health Clinic.

Dear Dr Margaret
I have never had sexual contact with anyone (I am only 14), but I have a burning sensation when I go to the toilet and feel I need to go more often than I do. I have looked at many information sites on gonorrhoea, but I do not see how I could have caught it. I have had the pain several times before and it went away each time.

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection, so I think you can safely cross it off your list. You may be having episodes of urine infection (cystitis), which is not sexually transmitted – see our section on Cystitis in women for more information. You need to see your doctor for a urine test. If the test is clear, your doctor will consider other reasons for your symptoms.

Dear Dr Margaret
One of my vaginal lips is larger than the other. Is this normal? I am worried about how they look – like folds of wrinkled skin.

The vaginal lips can be all sorts of shapes and sizes. Most people’s bodies are not symmetrical and it is perfectly normal for one vaginal lip to be larger than the other (just like lots of people have one foot slightly larger than the other). The inner vaginal lips do not have much fatty tissue in them, so they do often look like folds of wrinkled skin.

Dear Dr Margaret
I am 13 and I haven't started my periods yet. I was wondering, is it all right to wear a sanitary towel at night? I am really worried as I don’t know what to do.

Yes, women wear sanitary towels during the night, because menstrual blood continues to flow during the night, although the flow is usually less than during the day.

Dear Dr Margaret
I am female aged 58 and have been advised that I will require an operation to rectify a rectal prolapse. I know what the operation will involve but I am concerned that the after effects, both short term and long term, may be worse than the discomfort I am having now. Ideally, I would like to be put in touch with someone of similar age who has undergone the operation recently.

Although you know about the operation, you might like to look at a previous problem shared on rectal prolapse, which contains a link to a US government website describing the condition. I can understand that you feel like talking to someone who has had the operation, but the problem is that their experience might not be typical. Your surgeon is the expert and should answer all your questions. If you will not be seeing your surgeon again before the operation, you could write to him/her with your specific queries. Unless it is an emergency, I don’t think that anyone should undergo surgery with unanswered questions in their mind, and I am sure your surgeon would agree.

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