What causes itchy inner thighs? Get insights on the causes of itch on thighs and buttocks, painful bumps between legs in female and male, home remedies and how to get rid of itching on thighs fast.
What Causes Itchy inner Thighs
There can be many causes, some are mild, while others are very serious.
In order to decide whether bumps on your inner thighs are serious or not, you need to understand when they began to show up, whether or not there are associated symptoms, and whether or not they disappear without treatment.
The following are the major causes:
- Friction
Friction can happen when the thighs rub together. The friction results in irritation of the skin of the inner thighs, leading to itchiness. The irritation can cause a heat rash called miliara. Irritated skin often leads to blockage of the sweat glands and the formation of pink, red or white bumps.
Common symptoms are itching or a prickly feeling in thighs. Sometimes this can be painful. It is more likely to occur if you live in a humid or hot climate but anytime the thighs rub together, bumps due to friction can occur.
Treatment: The best treatment for friction bumps on inner thighs is to wash the area gently with water and allow it to dry completely. Then put on something greasy like petroleum jelly. If the area is extremely swollen, painful, crusted over or bleeding, the doctor may recommend some type of medicated ointment to heal the bumps.
If you can, rest as much as you can so you don’t rub your thighs together very much. Ongoing friction will cause worsened symptoms and the bumps can become infected. If this is the case, oral antibiotics or topical antibiotics may be indicated.
- Hidradentis Suppurativa
This is a condition that involves having itchy inner thighs resulting to red bumps that will open up and leak pus. It occurs when dead skin cells and oil build up and block the hair follicles leading to bacterial infection.
It can also be related to smoking, heredity or weight gain. The main symptoms include having red bumps, blackheads, a bad odor and pus on the inner thighs.
Treatment: The main treatment is to wash your thighs carefully and practice good hygiene. If you lose weight, you will get them less. Try to wear loose clothing and apply warm compresses when they become too big of a problem.
- Folliculitis
Folliculitis, similar to hydradentis suppurativa, results in itchy thighs that have red bumps because several kinds of bacteria in the hair follicles cause follicles to become inflamed. The main symptoms are itchy and painful boils on the inner thighs.
Treatment: The main treatment involves the application of anti-fungal or anti-bacterial cream to get rid of the infection. If you have a mild case of folliculitis, the symptoms often disappear without any treatment.
- Abscess
An abscess can be caused by staph aureus bacteria which infiltrate the skin resulting in pain, skin swelling, warmth, redness and cysts developing characterized by itchy inner thighs.
Treatment: The main treatment for abscesses is to apply a warm compress to the affected area and take antibiotics. The abscess may need to be lanced by doctor. Elevating the leg will help reduce swelling of the affected area.
- Warts
Warts are caused by a virus that infiltrates the skin causing itchiness. The main symptoms are dry red bumps that can feel scaly.
Treatment: There is medication you can use to get rid of warts and the doctor can freeze off or burn off the warts, thus destroying them so that they go away.
- STDs
STDs can be a cause of red bumps that are itchy inner thighs. Herpes infections and syphilis are two of them, which can yield headaches, angry blisters, tiredness, fever, chills and total body aches.
- Jock Itch
Jock itch is a fungal infection found almost exclusively in males. It can lead to groin itching that spreads to the thighs. The main finding is a rash consisting of red bumps and itchy inner thighs. The rash can spread if not treated. In rare cases, it can be seen in women but it is not considered a sexually transmitted condition.
Treatment: The main treatment is washing the affected area with soap and water to cleanse it before putting on an antifungal cream on the area where the rash is and a bit beyond the borders of the rash.
If you do not get resolution of your symptoms after a week, seek the advice of your doctor.
- Tumor
If you experience bumps that are growing under your skin at a rapid rate, it could mean that these are metastatic tumors. You should see your doctor as soon as you can.
If the bumps on inner thighs are from tumors and are not treated, this could lead to a life-threatening situation, even if they are not the result of cancer. Tumors can spread easily if they come close to bone or to blood vessels.
Treatment: The treatment may rely on what type of tumor it is. Some tumors respond to chemotherapy and will shrink without surgery, while others need to be excised through the use of surgery.
Itchy Bumps on inner Thighs and Buttocks
In general, itchy bumps on buttocks is normally defined as the plugged pores, pimples and the cysts (that goes deeper under the skin than the pimples) that happen on the face, neck, upper arms and the upper back or even the chest.
Sometimes referred to as an outbreak of the bumps on buttocks is normally brought about by one of the two fairly usual problems:
This is the inflammation of the hair follicle, which may happen anywhere on the body. It doesn’t have to be from the ingrown hair as asserted by doctors. Instead it may be due to friction from the clothing that is very tight or the bacterial infection.
Doctors also describes the condition as very shallow little pus bumps and then also explains that the folliculitis is more likely to be much itchy or even irritating than painful.
They feel more like the painful knots of pus under the skin, something close to an acne cyst. They may happen when the folliculitis gets out of control and begins to become a deeper kind of infection making it itchy inner thighs or buttocks.
Itchy Bumps on Buttocks STD
Highly contagious, genital herpes is brought about by a type of the herpes simplex virus that enters the body through the small breaks in the skin or mucous membranes. Many people who have HSV do not know they have it, as they have no signs and symptoms or they are so mild and thus they go unnoticed.
Painful Itchy Bumps on Buttocks
Bacteria and the fungi feed on the dead skin cells and the debris and thus infect a clogged pore. They may also infect the follicle through an abrasion after you scratch the itchy, inflamed itchy bump on buttocks.
The more common infecting organisms are:
- Staphylococcus aureus is the most common skin bacteria, is also a frequent reason of folliculitis. These bacteria live in the nose, so you can infect the skin if you pick your nose and scratch the bum.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the other hand is a less common infecting bacterium. It is usually picked up in a contaminated, under-chlorinated swimming pools and spas. With this type of infection, there are normally multiple red bumps on buttocks, back and other areas that darken as they heal.
- Pityrosporum ovale is common skin yeast, can infect hair follicles and lead to folliculitis, though they happen more commonly on the upper chest and back than on the buttocks.
- Candida is skin yeast, can lead to a skin rash or a pimple if it infects the follicle.
Other Potential Causes
In addition to the infection, other potential causes of the dark bumps on buttocks are:
- Skin trauma that emanates from sitting for a long time
- Rubbing or even scratching the bum
- Sleeping naked on a dirty bed linen that may have bacteria and fungi
- Long-term use of the steroids (creams, oral or injections)
- Moisture and bacteria that is trapped under surgical tape used to cover a wound
- Allergic reactions to products, environmental factors, or drug exposure
Reasons for Rash on inner Thighs in Female
Rashes on inner thighs are quite often in females but these rashes can also occur as a result of serious health issues that may demand urgent intervention.
For example, it has been observed that itchy inner thigh female is as a result of rash that is mostly an after-effect of an allergic response. Other causes include physical irritation, serious itching due to poor physical or genital hygiene and related factors.
As sweat accumulates on the inner thighs, the risk of getting infections and rash increases significantly. Along with infections, a disagreeable odor is also a major problem that may presents with rash on the inner thigh.
Here are the possible causes:
- Bad Clothing
Clothing prepared from materials which are synthetic in nature or prepared from chemical products (that are capable of inducing an allergic response in the human body) such as use of rubber and latex in preparation of clothing can significantly induce rash on thighs.
- Sweat Rash
Sweat rash groin may develop due to excessive sweating. The sweat contains bacteria which are known to induce or worsen an allergic response to cause localized redness, rash and discomfort.
- Insect Bites
Small bumps or rashes may appear after an insect bite such as bed bugs, mosquito, or ants bites. Although such rashes are not very long lasting and disappears on their own after few hours, the rashes may cause significant itching and discomfort.
- Fungal Infection
Fungal infections such as jock itch are caused by tinea cruris, and are characterized by severe itching and redness on rash hence resulting to itchy inner thighs. These rashes sometimes turn into blisters which secretes water like secretions.
- Heat Rash
Heat rash is a condition that is characterized by the blockage of sweat glands which results in the accumulation of sweat beneath the skin layers. This inability of sweat to get excreted can also produce heat rash.
- Shaving
Itchy rash may also develop as an after-effect of shaving the skin with razor. Small bumps are usually observed which are termed as pruritic spots hence stimulating itchy inner thighs. If not treated on time or in the absence of optimal hygienic conditions, these spots may develop into blisters.
- Activities Like Jogging and Cycling
Physical activities in which thighs are involved such as cycling and jogging result in heat rash inner thigh male due to friction (in case the sweat glands are blocked) or due to excessive sweating.
If not treated on time, the rash may turn into blisters, leading to inflammation of follicles called folliculitis thus resulting also to itchy inner thighs.
- Contact Dermatitis
Use of certain fabric, chemical exposure, lotions, soap and creams can cause inflammation in skin layers, which is presented with rash and itching, termed as contact dermatitis. The allergic response initiates when the irritant comes in contact with skin layers thus itchy inner thighs.
Contact dermatitis is mostly presented with skin sores associated with itching and rash; in severe cases, blister may also appear.
- Atopic Dermatitis
Eczema, commonly called as atopic dermatitis is characterized by rash due to hypersensitivity reactions on the skin. This condition gets worse if the person is suffering from dry skin problem or allergy along with atopic dermatitis.
If scratched, the rash may turn into sores and blisters which are extremely painful.
- Allergies
A generalized rash may appear as a result of food allergy or allergy due to medications. Some of the common ingredients that induce a hypersensitive reaction include peanuts, eggs, some sea-foods, etc.
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Different sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, warts, and herpes are represented by rashes on lower pelvis involving the thighs. Rash appears as a result of STDs and require serious medical attention and appropriate treatment for prevention and care.
How to manage rashes on inner thighs of women:
- Olive oil is effective for reducing the redness caused by rash.
- Application of cold compress or washing the area frequently with cold water also helps soothe the skin.
- Topical application of aloe Vera has good anti-bacterial properties and has been used as a proven remedy for rash management.
- Skin irritability caused by rash can be eliminated with the regular use of chamomile tea.
- Mixture of honey with apple cider vinegar has been proven effective against allergies.
- Try to wear loose and breathable clothes during hot humid weather, especially at night.
- Use anti-fungal creams in case of fungal infections.
- Keep the thigh and reproductive areas completely dry after shower.
- Vitamin C agents such as citrus fruits must be added in diet in order to improve the immunity against infections and allergies.
Home Remedy for itching between Thighs
People pay a lot of attention to the face, hands as well as the legs, but we usually forget about the butt and thighs. That’s why it reminds us to take care of them with irritations and pimples.
Here are home cure for itching between thighs:
- Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties that can effectively treat jock itch along with other types of skin infections. It also has deep cleansing and stimulating elements along with a powerful antibacterial quality thereby reducing itching between thighs.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Washing the infected skin with diluted apple cider vinegar is a great way to deal with itching between thighs. Apple cider vinegar has strong antifungal and antibacterial properties to cure and control various skin infections.
- Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is another effective home remedy for jock itch because it kills the fungus causing the infection. Plus, being a drying agent, it helps keep the affected area dry; fungi thrive in warm, moist environments.
- Listerine
Listerine is an excellent home remedy for fungal infections like jock itch and athlete’s foot, thanks to its antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties.
- White Vinegar
White vinegar can also help greatly in dealing with a skin infection like jock itch as it has antifungal and antiseptic properties.
- Bleach
Bleach has antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties that help treat itching between thighs.
- Onion
Due to its antifungal, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, onion can easily kill the fungus that causes jock itch or athlete’s foot and bring relief.
- Salt Bath
A salt water bath is one of the easiest ways to resolve jock itch. Salt helps control the growth of the fungus and will help the infection heal quickly. It can also be effective in treating boils and blisters. You can use Epsom salts, bath salts or just table salt.
- Garlic
Garlic is a great ingredient for treating jock itch due to its antifungal properties. It can also relieve itching and pain.
- Honey
The antiseptic, antifungal and soothing properties of honey can be of great help in getting rid of jock itch. Manuka honey, in particular, is excellent for fungal infections causing jock itch, nail fungus or ringworm.
Itching between Legs in Female Meaning
Having rash on inner thighs is a symptom and not a disease or a health ailment. Rash is a condition of the skin wherein it becomes red, inflamed and itchy. The rashes can happen at any site of the body but here we shall talk about rashes in inner thighs that carry its own significance.
- rashes due to contact
If the portion of thighs has been exposed to something irritating and allergic, the rash may happen as response. Contact dermatitis or skin inflammation is due to adverse reaction to something that is allergic to your skin.
- Allergy
Allergic food and/or medication can substantially cause rashes on inner thighs along with other sites of the body. While it is difficult to know which food can create allergic response, some common foods include avocado, peanut, shellfish, strawberry that are known to cause rashes on the body including inner thighs.
- Diseases
Other than allergic substances and chemicals, there are some health ailments known to cause rashes on the body and so on the inner thighs. Psoriasis, impetigo and eczema are few of the diseases that are known to produce rashes or skin eruption.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
These are rare but when occur bother the patient most. Genital herpes is one of such health ailments that can cause rashes on thighs. Herpes simplex virus (genital herpes) causes infection and brings other symptoms as well.
Rash on inner Thigh near Groin
Itching of the groin is as common as itching anywhere on the body. For most of us it is an occasional itch that quickly subsides and is not a persistent problem. An itchy groin is often more distressing than itching elsewhere on the body largely due to social component of it being unacceptable to scratch or touch the groin in public.
However, many of the same causes of itching at other sites of the body are also responsible for an itchy groin except for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) which are often isolated to the groin area.
There are a number of reasons for an itchy groin, some of which are unique to this area of the body specifically even without any underlying disease. However, persistent itching and the presence of a skin rash are indicative of some underlying disease where the itch and rash are symptoms of the condition.
The numerous skin folds of the genitalia, between the thigh and torso coupled with the body hair creates an environment where sweat, dead skin cells and germs thrive. This further contributes to itching.
There is a number of different causes of an itchy groin. It is a symptom of some underlying problem usually involving the skin of the groin region. Although an itchy groin is not always due to skin diseases, persistent itching with constant or recurring skin rashes is unlikely due to lifestyle factors like poor personal hygiene that may cause an itchy groin.
Some of the more common causes of an itchy groin includes:
- Personal Hygiene
Poor daily hygiene is one of the major contributors to itching. The accumulation of sweat, dead skin cells, bacteria, fungi and sometimes even urine and fecal particles in the groin region collectively act as an irritant to the skin.
It may not pose a problem within a short period but if a person skips bathing frequently or does not wash the groin area thoroughly, it can lead to itching, skin rashes and even infections.
- Exposure to irritants.
Apart from the natural body secretions and excretions irritating the skin, a host of other substances can also act as irritants and cause itchiness Soaps, shampoos, body lotions and creams are some of the common substances that can pose a problem.
Most people do not experience any irritation and itching with using these products but hypersensitive individuals may react severely with exposure to these products.
- Skin infections and sexually transmitted infections.
A host of different species of bacteria and fungi can cause an infection of the skin in the groin region. Some viruses like varicella zoster (chickenpox virus) may also be responsible. Itching is a common symptom with these infections.
Normally bacteria and fungi do not infect the skin unless there are breaks in the skin. Scratching and chaffing of the skin in the groin are the two most common ways that breaks occur.
- Lice and Scabies
Lice and scabies are parasitic infestations that can cause an itchy skin. Sometimes these parasites may affect the groin. Different lice can affect different parts of the body. Pubic lice, commonly known as crabs, specifically affect the groin region.
The tiny Phthiriasis pubis insect clings to the pubic hairs and feeds off the host which causes itching of the skin. Pubic lice infestation also causes sores on the genitalia along with tiny blue-gray marks known as macula cerulae.
- Groin Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition where thickened plaques develop as a result of overgrowth of the skin. It can occur anywhere on the body and may sometimes affect the groin region.
Psoriasis can be a very itchy skin condition and scratching often does not fully relieve the itching. The type of psoriasis that is more likely to occur in the groin region is inverse psoriasis. The skin rash in inverse psoriasis is bright red, shiny and smooth to the touch.
- Groin Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis can affect any part of the body including the groin. There are two types of contact dermatitis – allergic and irritant. Allergic contact dermatitis arises in people who are hypersensitive to certain substances which are otherwise harmless
Rash on inner Thigh due to STD
These are rare but when occur bother the patient most. Genital herpes is one of such health ailments that can cause rashes on thighs. Herpes simplex virus (genital herpes) causes infection and brings other symptoms as well.
HPV infection is one of the most common types of STIs. Some forms put women at high risk of cervical cancer. HPV usually has no signs or symptoms. The signs and symptoms of genital warts include:
- Small, flesh-colored or gray swellings in your genital area
- Several warts close together that take on a cauliflower shape
- Itching or discomfort in your genital area
- Bleeding with intercourse
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are all contagious viral infections that affect your liver. Hepatitis B and C are the most serious of the three, but each can cause your liver to become inflamed. Some people never develop signs or symptoms.
Syphilis is a bacterial infection. The disease affects your genitals, skin and mucous membranes, but it can also involve many other parts of your body, including your brain and your heart.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a severe STD which can compromise the body’s ability to fight off viruses. The initial symptoms of HIV include:
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Rash
Genital herpes is a highly contagious form of the herpes simplex virus. It can enter the body through small breaks in mucous membranes or the skin. However, when symptoms do occur, they manifest in the following ways:
- Pain or itching in the genital area, inner thighs or buttocks
- Small red bumps, blisters or open sores in the genital area
Tinea cruris, also known as crotch itch, crotch rot, Dhobie itch, eczema marginatum, gym itch, jock itch, and ringworm of the groin in American English is a dermatophyte fungal infection of the groin region in either sex, though more often seen in males.
Jock itch occurs when a particular type of fungus grows and spreads in the groin area. The fungus that causes jock itch thrives in warm, moist areas. Tinea cruris can be triggered by friction from clothes and prolonged wetness in the groin area, such as from sweating.
Symptoms of Tinea Cruris
- Itching in groin, thigh skin folds, or anus
- Red, raised, scaly patches that may blister and ooze
- Abnormally dark or light skin
Home Treatment using Ayurvedic method for Tinea Cruris
Jock itch usually responds to self-care within a couple of weeks:
- Don’t wear clothing that rubs and irritates the area.
- Keep the skin clean and dry.
- ONETIME application of Cassia alata leaf extract (paste) over the infected regions will be enough to get rid of pityriasis versicolor for a maximum period of nine months.
- If you cannot find above leaf in your area, you can pick up few neem leaves, make their paste with water and add some turmeric to it.
Jock itch usually responds promptly to treatment. It is often less severe than other tinea infections, but May last a long time.Infection usually stays around the creases in the upper thigh and does not involve the scrotum or penis.Jock itch may spread to the anus, causing anal itching and discomfort.
How to get rid of itchy inner Thighs
Itchy inner thighs normally results to small red bumps camped around the hair follicle. It comes when dead skin cells and other bacteria enter and gets trapped in the follicle, leading to bumps to form. Often this can be brought about by shaving, clogged pores due to heavy lotions or creams, or wearing clothes that rub or irritate the skin.
Here are the basic cures for itchy inner thighs to a person suffering from it:
- Apply a topical ointment or lotion after showering.
Find an ointment that has benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or alpha hydroxyl acid. Most of these are found over the counter from brands such as Proactive. You may want to try a lotion that was scientifically made for this purpose of getting rid of bumps on buttocks.
Butt Acne Clearing Lotion by Green Heart Labs. Even many types of toothpaste have some form of the peroxide that can be used to treat bumps on buttocks if nothing else is found for you.
- Take antibiotics.
Some types of pimples might require antibiotic treatment that is in pill form. Ask the doctor about which antibiotic prescription is good for the condition.
- Get a steroid injection.
If you have very large cystic pimples that are extremely painful, you can resort to a steroid injection. These may reduce the size and pain of a pimple in less than one day.
- Get sun on your thighs
If you have a private backyard or a nude beach nearby, let your buns soak up a little sun on a warm day. The sun naturally assists to dry up any excess oil.
- Make sure to apply a non-comedogenic sunscreen beforehand to avoid any sunburn.
- Only use this particular method once in a while. Too much sun is very damaging to the skin.
Treatment of itchy bumps on thighs
In most cases dark pimples on the buttocks can heal without any treatment. If they don’t, you can easily treat them using home remedies and over-the-counter medicines. Sometimes you may require a combination of treatments or to be treated by the doctor.
You can use any of medicines over the counter in addition to home remedies to treat bumps on inner thighs. Use until bumps heal which may take only very few days. Apply the products to a clean, dry skin. Massage in gently and thoroughly.