Why Does the Groin Area Itch? 10 Likely Reasons

Itchy genitals can be one of the most irritating conditions. It’s embarrassing, feels nasty, and often finding the cause and an effective treatment can be challenging.

The itch can vary, sometimes feeling more intense in certain areas or possibly affecting the entire genital region. In addition to or instead of itching, you might also experience moisture, burning, heat, or pain.

This article delves into the potential causes of itching and burning and their remedies.

Poor Intimate Hygiene

If you’re experiencing itching in the groin area, the first step is to take special care of your intimate hygiene.

Minimize the time your groin area remains moist, e.g., shower immediately after exercising and dry thoroughly.
Replace groin-chafing sports activities with something else. For example, switch from running to gym workouts.
Reduce chafing and moisture with KingBalls powder.
Bathe at least once a day using a gentle, fragrance-free shower gel. You could also try using facial cleansers for your groin area.
Consider using talcum powder to keep your groin dry and reduce skin friction.
Change your underwear frequently.
Wear skin-tight, breathable, long-leg boxer briefs designed for sports. Avoid overly thick underwear.
Consider sleeping without underwear.
Remember to wash sheets and towels at least once a week.
The issue could also be excessive dryness in the groin area, in which case you could try using a light moisturizer, switch to a better soap, or wash less frequently. However, be careful not to create excessive moisture that could cause more severe issues.
Keep the pubic hair trimmed.

Itchy Pubic Hair

Pubic hair can cause itchiness and uncomfortable moisture. Long, curly, and coarse hairs in the intimate area can prick and itch the groin and genitals. After a long workday or sports, the groin remains moist due to the excess hair.

Removing or cutting the hair might only exacerbate symptoms, depending on how it’s done.

Shaving pubic hair with a razor can lead to ingrown hairs or folliculitis, causing itchiness and burning in the area. Stubble, which appears a few days after shaving, easily irritates the intimate area. The razor scrapes the skin and can also create small cuts that nobody wants on their genitals. This is normal, and these issues typically resolve on their own without special treatments. However, sometimes folliculitis can become severe, requiring antibiotic ointment.

If you decide to shave your intimate area, it’s advisable to first trim the hair with a pubic hair trimmer. This makes shaving significantly quicker and reduces the likelihood of injuring your skin with the razor blade. The fewer strokes needed with the razor, the less the skin gets irritated.

Waxing and sugaring also cause skin irritation. Normally, this manifests as immediate pain, which eases within a day or two. However, exceptions exist. Especially in men, the hair is often very tightly attached, so waxing can cause longer-lasting pain and small wounds, especially if the same area needs to be waxed multiple times. The same applies to epilation, whether done at home or professionally – an epilator can injure the skin by ripping out tightly attached hairs.

On the other hand, if the pubic hair is abundant, it can also cause problems. Excessive pubic hair keeps the intimate area moist and warm, which is not good and may lead to conditions like jock itch. Long hairs often feel itchy and irritate the skin.

One of the best methods for the skin is to keep the intimate area as neat as possible with scissors. Scissors don’t touch the skin, so there’s no risk of irritation. However, cutting with scissors is laborious, and you need to be careful not to cut yourself. The effort often results in an unsightly finish, and the hairs are still quite long.

The best way to tidy up (or shave off entirely) pubic hair is with a trimmer designed for the intimate area. A good intimate area trimmer doesn’t irritate or cut the skin, and it can trim the hair almost as short as shaving. Best of all, the entire area can be trimmed in seconds, even if the starting condition is like a rainforest. You can also use the trimmer’s guide combs if you prefer to leave the pubic hair a bit longer.

Chafing, Intertrigo, and Abrasions

Chafing in the groin is caused by the legs rubbing together, possibly combined with moisture or irritating fabric. Prolonged rubbing leads to a reddened rash and itching.

Obesity, long-running sessions, and poor intimate hygiene increase the likelihood of chafing and intertrigo.

When you notice chafing, it’s important to reduce the activity that led to it until the symptoms have disappeared. It’s also advisable to follow the hygiene tips listed above.

You can also try switching to long-legged, skin-tight sports boxer briefs, which prevent the skin of the groin from rubbing and allow the skin to breathe through light fabric. Another option is to use KingBalls powder, designed for the groin fold.

If the issue does not quickly improve on its own, it’s recommended to see a doctor to prevent the chafing from causing, for example, jock itch or turning into a chronic issue.

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Rashes can also appear in the groin without a clear cause. You can try switching to different underwear (preferably skin-tight and long) or washing your underwear with a different detergent, but if the rash does not start to improve on its own or worsens, it’s recommended to see a doctor. Normally, a doctor prescribes corticosteroids, which should quickly resolve the issues. A light moisturizer or Aloe Vera gel may also alleviate symptoms.

Sometimes, atopic dermatitis can occur alongside a yeast infection (e.g., jock itch). In these cases, simply solving the yeast infection won’t help, and the symptoms continue despite the yeast infection clearing. Corticosteroids are also needed in this case. An experienced dermatologist can prescribe anti-yeast medication in addition to creams that reduce inflammation if needed.

If the itching feels more like burning or heat and possibly the scrotum also feels moist and hot, and if treatments recommended by the doctor (e.g., cortisone, antifungal, or steroid creams) have not worked or symptoms recur after ending corticosteroid use, it’s recommended to try topical calcineurin inhibitors. Calcineurin inhibitors are also used for chronic itching caused by the use of steroids/corticosteroids and Red Scrotum Syndrome (RSS). Dupilumab may also help.

Psoriasis Can Also Occur in the Groin

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. Symptoms include well-defined, thickened, red, or flaky patches on the skin. Psoriasis often appears in fold areas, such as the groin, and often manifests at the site of skin injuries.

Laypeople might confuse psoriasis with normal dermatitis or, for example, a yeast infection. However, a dermatologist can usually assess by eye whether it’s psoriasis or something else.

Corticosteroids and moisturizing creams can be used for psoriasis symptoms. Sun exposure also helps, though it’s challenging in the groin area. If you suspect psoriasis, it’s worth consulting with a dermatologist, as symptoms often recur.

Yeast Infection and Jock Itch (Tinea Cruris)

If your groin itches and reddens, and the issue doesn’t go away, a likely cause is jock itch (“Jock itch” or officially tinea cruris), caused by Candida fungus. Jock itch is particularly common in overweight individuals and athletes because, in both cases, the groin remains moist for long periods, and the skin of the groin chafes.

You can prevent chafing and moisture in the groin with KingBalls powder, which also eases symptoms caused by jock itch. It’s also important to maintain intimate hygiene. If you are overweight, losing weight helps in the long term, especially in the case of jock itch, as the condition tends to recur easily.

A jock itch diagnosis can be confirmed by taking a sample from the outermost layer of the infected skin (scraping test). However, getting the final test results usually takes time. Normally, a doctor can assess with a good degree of certainty whether it’s jock itch or not by visual inspection.

The best treatment for jock itch is Terbinafine- (Lamisil), Clotrimazole (Canesten)-, or Bifonazole (Canesten O.D.) cream. The treatment typically lasts about a month because the fungus needs to be thoroughly eliminated. However, symptoms usually improve within a week of starting treatment. In severe cases, a doctor may also prescribe oral antifungal medications. Unfortunately, recurrence of fungal dermatitis is quite common. In such cases, you can use antifungal creams for a few days as soon as you notice symptoms, which should then disappear.

If symptoms do not improve with topical cream or frequently recur, you may have another disease in addition to fungal dermatitis, such as Red Scrotum Syndrome (RSS), dermatitis caused by corticosteroids, or atopic dermatitis.

See pictures of jock itch.

Read the study “What is the best way to treat tinea cruris?”, VOL 55, NO 3 / MARCH 2006 THE JOURNAL OF FAMILY PRACTICE, Dana Nadalo, MD, Cathy Montoya, MLS.

Bacterial Infection (Erythrasma)

A bacterial infection can also occur in the groin, although it is less common than fungal dermatitis.

Erythrasma is a superficial bacterial skin infection that causes brown, scaly skin changes. It is caused by the Corynebacterium minutissimum bacteria, which is actually a bacterium normally present on the skin. Symptoms are particularly common in overweight individuals, where the groin chafes.

The bacterial infection can be diagnosed by a doctor. Often, an experienced dermatologist can guess by looking whether it is a bacterial infection. If the diagnosis is uncertain, it can be tested, for example, with Wood’s lamp. The dermatologist exposes the affected skin to black light, and if the skin glows coral red, it is likely a bacterial infection.

Improve Intimate Hygiene

KingBalls powder prevents chafing and moisture in the groin, as well as cools the genitals.

Keep your intimate area hair well-groomed and order your KingBalls trimmer now. The trimmer is especially gentle on the skin but cuts hair efficiently. By keeping the hair short, you keep the intimate area hygienic. Thus, you alleviate and prevent itching in the groin and other problems.

Remember to disinfect the trimmer after each use if you have itching in the groin or other symptoms.