Can patients with vulvitis have sexual intercourse?

In general, whether sexual intercourse is permissible during vulvitis depends on the specific condition of the inflammation. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly. The details are as follows:

If vulvitis is in an acute phase, with obvious symptoms such as redness, swelling, itching, pain, or even ulcers and abnormal discharge, sexual intercourse should be avoided. At this stage, the skin and mucous membranes of the vulva are fragile and sensitive; friction during intercourse may worsen mucosal damage, increase pain, potentially spread the infection, or transmit it to a partner, thus hindering recovery.

However, after standardized treatment, if all symptoms have completely resolved and medical examination confirms that the inflammation has been cured, sexual activity can be resumed. At this point, the vulvar skin and mucosa have returned to normal without redness, swelling, itching, or other discomforts, so intercourse will not cause additional harm or trigger recurrence or cross-infection.

During the course of vulvitis, it's important to maintain cleanliness and dryness of the vulva, wear loose-fitting, breathable cotton underwear, and avoid using irritating cleansers. Medications should be taken strictly as prescribed, without stopping or adjusting dosage independently. If the infection has not fully healed, partners should be informed clearly to avoid intercourse. Even after resuming sexual activity, good hygiene practices before and after intercourse should be maintained to reduce the risk of recurrent inflammation.