Question: I visited my doctor yesterday to receive treatment for a hemorrhoid, and during the exam he noticed something else. He said I had a labial "something" - I can't remember what he called it, but he said that my labia was trying to grow together. He gave me some Premarin cream to put on the area and said that I would have to use it for a long time, but it beat the alternative of having surgery and having it "snipped." Imagine my shock! I am 27 and married, and he said he usually sees this in children. I was so embarrassed, scared, and shocked, so I left without asking a lot of questions. I wish now that I had asked questions, but at the time I was too traumatized to do anything but leave. I looked at myself in a mirror and didn't see anything strange looking about my genitals. Maybe they have always been this way. Please help me! What causes this, and why did it happen to me? Any response would be greatly appreciated.Answer: Labial fusion or agglutination occurs most commonly in young girls or postmenopausal women. It is where the inner labia or lips start to fuse together, in part or totally. It is thought to be caused by estrogen deficiencies, that is why it is most commonly found affecting preadolescent girls and postmenopausal women. The adhesion could have formed when you were a young girl and gone unnoticed. The common treatment is indeed the use of an estrogen cream. I would not be too concerned or embarrassed by this medical problem. If it is the result of low estrogen levels you had no way of preventing it.
Premarin is an estrogen obtained from the urine of pregnant mares; doctors commonly prescribe it. If possible, ask your doctor for a form of estrogen that is a closer match to your own, human, estrogen.
I would be concerned about the current state of your hormone levels. Please insist that your doctor check your hormone levels with the appropriate blood tests. You may have to fight to get this done, depending on your doctor(s). If your estrogen levels are already low at twenty-seven, you could face other medical problems in the coming years. Are you taking Depo Provera by chance? This birth control method suppresses estrogen production. Please read the information about this in the Health section of the website.
Proper hygiene is very important. Every time you bath be sure to rinse your vulva with plain water using your fingers. Slip your fingers between your labia and move them around. Be sure to retract the hood of your clitoris and wash under it too, if possible. Masturbation and partner sex also should help. I link to an article about labia fusion on the links page, under Childhood Sexuality.