Vulvar “pimples” are extremely common and usually harmless. Most are caused by irritated or infected hair follicles, ingrown hairs, or blocked oil glands, all of which resolve on their own. Less often, bumps in this area turn out to be cysts, viral infections, or signs of a chronic skin condition. Understanding what’s behind yours helps you decide whether to treat it at home or get it checked.
Folliculitis: The Most Common Cause
The vulva is covered in hair follicles, and those follicles can become inflamed or infected just like anywhere else on the body. This is called folliculitis, and it’s usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria entering a follicle that’s been irritated by friction, sweat, or grooming. The result looks and feels like a classic pimple: a round, red bump that may develop a white or yellow head filled with pus.
Risk factors go beyond shaving. Tight clothing that traps heat and moisture, sitting for long periods, sweating during exercise, and even using unsanitized hot tubs can all trigger folliculitis. People with diabetes, weakened immune systems, or a history of acne or dermatitis are more prone to it. Fungal infections can also cause folliculitis, though bacterial causes are far more common.
Ingrown Hairs and Hair Removal
If you remove pubic hair, bumps are almost expected. In a study of 333 women who practiced pubic hair removal, 60% had experienced at least one skin complication from grooming. About a third reported ingrown hairs specifically. Ingrown hairs happen when a shaved or waxed hair curls back into the skin instead of growing outward, creating a firm, sometimes painful bump that can look identical to a pimple. Among women who stopped removing pubic hair altogether, the most common reason (cited by 41%) was disliking the side effects: stubble, bumps, rashes, and ingrown hairs.
Shaving is the biggest offender because it creates a sharp hair tip that easily re-enters the skin, but waxing and other removal methods cause ingrown hairs too. If you notice bumps appearing a day or two after grooming and concentrated in areas you shaved, ingrown hairs are the likely culprit.
Bartholin’s Cysts
Not every bump on the vulva is a pimple. Bartholin’s glands are two small glands located on either side of the vaginal opening that produce lubricating fluid. When a gland’s duct gets blocked, fluid backs up and forms a cyst. These cysts appear specifically at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions near the vaginal opening, which is a key way to identify them.
Bartholin’s cysts feel like round, firm lumps under the skin of the labia. They can range from pea-sized to as large as a golf ball. Small ones are often painless and may go unnoticed. Larger ones or those that become infected (forming an abscess) can be very painful and may need to be drained by a healthcare provider. Unlike a surface pimple, these sit deeper beneath the skin and won’t have a visible white head.
Fordyce Spots and Other Normal Variations
Some bumps on the vulva aren’t pimples at all. They’re a normal part of your anatomy. Fordyce spots are tiny, pinhead-sized, whitish-to-yellowish papules caused by visible oil glands beneath the skin’s surface. They’re painless, don’t itch, and don’t change much over time. They can appear in clusters and are completely benign. Many people have them without ever noticing.
Skin tags, small cysts from blocked sweat glands, and sebaceous cysts (from blocked oil glands) can also appear on the vulva and look like pimples. If a bump has been there for a long time, hasn’t changed, and doesn’t hurt, it’s likely one of these harmless variations.
Herpes vs. Pimples: How to Tell the Difference
One of the biggest fears behind this search is usually “could this be herpes?” The two look different when you know what to compare. Genital pimples are round, may have a white or yellow pus-filled head, and tend to appear alone or in small random groupings. They show up in hair-bearing areas and don’t cause much pain unless irritated. They develop beneath the skin and become more noticeable as they fill with pus.
Herpes sores start as tiny, clear or reddish fluid-filled blisters that form in clusters with a shiny, wet appearance. They burst into shallow, painful ulcers with a red base and yellowish or grayish center, then crust over into scabs as they heal. Unlike pimples, herpes sores often appear on mucous membranes like the inner labia or in areas without pubic hair, and they tend to return in the same spots during future outbreaks. A tingling or burning sensation before the sores appear is another hallmark of herpes that pimples don’t share.
When Bumps Keep Coming Back
An occasional vulvar pimple is normal. Bumps that keep recurring in the same areas, especially in skin folds like the groin, may signal hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). This chronic inflammatory condition typically starts with a single, painful lump under the skin that persists for weeks or months. It develops in areas where skin rubs together: the groin, armpits, buttocks, and under the breasts.
Over time, HS lumps heal slowly, come back, and can lead to tunnels forming under the skin and permanent scarring. Small paired blackheads in pitted skin are another characteristic sign. If you’ve been dealing with deep, painful bumps in your groin or vulvar area that don’t resolve in a few weeks or keep returning after treatment, HS is worth discussing with a dermatologist. Early treatment can prevent progression.
Red Flags Worth Checking
Rarely, a persistent bump on the vulva can be something more serious. The CDC lists the following as potential signs of vulvar cancer: itching, burning, or bleeding that doesn’t go away; color changes in the vulvar skin (redder or whiter than normal); what looks like a rash or warts; and sores, lumps, or ulcers that persist. Pelvic pain during urination or sex is another warning sign. Any of these symptoms lasting two weeks or longer warrants a medical evaluation, especially for people over 50 or those with a history of HPV.
How to Treat a Vulvar Pimple at Home
Most vulvar pimples and boils respond well to simple home care. Apply a warm, moist compress (a clean, damp washcloth) to the area three to four times per day. This draws pus to the surface and encourages the bump to drain on its own. Use a fresh washcloth each time to avoid reintroducing bacteria. Keep the area clean with gentle soap and water.
What you should avoid matters just as much. Don’t squeeze or pop vulvar bumps. The skin in this area is delicate and prone to infection, and squeezing can push bacteria deeper into the tissue. Avoid harsh scrubs, fragranced products, and exfoliants on the vulva.
Preventing Vulvar Bumps
If hair removal is your main trigger, the simplest prevention is removing hair less aggressively or less often. When you do shave, use a clean, sharp razor, shave in the direction of hair growth, and moisturize afterward with a fragrance-free product. Trimming instead of shaving eliminates the ingrown hair problem almost entirely.
Beyond grooming, wearing breathable fabrics helps reduce the heat and moisture that fuel folliculitis. Changing out of sweaty workout clothes promptly and avoiding prolonged friction from tight waistbands or seams makes a noticeable difference. Interestingly, research comparing tight string-style underwear to regular underwear found no significant difference in vulvar temperature, humidity, pH, or bacterial levels, so the type of underwear matters less than simply keeping the area dry and avoiding prolonged friction.