Description:

Itchy bottom

You can often do simple things yourself to ease an itchy bottom (anus). See a GP if the itching does not stop.

How to ease an itchy bottom yourself

Do

gently wash and dry your anus after pooing and before bed
wear loose-fitting cotton underwear
keep cool – avoid clothing and bedding that makes you overheat
have cooler, shorter showers or baths (under 20 minutes)
eat plenty of fibre – such as fruit and vegetables, wholegrain bread, pasta and cereal to avoid runny poo or constipation

Don’t

do not wipe your bottom after pooing – wash it with water or pat it clean with moist toilet paper, then pat dry
do not scratch – if you cannot stop, keep your fingernails short and wear cotton gloves at night
do not strain when you go to the toilet
do not use scented soaps, bubble bath or bath oil
do not use perfumes or powders near your anus
do not eat spicy food or drink lots of alcohol and caffeine – these can make itching worse

A pharmacist can help with an itchy bottom

You can ask the pharmacist if they have a private area where you can speak.

They can suggest:

creams and ointments you can buy to help ease itching
medicine and things you should do at home if it's caused by threadworms

Find a pharmacy

Using creams and ointments for an itchy bottom

Do not use:

more than 1 cream or ointment at the same time
any cream or ointment for longer than a week – they can irritate your skin and make things worse

Important: Threadworms

An itchy bottom that's worse at night is often caused by threadworms , especially in children.

Children under 2, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, cannot usually take medicine for threadworms – see a GP, midwife or health visitor instead.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

you have an itchy bottom that does not ease after 3 or 4 days
the itch keeps coming back
the itch worries you or makes it hard to sleep
you have an itchy bottom and itching elsewhere on your body

Treatment from a GP

A GP will try to work out the cause of your itching. They might need to check your bottom ( rectal examination ).

Depending on the cause, the GP might:

suggest trying things to ease it yourself
prescribe medicine or stronger creams and ointments

Important

Tell the GP immediately if a medicine, cream or ointment makes the itching worse.

Sexual health clinics can help with an itchy bottom

You can also go to a sexual health clinic if you think your itchy bottom might be caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) – for example, if you've had unprotected sex. They can provide the same treatments you would get from a GP.

Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment. They'll often get test results quicker than a GP.

Find a sexual health clinic

Causes of an itchy bottom

There's not always a clear cause of an itchy bottom. If it gets better quickly, it might have been caused by something that does not need treatment, like sweating a lot in hot weather.

If it lasts longer, you might be able to get an idea of the cause from any other symptoms you have. But do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.

Possible causes of an itchy bottom.
Other symptoms with itchy bottom	Possible causes
Gets worse at night, worms in poo (they look like small pieces of thread)	Threadworms , especially in children
Lumps, bright red blood and pain when pooing	Piles (haemorrhoids)
Poo leaking or pooing you cannot control	Diarrhoea or bowel incontinence
Sores, swelling or irritation	Ringworm or a sexually transmitted infection (STI) like genital warts
Itching elsewhere on the body	Skin condition, such as eczema or psoriasis
While using long-term medicine	Side effect of steroid creams, some gels and ointments for anal fissure , and peppermint oil

It's unusual for an itchy bottom on its own to be related to something more serious. But rarely, it may be a sign of something like anal or bowel cancer, so it's important to get it checked by a GP.

Page last reviewed: 28 September 2020
Next review due: 28 September 2023

Illness name: itchy anus