Let's not be coy here: Everyone has a butthole—and sometimes, buttholes get itchy. But before digging into why your butthole gets itchy, let's clarify one thing: I'm talking about your itchy anus in particular—not your entire butt. The irritation—technically known as pruritus ani, per the U. National Library of Medicine NLM —can occur inside the anus or the perianal area, which is essentially the skin surrounding the anal opening. If you are experiencing anal itching seriously, UGH , it's pertinent that you don't scratch yourself silly. While there's nothing wrong with scratching an acute itch, such as a bug bite, constant or "chronic" scratching can feed into what pros call the "itch-scratch" cycle. Ok, but why is my butthole so itchy?

An anal yeast infection often starts with persistent and intense anal itching , also called pruritus ani. A doctor can perform a quick physical exam to determine the cause, such as hygiene, hemorrhoids , or a yeast infection. If the diagnosis is an anal yeast infection, it can often be cleared up easily with simple treatments. A yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of the fungus Candida. When you have an anal yeast infection, you may experience intense symptoms for a few days followed by milder symptoms.

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