Hello,
Long time lurker, first time poster. I will give you a bit of a back story about my AF. I've had it for quite some time (at least two years plus, I just didn't know what it was), but I have only recently talked to the dr about it (November?) I never really had a lot of pain, but did have bright red blood on my toilet paper. The first time I went to my dr I saw the NP and she did a quick check and said yep, AF, it should go away quickly, have some Anusol HC. And of course that didn't work. I didn't have any more pain (just a dull ache really, usually for hours after a BM), until about a month ago when there seemed to be a little more blood actually in the toilet. So I made an appointment with my actually doctor. She did an exam and determined I had one external with scar tissue but it was still trying to heal and one internaland a small skin tag forming. She prescribed me 2% Diltiazem in vaseline and said to try it for four weeks and come back, if it hasn't gotten better she would refer me to a gastro/enterologist, just to see if it isn't anything worse like IBS. I really want this ointment to work, I find the whole situation humiliating enough ( I know I shouldn't but I do). She said he'd probably do a whole colonoscopy, which I don't really mind, it's the before I don't want to do. I'm 24, healthy, eat great (most of the time), and I just find everything so awkward and embarrassing.
Anyways about this itch...I've always kinda had an itch around my bum....ugh this sounds gross to type out, but here is goes. It's like a sweaty itch...I'm not sure if anyone knows what I mean. Since I started with the ointment I haven't had any pain and no blood since I started applying it on the 13th, but I always feel moist and itchy around my bum. I don't know if it's healing, or and allergic reaction, or just a result of the vaseline. Or just the skin tag (the skin tag literally appeared the day of my dr appointment, March 13), which I find is what cause pain if any at all(just by touching it). Has anyone else had this experience? The sweaty/moist kind of itch. Sorry if this is gross.
Edit...I forgot to mention that the area has been MORE itchy than normal. Not super bothersome but I definitely know it's there.

canesten anti fungal cream cured my itch in 1 day and i had an itchy butt for over 3 years.

I don't think I have any type of fungal or yeast type issue. I've had that before and it's not really the same.

Canesten did nothing for my itching which is very common with AF. Staying clean and dry as possible which I know is difficult with AF but it helps. I am going on manage the symptoms like itch until the whole situation can be corrected. Here are a few things I do that work for me. Shower in the am use a mild cleanser on the bum like Cetaphil or Balneol, use wet wipes instead of TP like Huggies non scented after a bm or general cleanup. Coconut oil has been very good for me but I have a rash that I believe was caused by the fissure and the moisture from the lack of healing. Also the creams and ointments used can aggravate itching. I find hydrocortisone to provide some relief some of the time. I guess the point is you have to experiment and see what works for you. Lastly I use a hair dryer on low to dry my bum after a shower or bath. Good luck there is tons of valuable information on this site.

Hi, I found that tight fitting pants can aggravate the situation too. Keep the area dry and keep clothing looser so air can get around the it.

Is it true that fungal or yeast can cause Anal Fissure?
I have itches too on some days and some days I don't. My bro told me that if it's itchy, that means it's healing? lol
Yes, coconut oil does help reduce itching IMO. I just don't know if using coconut oil everyday is healthy or not. And also, I read that for AF to heal, the area needs to stay dry and with coconut oil, it won't be dry?
I honestly don't know healing an AF is THIS complicated. I feel I am at 80% but I just can't heal that last 20%.... I don't have pain, I can have normal soft BM with no pain... my daily life is perfect except MENTALLY I am insane about this AF because I know it's still there. My partner can still see the skin tag (may have shrunk a bit) and I can still feel SOMETHING is there especially when I twist my butt cheek...

Hi Mittens89,
In my experience itching means healing!
2 months ago I experienced a lot of itching, then like 4 days later the itching was gone and I was having no pain. Unfortunately I stopped using the creams and I re teared again.
But itching is a good sign in my experience. I prefer itching 100 times more than pain.

I don't want to jinx myself, but this is my no-itch regimen:
- I use only water to clean. No soap.
I use Cottonelle TP, and just to dab, with a little bit of water, after which I dab with a clean wet Johnson & Johnson sterile gauze.
I apply a little Vaseline, after drying by dabbing lightly with a dry bit of Cottonelle.
That is my routine.

Oh yes, I have not used soap in weeks now. After I poop, I just stick my whole butt under the tub to rinse. If I am at work, I just use water to wet tissue and do it several times until I feel "clean enough"... the point is water and no soap to irritate.
I am going to stop dilation tonight and let my skin tag heal a bit.. I somehow pull it or I don't know...
I'll try other type of lube too. I just used water-based anal sex lube. I like water-based because I hate silicon based lube that just stays there forever...
I may even just use coconut oil at this point.

First of all - itching is so so bad - for me it was worse than the pain from my AF, so I really really sympathise! I was diagnosed with a chronically inflammed anal area by my CRS - I was going nuts. He prescribed Daktocort cream ( cortisone and anti- fungal combined) twice a day for 8 weeks and then 2 times a week for another 8 weeks. The itch was gone within the week- sweet relief! Still use it from time to time as I can still get itchy sometimes. My CRS said the AF can kind of weep a little and this causes the itch - even when it has stablised like mine. I use a sitz bath (ordered inexpensively from Amazon ) to wash myself after a BM - a bit more convenient that getting in the tub, and I think it really helped me. I use vaseline after I have cleaned up and this seems to help too. Good luck x