Intercourse is often a pleasure factor—you already know it may be tremendous enjoyable, allow you to join with a associate, and result in an unbelievable orgasm. So there’s no buzzkill like winding up with a sore or swollen vagina after the actual fact. Although there are many circumstances that may depart you itching or burning down there post-hookup, it’s additionally potential to your physique to react to the intercourse itself when there’s a penis concerned. Sure, you could be allergic to semen, very similar to some other substance that you just would possibly come into contact with.

A semen allergy (a.okay.a. seminal plasma hypersensitivity) occurs when proteins in semen set off an immune response in your physique. And that may unfold in one in all two methods, Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, FAAAAI, a Cincinnati-based allergist who’s researched allergic reactions to semen, tells SELF: A systemic response, which includes a number of completely different organ techniques, or a localized response, which occurs solely within the space(s) the place the semen touches your physique.

In both situation, your vagina and vulva can get fairly offended: Ache, burning, swelling, and itchiness are widespread. Dr. Bernstein says some individuals who’ve skilled this have “described it as having a thousand needles caught of their vagina, so it may be fairly extreme.” With a systemic response, you’d additionally expertise signs elsewhere in your physique, he provides, which could current as hives or a pores and skin rash, a swollen face or lips, wheezing, diarrhea, and doubtlessly even anaphylaxis (although, relaxation assured, there was no reported demise from a semen allergy).

Each forms of reactions are uncommon; analysis means that as much as 40,000 folks with a vagina in america are allergic to semen. Nonetheless, specialists suspect that it could be extra widespread than numbers counsel, each as a result of there hasn’t been a ton of funding to check it and other people could not really feel snug sharing sex-related signs with their well being care supplier. So if this sounds such as you, preserve studying to find out about the way it occurs and what you are able to do in case your physique appears to be anti-semen.

What causes an allergic response to semen?

Once more, a pair completely different eventualities may occur, based mostly on whether or not your response includes a wide range of physique elements (systemic) or simply happens round your vagina (localized).

A systemic response is a traditional kind 1 allergy, or IgE-mediated immune response, Dr. Bernstein says, which is identical factor behind most meals and seasonal allergy symptoms: Your immune system clocks a specific substance (on this case, the proteins in semen) as a possible risk and, as a method of making an attempt to maintain your physique secure, launches an assault consisting of a bunch of antibodies known as immunoglobulin (IgE). These antibodies launch a chemical known as histamine, which incites all of the uncomfortable signs.

However a unique trigger is more likely to blame for a localized response, Dr. Bernstein says. (The proof: Individuals with this sort of response don’t usually react to pores and skin prick assessments that comprise semen proteins or create IgE antibodies to them.) From analysis he carried out, Dr. Bernstein suspects that in these of us, semen proteins could mess with the tissue lining the vagina particularly, setting off receptors that unleash an inflammatory response (learn: create a variety of ache). It’s additionally potential that hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins in semen can set off irritation across the vagina for some of us, with out inflicting signs elsewhere.