TMI does anyone know what this is?

Around my period and afterwards the skin around my vagina gets SUPER dry, and the skin gets cracked and hurts tremendously and always itches, I'm trying to figure out if I'm allergic to my period or to maxi pads I don't know. I am sexually active but this has been happening since I was 12 when I first got my period, I'm now 18. I try not to shave when I have it.