What Causes Painful Tissue Growth On Vaginal Opening?

Hello Doctor, I am 31 yo and mother of a 20 mo . My problem appeared about a month ago, when I started to notice pain inside my vagina, it was worse at the very entrance when I sat down so after self examination I noticed a large and moderately painful grouth starting at the entrance and going further about an inch and a half...I cannot really tell if it s a grouth or the vagina wall thickening a lot, which might be just that...it feels quite hard... I have to specify that I wore tampons for my previous cycle, which I don t usually wear because they feel very unconfortable but I wanted to try them again... I have moderate leaking also, whitish and smelly at first but the smell has gone down... Thank you for your kind help, I am very worried and afraid to see someone but I will have to... Bree