Non venereal Female Genital Dermatoses: Beyond Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Genital dermatoses can be categorised as either venereal or non venereal. Non venereal genital dermatoses have various causes, and their presentation may differ from that of cutaneous lesions due to local factors. Therefore, it is crucial to have a proper understanding in order to differentiate non sexually transmitted genital dermatoses from sexually transmitted ones. Aim: To study the clinical patterns of non sexually transmitted genital dermatoses in females aged above 18 years. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Outpatient Department (OPD) of Dermatology at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chennai, India, over a period of one year and six months. It involved 120 female patients above 18 years of age who were diagnosed with non venereal genital dermatosis. All patients were included in the study after providing informed consent. Patients with a history of significant anatomical alterations due to trauma or surgery were excluded. A detailed clinical history was obtained, followed by a thorough dermatological examination. After diagnosing non venereal genital dermatoses, classification based on aetiology and site of involvement was performed. The presence, distribution, and any associated conditions were also studied. Data was entered into a Microsoft Excel datasheet and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Categorical data was presented as frequencies and proportions. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 43.08 years. The present study identified 21 different types of non venereal dermatoses, with infectious dermatosis being the most common in 60 (50%) cases, followed by inflammatory dermatosis 33 (27.5%) cases, miscellaneous conditions in 19 (15.83%) cases, benign and physiological conditions in 7 (5.83%) cases, and malignancies in 1 (0.83%) case.. Vulvovaginal candidiasis was the most common dermatosis observed in the present study, accounting for 21 cases (17.5%) of the entire study population. Conclusion: Genital diseases can cause significant psychological trauma and anxiety for patients. It is important to note that not all genital dermatoses are sexually transmitted. Non-venereal dermatoses affecting the external genitalia in females encompass a spectrum of diseases with diverse aetiologies. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of these non venereal dermatoses is crucial to alleviate the patient’s concerns regarding sexually transmitted diseases and the associated stigma.