Pattern of non-venereal dermatoses of female external genitalia in South India

Abstract

Non-venereal dermatoses tend to be confused with venereal diseases, which may be responsible for mental distress and guilt feelings in patients. We conducted the study to find the pattern of non-venereal dermatoses of female external genitalia and to correlate non-venereal dermatoses with various clinical parameters. The study included 120 female patients with non-venereal dermatoses of female external genitalia presenting over a period of 22 months from September 2005 to June 2007. The demographic characteristics and clinical findings were recorded. Cases having venereal diseases were excluded from the study. A total of nineteen non-venereal dermatoses were noted in the study. The most common non-venereal dermatoses were lichen sclerosus (26 cases or 21.7%), vitiligo (19 cases or 15.8%), lichen simplex chronicus (16 cases or 13.3%), and vulval candidiasis (11 or 9.2%). Other dermatoses included lymphedema, invasive squamous cell carcinoma, tinea cruris, psoriasis, furuncle, folliculitis, lichen planus, epidermal inclusion cyst, herpes zoster, irritant contact dermatitis, acrochordon, Bartholin cyst, fibroepithelial stromal polyp, molluscum contagiosum (autoinoculated), and streptococcal vulvitis. This study highlights the importance of diagnosing non-venereal dermatoses and refutes the general misconception that all vulval itching is the result of fungal infection. The two most common causes of vulval itching observed in the study were lichen sclerosus and lichen simplex chronicus.