Desquamative vulvitis

The typical appearance of inflammatory and bullous diseases may be changed when they occur on the vulva. The moist, warm, occluded environment produces a tendency for the thin skin of the vulva to erode and scar, resulting in a common final appearance often characterized by loss of the labia minora and agglutination of the clitoral hood. The most common diseases that may produce desquamative vulvitis include lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, immunobullous diseases, contact dermatitis, erythema multiforme, lupus erythematosus, and squamous cell carcinoma in situ. The differentiating characteristics and treatment of these diseases are discussed in this article.