Injuries

The vulva is extremely sensitive to pleasure or pain due to its vast number of mechanoreceptors (nerve endings). Mechanoreceptors are pressure sensors in the human body, responsible for feeling any external changes. In the vulva, they number around 8000. Vulvular injuries are rare because its structure offers some natural protection, therefore it is protected from various forms of injuries.

Disorders

Gynaecology is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases and disorders associated with the female reproductive organs. Regular examinations are necessary to detect any abnormal changes in the vulvar region. Several pathologies are defined, a complete descriptive listing may be found in Chapter XIV of the list of ICD-10 codes; the most significant disorders include:

Blemishes and cysts

• Epidermal cysts
• Angiomas
• Moles
• Freckles
• Lentigos
• Scars
• Scarification
• Vitiligo
• Tattoos
• Hypertrophy
• Sinus pudoris

Infections

• Candidiasis (thrush)
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• Warts (due to HPV or condyloma acuminata)
• Molluscum contagiosum
• Herpes simplex (genital herpes)
• Herpes zoster (shingles)
• Tinea (fungus)
• Hidradenitis suppurativa

Inflammatory diseases

• Eczema/Dermatitis
• Lichen simplex (chronic eczema)
• Psoriasis
• Lichen sclerosus
• Lichen planus
• zoon's vulvitis (zoon's balanitis in men)
• Pemphigus vulgaris
• Pemphigoid (mucus membrane pemphigoid, cicratricial pemphigoid, bullous pemphigoid)

Pain syndromes

• Vulvodynia and vulvular vestibulitis
• Vaginismus

Vulvar cancer

• Squamous cell carcinoma (the most common kind)
• Basal cell carcinoma
• Melanoma
• Vulvar cancer

Symptoms of vulvar cancer include itching, a lump or sore on the vulva which does not heal and/or grows larger, and sometimes discomfort/pain/swelling in the vulval area. Treatments include vulvectomy – removal of all or part of the vulva.

Ulcers

• Aphthous ulcer
• Behcet's Disease

Developmental disorders

• Septate vagina
• Vaginal opening extremely close to the urethra or anus
• An imperforate hymen
• Various stages of genital masculinization including fused labia, an absent or partially-formed vagina, urethra located on the clitoris.
• Hermaphroditism

Other

• Vulvar Lymphangioma
• Extramammary Paget's disease
• Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)
• Bowen's disease
• Bowenoid papulosis
• Vulvar varicose veins
• Labial adhesions
• Perineodynia (perineal pain)
• Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis (DIV)
• Childbirth tears and Episiotomy related changes