Patient's question:
How is vulvar leukoplakia caused?Doctor's answer:
Vaginal leukoplakia refers to localized or diffuse white patches on the skin of the female genital area, which can spread to the inner thighs, perineum, and anus but rarely affect the urethral opening or vestibule. Symptoms include itching in the genital area, dry skin, thickening and whitening, loss of elasticity, and even atrophy and ulcers, accompanied by pain and a burning sensation. Clinical pathological examination with atypical cell hyperplasia falls under the category of "vaginal pruritus," "vaginal pain," and "vaginal discomfort" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is often caused by dampness-heat from the liver channel descending to invade the external genitalia, or by blood deficiency with liver hyperactivity, yin deficiency of the liver and kidneys, or kidney yang deficiency, leading to insufficient nourishment of the external genitalia with essence and blood.Vaginal itching may sometimes be accompanied by a burning or painful sensation. Vaginal leukoplakia is also known as leukoplakia of the external genitalia, a chronic nutritional deficiency disease of the female genital area. It includes primary vaginal atrophy, atrophic lichen sclerosus, leukoplakia of the external genitalia, leukoplakic vaginitis, and vaginal dryness. Clinicians typically refer to the condition where the skin and mucosa become white, thickened, and atrophic as leukoplakia of the external genitalia.