Psoriasis on the labia: symptoms and treatment

Psoriasis is a chronic systemic disease of an immunoassociated, multifactorial nature, characterized by accelerated division of epidermocytes and violation of their differentiation, the appearance of specific rashes on the skin.

Statistics show that about 2 per cent of the population is affected. In some cases, abnormal foci in psoriasis can be located in the genital area, which is not typical, but sometimes occurs. In this article we will talk about the symptoms and treatment of psoriasis on the labia.

What is sexual psoriasis?

The term "sexual psoriasis" is used to refer to psoriasis that affects the skin of the genital area. In females, pathological foci are most often located on the skin of the labia majora, pubic area, and the inguinal area. In men, the penis is affected first, but less often the rash spreads to the forehead and groin.

It should be noted that sexual psoriasis is not an infectious disease, and therefore it is not transmitted sexually or in any other way.

What does the rash look like when you have psoriasis? In typical cases (vulgar form), pink-red papules with distinct borders merge to form plaques in the affected area. The plaques are covered with abundant silvery-white scales.

A hallmark is increased scaling during scraping.

Papules are small in the initial stages, but then the number increases. The appearance of new elements at the site of skin damage is characteristic. The resulting plaques gradually grow, acquire increasingly clear borders. They then stop growing, and a pseudoatrophic rim develops in the periphery.

Some patients complain of itching that is mild to moderate.