title: Approach to the patient with vulvovaginal complaints.
abstract: Although vulvovaginal diseases may seem daunting, dermatologists possess all of the requisite tools and skills necessary to comprehensively assess and accurately diagnose primary cutaneous, systemic, and inflammatory diseases that affect the vulva. A simple but comprehensive dermatologic approach to the patient with a vulvovaginal complaint is presented. We begin with a review of the normal vulvar anatomy and normal variants and proceed to the clinical approach with special emphasis on the history, physical examination, and common diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology , Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. bschloss@nmff.org
authors.forename: Bethanee J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: Ginat W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Mirowski
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014844:Vulva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*