How to determine vulvar leukoplakia

To determine whether you have vulvar leukoplakia, you can observe symptoms, physical examination, secretion examination, pathological examination, imaging examination, etc. The specific analysis is as follows:

1. Symptom observation: One of the typical symptoms of vulvar leukoplakia is vulvar itching, which is often difficult to tolerate, especially at night when the symptoms may worsen and seriously affect sleep. The color of the vulvar skin may change, from the initial local hypopigmentation to the whitening of the labia majora and minora, forming obvious white spots. In severe cases, the vulva may atrophy, including atrophy and adhesion of the clitoris, labia majora and minora, and the vaginal opening may become narrow, even affecting sexual intercourse and urination. Partly due to excessive scratching, the vulvar skin may be damaged and ulcerated, resulting in pain and burning sensation.

2. Physical examination: The doctor will observe the condition of the vulvar skin and mucosa to assess whether there is atrophy, thinning, hypopigmentation, etc. At the same time, the doctor will also check for skin damage such as ulcers and chapped skin.

3. Examination of secretions: Examination of vulvar secretions can be used to determine whether there are bacterial, fungal, viral and other infections, which may be the cause or accompanying symptoms of vulvar leukoplakia. Examination of secretions can also detect abnormalities such as leukocytosis, epidermal hyperplasia, and pigment loss, which are helpful for the diagnosis of vulvar leukoplakia.

4. Pathological examination: Pathological examination is the main means of diagnosing vulvar leukoplakia. The doctor will take a small part of the tissue from the lesion for pathological examination to observe whether there are pathological changes such as hyperkeratosis, hypertrophy of the granular layer, hypertrophy of the acanthus layer, and liquefaction degeneration of the basal layer.

5. Imaging examination: Imaging examinations such as ultrasound are not routine diagnostic methods for vulvar leukoplakia, but they may be used to exclude the possibility of vulvar cancer.

If you suspect you have vulvar leukoplakia, you should go to a regular hospital in time for examination and diagnosis by a professional doctor. After the diagnosis is confirmed, you should actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment plan to control the progression of the disease and improve your quality of life.