Desquamative vaginitis is a rare type of vaginitis that causes discharge, vaginal itching, burning, and general irritation. It can be difficult to diagnose and is not a sexually transmitted disease. It may be caused by a vitamin D deficiency, a malfunctioning immune system, or be a related form of lichen planus. Hormonal imbalances may also play a role. Treatment is often difficult, and it can be misdiagnosed as pelvic inflammatory disease.
Desquamative vaginitis is a particularly rare type of vaginitis characterized by discharge, vaginal itching, burning, and general vaginal irritation. Some women also experience an apparent thinning of the vaginal tissue and graying of the skin in the affected area. In many women, this condition also causes painful intercourse, possibly caused by a narrowing of the vaginal opening, which is another common symptom. Desquamative vaginitis can be difficult to diagnose, as its symptoms are closely related to those of other conditions, such as pelvic inflammatory disease or yeast infection. While the exact cause of desquamative vaginitis isn’t always easy to pinpoint, it’s not a sexually transmitted disease or infection.
Also known as desquamative inflammatory vaginitis (DIV), some researchers believe this condition may be caused by a vitamin D deficiency. Others believe it may be caused by a malfunctioning immune system. However, some medical researchers believe that VSD is actually a related form of lichen planus, which is a fairly common dermatological condition usually found in other areas of the body.
Desquamative vaginitis is sometimes associated with a hormonal imbalance, as is common in women going through menopause or who have already gone through menopause, as well as in women taking birth control pills. Women who haven’t experienced recent hormonal changes, however, can also be diagnosed with desquamative vaginitis, which leads doctors and other researchers to believe that hormones may not play a major role in this condition at all. In essence, this particular strain of vaginitis can and does affect women of different ages.
The discharge associated with DIV is not usually associated with an unpleasant or unusual odor. In addition to a yellowish discharge, women with the condition are found to release white blood cells, which become apparent through laboratory tests. In some, desquamative vaginitis can also cause light bleeding after intercourse or other vaginal irritation, which is likely caused by friction over the inflammation widely associated with this condition.
A diagnosis of desquamative vaginitis usually occurs only after other possible causes of the symptoms have been ruled out. Because desquamative inflammatory vaginitis is a rare condition with origins not yet fully understood, treatment is often difficult, and it’s not unusual for doctors and patients to try multiple treatment strategies as symptoms keep coming back. Desquamative vaginitis is also sometimes misdiagnosed as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) because the painful symptoms associated with PID, particularly during intercourse, are reportedly similar.
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