Causes of Lumps on the Female Vulva
Disease description:
I recently found a lump on my vulva while showering, and I'm very scared. What causes lumps to develop on the vulva?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Lu
Common causes for women discovering lumps on the vulva may include:
1. Infectious diseases, such as genital herpes, condyloma acuminatum (HPV viral infection), and folliculitis. Genital herpes is often accompanied by pain and itching, while condyloma acuminatum is usually caused by unclean sexual activity. Folliculitis may result from poor local hygiene or a decreased immune resistance.
2. Non-infectious skin conditions such as sebaceous cysts, sweat gland cysts, and lipomas can also cause lumps, which are generally painless.
3. Inflammatory reactions should not be overlooked either, such as Bartholin's gland inflammation or vestibular gland cysts, which are often caused by poor local hygiene or sexual stimulation and are commonly accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain.
4. Inflammatory conditions such as vaginitis and vulvitis may also be contributing factors. Vaginitis may be caused by bacterial infections such as Escherichia coli, while vulvitis might result from contamination due to menstrual blood not being cleaned promptly.
5. Rare conditions such as pseudo-warts, Bartholin's cysts, and vulvar malignancies are other possible causes.
There are many possible reasons for the appearance of lumps on the vulva, and medical attention should be sought promptly upon discovery.
