This article aims to bring attention to how frequently the clitoris, despite being a small anatomical niche within the vulvar region, deserves careful diagnostic observation.
In fact, various inflammatory diseases often originate in the clitoral area and have specific clinical, symptomatic and perceptive characteristics. Lichen planus and scleroatrophic lichen are among the most frequent inflammatory vulvitis to originate in this anatomical region.
We describe in the morphological details all the diagnostic phases of these two pathologies. Often the pathologies affecting the clitoral area are subject to diagnostic delays for subjective reasons of the patients (delays in medical checks, long periods of tolerance of the disorders) or due to lack of attention from clinicians. We want to underline how an early intervention can determine a partial regression of an initial damage, its stabilization and, therefore, an improvement in the patient’s subjective perception with considerable advantages also for the relationship life. The clitoral area, being placed above the vulvar introitus, can very often be subject to in-depth observations. An adequate diagnostic observation, also with the help of the colposcope, a targeted biopsy and a consequent therapeutic behavior suitable for the clinical evolutionary phase in which the pathology itself is located, would also allow to intercept the possible proliferative changes that initially occur indeed in this anatomical site. On the basis of an algorithm based on these observations, it is possible to opt for drug therapy or non-invasive surgical therapy aimed at preventing and removing initially and potentially aggressive lesions.