What disease is it that causes a hard lump on the outer labia?

A woman's vagina needs adequate care. For example, after each urination, it should be wiped with a tissue to prevent bacterial infection and disease. Before each sexual intercourse, both parties should clean their reproductive organs to avoid certain diseases. But even with such protection, many women still suffer from gynecological diseases. So, what is the disease when a hard lump grows on the outer labia?

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, with proliferative lesions in the anal and genital area as the main manifestation. Most cases occur in young and middle-aged people aged 18 to 50. The disease occurs after an incubation period of about half a month to eight months, with an average of three months. This disease is relatively common and is mainly transmitted through sexual contact.

Clinical manifestations

The incubation period is 1 to 8 months, with an average of 3 months, and it mainly occurs in sexually active people.

1. Typical genital warts

The genitals and perianal area are the most common sites. In men, it is more common in the foreskin, frenulum, coronal sulcus, glans penis, urethral orifice, penis shaft, perianal area, rectum and scrotum. In women, it is more common in the labia majora and minora, posterior symphysis, vestibule, clitoris, cervix and perianal area. It can occasionally be seen in areas other than the genitals and perianal area, such as the armpits, umbilicus, mouth, breasts, and between the toes. Female vaginitis and male foreskin are factors that promote the occurrence of genital warts.

The lesions initially appear as small, light red papules, which gradually increase in size and number, and are distributed singly or in clusters. They are moist and soft, with an uneven surface and appear as nipple-like, cockscomb-like, or cauliflower-like protrusions. Red or dirty grey. The roots often have pedicles and are prone to erosion and exudation, and bleed easily when touched. Purulent secretions often accumulate between the cracks of the skin lesions, causing a foul odor, and secondary infection may occur due to scratching. This disease often has no subjective symptoms, and some patients may experience foreign body sensation, pain, itching or pain during sexual intercourse. Genital warts in the rectum may cause pain, blood in the stool, and a feeling of tenesmus.

2. HPV subclinical infection

HPV infection cannot be identified clinically by the naked eye, but evidence of HPV infection can be found by acetic acid whitening test (local whitening after applying or compressing with 5% acetic acid solution), tissue pathology or nucleic acid detection technology.

3. Relationship with tumors

A large amount of epidemiological data shows that HPV infection (mainly high-risk HPV, such as HPV-16 and HPV-18) is closely related to the occurrence of genital cancers, such as cervical cancer and penile cancer.

The prognosis is generally good after treatment. However, no matter which treatment method is used, recurrence is possible.