2025 Urogynecology for the Advanced Practice Provider-Keynote: Vulvar Dermatologic Conditions in Skin of Color

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Chola Vaughn from the Medical College of Wisconsin discussed dermatological conditions affecting people of color, focusing on common issues with diagnosing and treating vulvar dermatoses in these populations. The presentation addressed specific conditions like lichen sclerosis, lichen simplex chronicus, and vitiligo, highlighting the challenges in pattern recognition due to skin pigmentation. Vaughn emphasized that clinicians often misdiagnose these conditions due to a lack of exposure to diverse skin tones in medical education and literature.<br /><br />Issues such as inadequate representation of women of color in clinical trials and misdiagnosis, as seen in the case studies Vaughn presented, highlight a systemic problem. The talk called for improvements in training and resources, emphasizing the need for dermatologists to recognize dermatological conditions across different skin tones accurately. Vaughn also discussed the emerging treatments, including JAK inhibitors for vitiligo, and highlighted the significance of combination therapies involving UV light.<br /><br />The session concluded with a call to action, urging the inclusion of diverse skin tones in clinical imagery, publications, and research to improve care and outcomes for patients of color. Vaughn stressed the importance of being mindful of the language used when describing diagnostic challenges related to skin tones.

Asset Subtitle

Identify common vulvar dermatoses in people of color.
Be comfortable treating common vulvar dermatoses in skin of color.
Be empowered to provide higher quality care to patients with vulvar dermatoses across a variety of skin tones.

Speaker - Olushola Akinshemoyin Vaughn, MD

Keywords

dermatological conditions

vulvar dermatoses

people of color

lichen sclerosis

vitiligo

misdiagnosis

JAK inhibitors

clinical representation