Dermatologist Dr Karen Gibbon developed the algorithm below to help doctors better understand patients and their vulval symptoms so that they could access the correct treatment. If you’re a GP, pelvic health clinician, or dermatologist, this is a great flowchart to help you decide on an appropriate care pathway for your patient. If you’re a patient, you can show this to your doctor or healthcare professional so that the best care route can be determined for you.

If you’re interested in learning more about the algorithm and how it was developed, you can find out more about it by watching a video interview with Dr Gibbon which was live streamed on 4 August 2021. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the link, where you will also find a link to download the PDF of the algorithm.

Algorithm for the management of vulval symptoms

Dr Karen Gibbon's algorithm for diagnosing and treating vulval symptoms
This image appears by kind permission of Dr Karen Gibbon and is copyright of the Vulval Pain Society

Abbreviations

Dx – Diagnosis
Ix – Investigation
Rx – Treatment
2ww – Two-week wait