Genital Psoriasis: Shining Light on This Hidden Disease

ABSTRACT Background Psoriasis occurring on the skin of the genital and perigenital regions, including the inguinal creases, vulva, penis, scrotum, perianal area, and the intergluteal cleft, has specific diagnostic and treatment requirements due to the sensitivity and private nature of these areas. Objectives A multidisciplinary group of 13 US‐based clinicians who are experts in the management of genital psoriasis, the Genital Psoriasis Wellness Consortium, convened to discuss the impact of genital psoriasis on patients focusing on three main domains: (1) physical diagnosis and patient conversations, (2) impact on patient quality of life/interpersonal relationships, and (3) treatment decisions. Methods A PubMed literature search was conducted, and the Consortium members used the results to formulate their consensus statements using a modified Delphi process, including a nominal group technique. The process included two rounds of virtual subcommittee meetings based on the three domains, followed by surveys to obtain anonymous feedback, and concluded with a final meeting to discuss and finalize the language of the consensus recommendations across all three domains. Three additional psoriasis experts provided feedback on these consensus statements from Canadian, European, and Asian perspectives. Results Herein, we report our 14 consensus statements and a summary of the supporting data. Conclusions These consensus statements are meant as a practical resource for clinicians to ensure that symptoms of genital psoriasis are not overlooked. We hope to continue to add to these statements as additional clinical data become available.