Welcome to the Vulval Pain Society, a UK registered charity supporting vulval pain sufferers.

Our aims are:

  • To promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of vulval pain through the provision of support, education and practical advice

  • To advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to vulval pain

We offer advice and information on all vulval pain matters. You can read detailed information about vulvodynia, vestibulodynia (previously known as vulval vestibulitis), lichen sclerosus, and other vulval pain conditions. We also have information on sex and vulval pain, pregnancy and vulval pain, and other general good advice.

Find out more about us.

UPDATE - University of York study on women's reproductive disorders and human rights

Please note that following an excellent participant response, this study has sufficient data and is now closed. As ever, any further updates or news about the results of the study will be posted here and on our Older studies page.

Many thanks to all who took part in the study.

#ItsNotInYourHead: campaign to raise awareness about provoked vestibulodynia

The Women's Health Research Institute in Vancouver, British Columbia have asked us to pass on news about #ItsNotInYourHead, a campaign which they have just launched to raise awareness about provoked vestibulodynia.

You can watch the campaign's short animated video here, or visit their page on Facebook.

VPS is in The Independent!

The VPS has contributed to an article about vulvodynia appearing in UK newspaper The Independent. You can read the entire article on The Independent's website.

Input needed for the Lichen Sclerosus Priority Setting Partnership

The Lichen Sclerosus Priority Setting Partnership are looking for people to take part in a survey they are running to find out what research questions are important to patients with lichen sclerosus and health professionals who are involved with the condition.

For more information about the survey, download the LSPSP's PDF poster or visit their page on the University of Nottingham website.

UPDATE - City, University of London vulvodynia study

We're pleased to able to report that this study, 'Experiences of psychological needs and support among women with vulvodynia', has had sufficient participant response for analysis and is therefore now closed. Any further updates and news we have about the study will be posted here and on our Older studies page.

Many thanks to all who participated in the study.

NEW - What is the vulva?

ASCII-style graphic containing a large white question mark on a jade green background. The question mark is made up of a list of the structures of the vulva in small font text

A basic guide to the different parts of the vulva, location and function. The page includes a labelled colour photo of the vulva (so may not be safe for work), plus a full text description of each of the structures indicated in the photo.

There's also a quick guide for health professionals to carrying out a vulval examination, and for patients, there's a link to our How to perform vulval self-examination page, which has a labelled black and white line diagram of the vulva.

The new page can be accessed from our main menu at What is the vulva? or by clicking on the green square above this text.