Recognizing Lichen Sclerosus – All That You Need To Know

Life was so good for the 54-year-old Mrs. Joe, with the birth of her first grandchild and the long-awaited holiday to Europe. She was back to her pre-menopause happy, confident, and sociable life & was celebrating her small victories. And, then Wham! Just a week after, when Mrs. Joe returned to the home after her trip, she started experiencing her old complaints of itching, burning, and prickling in the vagina again. During six months, her clinical symptoms significantly increased, and she started experiencing cuts and white patches on the vagina. It was so painful she could hardly walk. It had all started a few years ago. She went to the doctors more than 10 times with the same symptoms, and different GPs always told her that it was a Candidiasis or urinary tract infection. Unfortunately, nobody noticed the difference between her symptoms, such as itching, burning, and white silvery patches, & Candidiasis and urinary tract infection.

After visiting so many doctors, Mrs. Joe consulted Dr. Shah at the Life Force Homeopathy clinic. A detailed and proper evaluation of her medical history and clinical examination was done. Her white smooth, shiny patches in the genitals and mucosa appeared thin and fragile. To rule out other possibilities, such as lichen planus, neoplasia, & cicatricial pemphigoid, she did a skin biopsy on the doctor’s recommendation, and the findings confirmed the diagnosis of Lichen Sclerosus.

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, whose cause is yet not clear, that can affect anywhere on the body, but, most often, it affects the vulva for women and the penis for men. The youngest diagnosed female patient with lichen sclerosus is a two-year-old girl. Roughly, 35% of women get it after their menopause.

The most common symptoms of lichen sclerosus are itching, painful sexual intercourse, cracking/tearing of the skin, and sores lasting for more than one month. The signs include the changes in the appearance of genitals, such as white scaly patches on the genitals, patches of the skin that can be easily damaged (easily bleed and hurt if rubbed or scratched), and vulva turning pale, shiny, and either fragile or thin. The scarring or thickness of vulva occurs. Improper treatment can lead to scarring and shrinking of the skin of the vulva.

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Myths and Facts of Lichen Sclerosus (LS):

There are some myths about lichen sclerosus which may lead to misconceptions about it. So, it is important to debunk the myths and learn the facts about this skin condition. Keep reading to learn about it.

Myths about Lichen Sclerosus:

1. Lichen sclerosus is not a sexually transmitted disease.
2. It is not HIV/AIDS.
3. It is not a result of being unclean.
4. It is not contagious.

Facts about Lichen Sclerosus:

1. It is an auto-immune condition.
2. It is associated with hormonal imbalance.
3. It is safe to have sex with the lichen sclerosus.

The risk of getting cancer with lichen sclerosus is very low approximately 3%. The severe cases of Lichen sclerosus cause scarring, which causes sexual difficulties and difficulty in passing the urine.

Steroid ointment along with emollients and good care of your skin can help to control the symptoms. However, steroid treatment is lifetime treatment giving just a temporary relief.

Homeopathy is useful in treating lichen sclerosus. Homeopathic medicines help to reduce the inflammation, itching, and, importantly, to slow down the disease progression and control the pathology. The homeopathic medicines help to relieve you of the burning sensation, pain, and discharge. Also, homeopathic treatment for lichen sclerosus helps in achieving long-term remissions (disease-free interval).

Lichen sclerosus remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed many times. If you are having similar symptoms, do not feel ashamed of it, it’s not your fault. Avoid self-diagnosis. Consult a qualified health professional, who can make a diagnosis considering the proper, detailed medical history, symptoms, and after a careful examination. The examination of a small sample under the microscope helps in confirming the diagnosis. And, if you are diagnosed with lichen sclerosus, count on homeopathy without a second thought. Homeopathy offers an effective and safe treatment addressing the root cause of the condition and promotes healing from within.