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• Conditions (26): Lichen Planus, Skin and Hair, dermatitis, and 23 others Lichen Planus, Skin and Hair, dermatitis, Eczema, Skin Cancer, Melanoma, Beckers Nevus, Squamish Cell Skin Cancer, Darier's Disease, Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous, Pityriasis Lichenoides, Lichen Nitidus, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Nevus, Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Disease of Skin and Appendages, Epidermal Nevus, Urticaria, Lichen disease, Keratosis Follicularis Squamosa, Localized Acquired Hypertrichosis, Acne Rosacea, Hailey-Hailey disease, Lichenoid Eruptions, skin disorder, Hemangioma [hide]
• Groups (11): Lichen Sclerosis, Lichen Planus, Eczema, and 8 others Lichen Sclerosis, Lichen Planus, Eczema, Beckers Nevus, Melanoma, Darier's Disease, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Granuloma Annulare, Alopecia Areata, Sweet Syndrome, Acne Rosacea [hide]
• Symptoms (26): Granuloma Annulare, Alopecia Areata, Scleroderma, and 23 others Granuloma Annulare, Alopecia Areata, Scleroderma, Raynaud's Disease and Phenomenon, red skin rash, Angioedema, Port-Wine Stain, Mole, Skin Findings, Fear of cancer of skin, Infected finger/toe/paronychia, Hyperpigmentation, Hypopigmentation, Sclerodactyly, Other changes in skin color, Baldness/losing hair, Local swelling/papules/lump/mass, Symptom/complaint nails, Limited dermatologic function, Generalized swelling/papules/lumps/masses, Other symptom/complaint hair & scalp, Pain/tenderness of skin, Generalized redness/erythema/rash, Fear of having other skin disease, Local redness/erythema/rash, Skin Absorption [hide]
• Treatments (26): Relaxation of scar or web contracture of skin, hydroquinone 40 MG/ML Topical Cream, Dermabrasion, and 23 others Relaxation of scar or web contracture of skin, hydroquinone 40 MG/ML Topical Cream, Dermabrasion, HYDROQUINONE 4 %, dioxybenzone 30 MG/ML / ETHYL DIHYDROXYPROPYL PABA 50 MG/ML / hydroquinone 40 MG/ML Topical Cream, Other OR therapeutic procedures on skin and breast, hydroquinone 40 MG/ML / padimate-O 30 MG/ML Topical Cream, dioxybenzone 0.03 MG/MG / ETHYL DIHYDROXYPROPYL PABA 0.05 MG/MG / hydroquinone 0.04 MG/MG Topical Gel, HYDROQUINONE 3.3 %, hydroquinone, Operations on the integumentary system, hydroquinone 20 MG/ML Topical Cream, fluocinolone 0.1 MG/ML / hydroquinone 40 MG/ML / Tretinoin 0.5 MG/ML Topical Cream, Electrolysis and other epilation of skin, hydroquinone 33 MG/ML Topical Solution, Electron Microscopy, HYDROQUINONE 2 %, Hypersensitivity skin testing, Aspiration of skin and subcutaneous tissue, Other skin and breast procedures; non-OR, Relaxation of scar (procedure), Administration, Cutaneous, Excision of Lesion of Skin, Other skin and breast procedures; OR, administration through skin implant, Delayed hypersensitivity skin test for mumps [hide]

About Lichen Sclerosus

Lichen sclerosus (LS) (also known as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA), white-spot disease) is an uncommon disease of unknown cause that results in white patches on the skin, which may cause scarring on and around genital skin. It is an autoimmune disease and can be associated with... more

Lichen sclerosus (LS) (also known as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA), white-spot disease) is an uncommon disease of unknown cause that results in white patches on the skin, which may cause scarring on and around genital skin.

It is an autoimmune disease and can be associated with hypothyroidism.

Women are more commonly affected than men, particularly around and after menopause, but girls may also get the disease. The condition most commonly occurs on the vulva and around the anus with ivory-white elevations that may be flat and glistening. There may be marked itching or the condition may be without any symptoms. There may also be thinning and shrinkage of the genital area that may make coitus painful.

In males, the disease may take the form of whitish thickening of the foreskin, which cannot be retracted easily. One study has revealed that 51 (98%) of 52 patients diagnosed with penile LS were uncircumcised. In men, this genital involvement has traditionally been known as balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO).

On the non-genital skin, the disease may manifest as porcelain-white spots with small visible plugs inside the orifices of hair follicles or sweat glands on the surface. Thinning of the skin may also occur.

Diagnosis needs sometime biopsy because LSA may be difficult to differentiate from condyloma. Histologically there's hyperkeratosis, atrophic epidermis, sclerosis of dermis and lymphocyte activity in dermis.

The disease often goes undiagnosed for several years, as it is sometimes not recognised and misdiagnosed as thrush or other problems and not correctly diagnosed until the patient is referred to a specialist when the problem does not clear up.

The disease can last for a long time. Occasionally, spontaneous cure may ensue, particularly in young girls.

When it occurs on the vulva, it leads in 1-4 % of cases to vulvar carcinoma. For men it might be a major cause for tight foreskin, phimosis.

LS is usually treated with application of potent steroids, which may cause relief and prevent scarring. Other options are cryotherapy, and laser therapy. Occasionally, cancer may develop on the patches. Periodic consultation is therefore necessary.

LS may cause sufferers to feel depressed due to their condition, due to the pain caused and feelings that they are 'not normal', 'can't have sex properly', 'the only one like this' and other self-esteem issues. It may be useful for them to contact other sufferers and speak to them, to see they are not alone and since they may understand what they are feeling better than non-sufferers, or speak a counsellor to work through any issues.

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