lichen sclerosis
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lichen sclerosis
| Sat, 01-10-2004 - 7:10pm |
A couple of months ago I noticed what I thought were bumps around the labia. My doctor said it wasn't bumps but looked parched and white so she did a biopsy. I was diagnosed with lichen sclerosis. Does anyone know anything about this condition? Is it serious? Is it curable?

Lichen sclerosis a form of vulvodynia. They're not sure what the cause is, but the most common theory is an autoimmune disorder. It's not an infection and may actually have a genetic origin. It tends to be a long term condition. Symptoms can usually be kept under control with treatment and regular follow up.
Serious? Depends on your interpretation of serious. Its not life threatening or anything like that, but can make you pretty darn miserable. Mild scarring of the skin is common, and severe scarring can cause the opening of the vagina to be narrowed or even "fused". Most of the scarring can be controlled with treatment with corticosteroid creams
Here's a link about vulvular care that you might find useful:
http://obgyn.uihc.uiowa.edu/patinfo/Vulvar/skincare.htm
There's a vulvodynia support board here that you will probably find helpful, and more informative.
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhvulvodynia
I hope you feel better soon!