Common – diagnosed very late: this disease damages the vulva and foreskin

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It is little known, but relatively common: Lichen Sclerosus. This is a painful, intermittent skin disease of the external genitalia.

An affected person spoke to the editorial network Germany about the disease. Although she had always had problems as a young woman, she was not diagnosed until the age of 47. To help others affected, she is now campaigning for more information.

“Every visit to the toilet was accompanied by severe pain.”

“I just tried everything and started to get desperate,” says the woman. From her early forties she suffered from itching in the intimate area, dryness and burning, as well as cracked, painful spots in the external genital area. There was also a particularly serious bladder infection. “Every time we went to the toilet was accompanied by severe pain,” she recalls.

Finally she notices changes in her vulva. The labia minora have receded or almost completely disappeared. After more years of uncertainty, she is diagnosed with lichen sclerosus.

While in women the disease can lead to regression of the labia and clitoris, in men the foreskin becomes inflamed or narrowed or can lead to inflammation of the glans or painful tears in the foreskin.

If the disease goes unnoticed, cancer can develop

As the report notes, lichen sclerosus is often diagnosed late. Yet the disease is relatively common. According to the Lichen Sclerosus Association, one in fifty women will develop it during their lifetime. Women also suffer from it four times more often than men.

According to gynecologist Ingeborg Voss-Heine, the causes of the disease are not known, but there are still some risk factors. “Some of those affected also have other autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, and there also seems to be an increase in certain families, i.e. genetic influences,” the expert told the German editorial network.

If left undetected, the disease can have fatal consequences: if left untreated, it can cause severe scarring and tissue loss. There is also some risk of lichen sclerosus developing into vulvar cancer.

Because the disease can often put pressure on sex life and relationships, according to those affected, it is all the more important to break the taboo and increase society’s awareness of the disease. For example, pelvic floor training can help counteract pain during intercourse.

To rebuild the diseased skin, she also underwent multiple laser treatments. (dzc)

Source: Blick