Treatment of Lichen Sclerosus should be safe, natural and it should cure Lichen Sclerosus completely. At Welling Homeopathy we specialise in the treatment of all types of lichen including Lichen Sclerosus. Lichen Sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes thickening of the skin with white or yellowish patches. It affects the genital and perianal areas.
Why Welling Homeopathy Medicines for Lichen Sclerosus?
- The only treatment effective to get rid of lichen sclerosus with only natural remedies,
- We don’t suppress and remove symptoms temporarily but complete long-term relief,
- We have not noticed any complications of Lichen Sclerosus like thickening of the skin or squamous carcinoma after our treatment is completed,
- There are no side effects of our treatment like those of conventional treatment with corticosteroids,
- Quick, safe and complete cure is possible with our speciality custom-made Homeopathy medicines for lichen sclerosus.
Call on +91 8080 850 950 to book an appointment with our specialist, or consult and order medicines online.
What is Lichen Sclerosus?
Lichen Sclerosus can be associated with lichen planus, psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. The main cause of this condition remains unknown but it has been suggested to have an autoimmune basis. It can affect any part of your body but most commonly affects the genital area.
It is characterized by white plaques with an erythematous base on sun-exposed areas such as the face, scalp, neck, upper chest, back, arms, legs, buttocks, or genitalia. The lesions are usually symmetrical but may be asymmetric. They can occur singly or coalesce into large patches. Lesions tend to become more extensive overtime. In some cases, they may spread beyond the original site of involvement. This process results in scarring and disfigurement. Treatment of lichen sclerosus focuses on relieving symptoms and improving appearance. Treatment of lichen sclerosus options includes topical medications, phototherapy and systemic treatments.
Lichen Sclerosus Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of lichen sclerous include:
- A white patch on the genitals, especially around the vagina and anus;
- Painful redness, swelling, tenderness, burning sensation, bleeding, ulcerations, crusty lesions, thickening of tissue, and hard nodules;
- Itching, particularly during sexual activity;
- Difficulty passing urine due to inflammation of the urethra;
- Inflammation of the vulva and/or labium majus;
- Thickened skin on other parts of the body including the lips, mouth, ears, nose, cheeks, chin, forehead, hands, feet, knees, elbows, shoulders, abdomen, thighs, breasts, penis, scrotum, testicles, and nails;
What Causes Lichen Sclerosus?
The exact causes of lichen sclerous remain unknown. It appears to run in families but no specific gene mutation has yet been identified. There does seem to be an association between lichen sclerosis and autoimmune diseases like lupus erythematosus. Some researchers believe there is a genetic component because many people who suffer from this condition do so before puberty.
However, others feel that environmental factors play a role. For example, women who use tampons for menstrual hygiene might develop lichen sclerosis if their vaginal tissues come in contact with irritating chemicals used in these products. Other possible triggers include trauma, infection, hormonal changes, stress, diet, sunlight exposure, smoking, alcohol consumption, certain drugs, and radiation therapy.
Diagnosis of Lichen Sclerosus
A diagnosis of lichen sclerosus requires a skin biopsy of the affected skin. Biopsies should be taken from both normal-appearing and lesional skin. The histological examination will reveal characteristic features of lichen sclerosus which includes hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and papillomatosis. These findings are not seen in ordinary eczema.
Who Are At Risk Of Lichen Sclerosus?
Women who have had vulvodynia before they develop lichen sclerosus are more likely to get it again later on. Women who have had an infection around their vagina also appear to be at higher risk for developing vulvar lichen sclerosis. People who have autoimmune disorders such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis are also prone to getting lichen sclerosus. The disease tends to occur most often in young adults.
What Is The Best Treatment For Lichen Sclerosus?
Lichen sclerosus is usually treated with topical steroids such as creams, lotions, ointments, gels, foams, sprays, patches, pills, injections, or other medications that reduce inflammation. Your dermatologist will recommend which treatment option best suits your needs.
Topical corticosteroid creams can be used to treat mild cases of lichen sclerosus. These medications work best when applied directly to the area where there’s inflammation. Your doctor may prescribe one type of topical steroid cream that contains 0.05% hydrocortisone. This medication should only be prescribed if it has been shown to help with this condition. If you use these types of steroids long term, they could cause thinning of hair growth.
Prevention of Lichen Sclerosus
There’s no way to prevent this condition from happening again. However, there are ways to help manage it if it occurs again. If you have had any kind of injury to your genital area, make sure to tell your doctor about it right away. This can help avoid complications later down the road. Also, try to limit your sun exposure by wearing protective clothing when outdoors. You may also want to consider using a sunscreen every day even though you’re indoors most of the time. Finally, talk to your doctor about birth control methods that don’t contain estrogen. They could potentially cause irritation to your mucosal membranes.
Home Tips & Natural Remedies for Lichen Sclerosus
You can help keep your symptoms at bay by following some simple lifestyle changes. These include:
- Avoiding hot baths and showers,
- Wearing loose clothing when bathing,
- Keeping your hands clean,
- Use Aloe-vera based cream,
- Using moisturizers regularly,
- Taking good care of lichen sclerosis eruptions, by being gentle.
If you notice new lesions on your genitals after an episode of lichen sclerous, see your physician immediately. It’s important to get diagnosed early because untreated lichen sclerosus can lead to serious health problems including scarring and cancer.
How Long it Takes To Cure Lichen Sclerosus
It depends on how severe the disease was at first. In some cases, the lesions may disappear within weeks while in others they may last months or years. Most patients report feeling better after several treatments. But sometimes the symptoms return once the medication wears off.
What Happens If Lichen Sclerosus Is Left Untreated?
The main complication of lichen sclerousus is that it can cause scarring. Scar tissue forms where there was once healthy skin. It looks like thickened white scars. Sometimes, they look pinkish or red. They usually form around the anus and genitals.
Scarring can lead to painful sex. Pain during intercourse can occur even though no visible signs of disease exist. Some people find their sexual activity becomes less enjoyable. The pain can become so bad that they stop having sex altogether.
Lichen sclerosus may also increase a person’s risk of developing other conditions such as vaginal infections, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and bacterial vaginosis. A UTI happens when bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra. Bacterial vaginosis causes abnormal discharge from the vagina. Yeast infection affects women who have not yet reached menopause.
Vulval Lichen Sclerosus
Lichen sclerosus is often classified as an autoimmune disease. In females:
• The vulva becomes red, swollen and tender. This usually occurs after puberty but sometimes before.
• There may be itching, burning, bleeding or pain during sex.
• Vulvar lesions appear on labia majora, inner thighs, clitoris and around the anus. They may spread from one area to another.
There may be itching, burning or discomfort when passing stool.
Penile Lichen Sclerosus
In boys, penile lichen sclerous usually appear on the glans penis during puberty.
It tends to affect older adolescents who masturbate frequently.
It typically starts around puberty and progresses slowly until adulthood.
Affected individuals experience itching, burning, pain and swelling.
We believe that LS should be considered when treating patients presenting with phimosis or balanoposthitis. In addition, we think that there may be some benefit from using topical corticosteroids for the management of early lesions. However, further studies on larger numbers of children are needed before any definitive conclusions about their use can be made.
Extragenital Lichen Sclerosus
This form occurs outside the genitals but within the same anatomical region. The skin on the buttocks, thighs, upper arms, chest, back, abdomen and face may also be involved. Affected individuals experience itching, burning, stinging, pain, tenderness and swelling.
There may be no symptoms until the later stages of the condition. Treatment options include topical steroids, retinoids, calcipotriene cream, laser therapy, surgery and immunotherapy.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Lichen Sclerosus
Squamous cell carcinoma has been reported but this is rare. Though there are chances of cancer at the site of Lichen sclerosus, especially if left untreated or partially treated.
Do You Need Surgery for Lichen Sclerosus?
Surgery isn’t needed unless: The disease has spread beyond the early affected areas. There are signs of infection. Other conditions affect your health. For example, if you have diabetes, this could increase your chances of getting serious blood vessel damage. If you smoke cigarettes, this increases your chance of developing lung cancer. And if you’ve had radiation therapy before, this makes it harder for your body to heal itself after surgery.
Does Lichen Sclerosus Go Away On Its Own?
Lichen Sclerosus may not go on its own. You would need steroid cream to settle it or our CUREplus Homeopathy treatment to cure it permanently.
Can Vulvar Lichen Sclerosis Be Cured?
Lichen sclerosus tends to run its course over time without causing any permanent damage. However, if left untreated, the condition can lead to thickening of the skin and hardening of the tissue. This can make the skin more difficult to remove during surgery. Itching and pain may persist even after the condition resolves. You may need to be in touch with our specialist even after we cure lichen sclerosus, to prevent a recurrence.
Lichen Sclerosus Versus Lichen Planus
The major difference between lichen sclerosus and lichen planus is that lichen sclerosus is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that can affect the vulva and perineum. It usually presents as white or pink patches on the labia minora of women in their reproductive years. The condition may be associated with pain during intercourse and dyspareunia. In some cases, it causes scarring and thickening of the tissue around the vagina which makes sexual penetration difficult. And lichen planus is usually seen on arms, legs and face. Both lichen sclerosus and lichen planus can be treated completely with CUREplus Homeopathy treatment from Welling Homeopathy Clinics.