Lichen Slerosus

[Izie]

Can anyone advise what to use to soothe the Vulva. The pain & itching don't let me sleep. Currently trying bathing with bicarbonate soda in lukewarm water. Applying diprosone OV ointment & Vaseline.

[Aleish]

Desitin ointment for diaper rash , maybe. I’m just guessing.

[Hidden]

You seem to be doing most of what could be suggested. Have you seen the Dr? Have you have it before?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I assume you have the ointment from your doctor? Have you told them it is not enough? Maybe you need a stronger version. I remember one lady on the forum saying developing PMR and being put on pred made a big difference to hers.

This maybe not the best forum to ask the question though as she is the only person I ever heard mention it in connection with PMR.

[Soraya_PMR]

I think this is definitely one for the doctors. It’s important that you don’t scratch the area as scratching seems to be implicated in cancer formation. You may need topical steroids, which appears to give GOOD cancer prevention. Definitely the doctor please, just in case there’s another infection such as thrush causing the increased itching.

[piglette]

Do you have PMR and/or GCA?

[YuliK]

I have suffered for many years with LS. Since being diagnosed with PMR and taking Prednisone my LS has been under control. But I still keep using the emu oil.

For many years I was applying a cortisone based cream, and slowly weaned off

the steroid cream as it was thinning the skin.

I keep the area down south moisturized with a trans dermal oil. Emu Oil..

Vaseline is not the solution and I would advise you to go to either a gynecologist or a dermatologist asap...

Baths are not good for LS or using perfumed soaps..

I would suggest you look for a support forum and you will get all the advice from them.

YuliK

[Cross-stitcher]

I've had LS twice in the vulval area and each time it has responded well and within a few weeks to the steroid cream Clobevate containing Clobetasol. There is a good article here bad.org.uk/for-the-public/p...

[gifford7]

Googling lichen sclerosus. see Mayo Clinic info:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con... excerpts:

"Corticosteroid ointments or creams are commonly prescribed for lichen sclerosus. Initially, you'll generally have to use cortisone creams or ointments on the affected skin twice a day. After several weeks, your doctor will likely recommend that you only use these medications twice a week to prevent a recurrence....................................

Lifestyle and home remedies

These self-care tips may help, whether you are undergoing treatment or not:

Apply lubricant (petroleum jelly, A and D ointment, Aquaphor) to the affected area.

Gently wash the affected area daily and pat dry. Avoid harsh soaps and bathing too much.

Ease burning and pain with oatmeal solutions, sitz baths, ice packs or cool compresses.

Take an oral antihistamine at bedtime to help control the itching as you try to sleep."

I have found for eczema type itchy rashes a strong antihistamine [Benadryl] and Vaseline Eczema Calming Cream [colloidal oatmeal] are effective.

[Hirwaen]

I had lichen sclerosis prior to one and it was kept under control with steroid cream, ( it is an auto immune condition) Since having oral steroids it has cleared up, so it is odd that yours hasn't, a visit to you go for advice perhaps?

[Hirwaen]

Sorry, that should have read prior to PMR, and visit to your GP!!!!!

[Hidden in reply to Hirwaen]

My phone makes the same corrections. It drives me mad. You can edit your messages if you need to. I inevitably do! Click "more" below your message, choose edit and away you go.

[Hirwaen in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the tip!

[kate24]

I found this for FREIND

perrinnaturals.com/content/...

[YuliK in reply to kate24]

The important thing with LS is avoid "fusing", which is caused when the vulva area is without moisturizer.

Fusing is extremely painful and if left untreated can lead to having surgery.

That's why it's important to keep down south lubricated at all times.

Since I have been diagnosed with PMR I have fortunately felt less problems with LS, but I still keep the problem area down south well moisturized ...

Funny, how the one problem of PMR has helped my LS ...obviously this the prednisone which is covering all my autoimmune problems.

I have suffered LS over 20 years. ( from age 56)

PMR. Diagnosed 18 months ago. Can't reduce from 6mg, but I'm in no hurry. Taking everything easy.

YuliK. 👍

YuliK.

[Hidden]

Yikes....that made me cringe re fusion....she said reaching for the oestrogen cream!

[OutdoorsyGal]

An aside: Long bike rides can cause fusing, too.

My Gyn recommended I smear Desitin down there before riding 6 hour days in China. Really helped (though made a mess of my underwear), and I ended up loaning the tube to several of the other women in the group.

[Hidden in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

There was a story the other week, in cycling news I think it was, where a Paralympic cyclist said she went to the loo and her skin and hair sloughed of her vulva into the loo. Of course loads of professional female cyclist came forward then. It wasn't something I noticed when I used to cycle for transport and on hols in Pyrenees and such like.

[Chihuahua1]

You could try some Canesten cream. That will clear it up if it is a thrush type infection, or try Epsom salts in the bath. That used to work for me when I was a teen. Use only cleansers made for intimate use, no soap or scented bath additives etc as these could irritate it further.

[gifford7]

from Consumer Reports:

consumerreports.org/medical...

"When and how to use drugstore anti-itch creams.................................

“If clearing up dry skin doesn’t reduce the need to scratch in a few days, hydrocortisone is a good choice," says itch researcher Ethan Lerner, M.D., Ph.D., and associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. "It’s also good for itchy rashes—such as skin reactions due to nickel in jewelry, buckles and snaps on clothing and to irritants in laundry products.” Drugstore hydrocortisone can help to soothe anal itching and discomfort from psoriasis and eczema as well.

But don't rely on hydrocortisone for more than two weeks at a time. "If used too often and for too long, hydrocortisone will thin the skin, making it subject to bruising and black and blue marks and even more itching," says Lipman.

While hydrocortisone is effective, Lipman prefers it for small itchy areas (silver-dollar-sized) and calamine or diphenhydramine (see below) for larger areas. "They're less noxious to the skin," he says.

Skip hydrocortisone for itching around your toes or in your vaginal area or groin, which might be caused by a fungal infection. “Corticosteroids can actually make these infections worse by reducing immunity so the fungus can thrive,” says Lerner. “Choose an antifungal product designed for your itching problem instead."

Calamine: Old-fashioned calamine lotion, found in products such as Caladryl Skin Protectant Lotion and generics, is less ubiquitous than hydrocortisone. But this mixture of zinc oxide and ferric oxide is very effective for relieving itch and drying out blistery rashes such as poison ivy, oak, and sumac, Lerner says. It can also help with insect bites and stings

Diphenhydramine: Itch creams, gels, and sprays containing this antihistamine, such as Benadryl Extra Strength Anti Itch Cream and generics, work by blocking the itchy effects of histamine, a compound produced in the skin during an allergic reaction.

Topical diphenhydramine is sometimes recommended for short-term relief from itches related to bug bite or hives, but both Lerner and Yosipovitch caution that it can irritate skin and that some people are allergic to it.

“An OTC hydrocortisone cream will work just as well for bug bites and contact allergies,” Lerner says.

Pramoxine: This mild anesthetic is often added to anti-itch products that also contain hydrocortisone or other active ingredients, such as Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Lotion and generics. It’s often found in products for anal itching, as well as in general-use anti-itch creams. “It’s effective for relieving pain and itching; you may find it in products for insect bites, poison ivy, oak, or sumac, and for hemorrhoids,” Yosipovitch says.

Menthol: This minty ingredient, found in products such as Eucerin Calming Itch-Relief Treatment and generics, activates nerve fibers that send cool, icy sensations to the brain, distracting you from the itch, Yosipovitch says.

“Menthol can be very effective for itchy skin, but it’s not for everybody,” he notes. “If standing in a cold shower relieves your itch, menthol may work for you. Products with eucalyptus or camphor have similar effects but I’m more hesitant with these. They may aggravate itching.”

[Soraya_PMR in reply to gifford7]

I think most of those suggestions refer to skin of arms &legs etc. And I don’t think slapping any of these round your ‘best bits’ is to be advised if you have a diagnosis of LS. It really isn’t a ‘home remedy’ thing IMO. It needs checking due to risks, and because being on pred makes some of us more prone to vaginal candidiasis (thrush). I myself had p.v. thrush within a few weeks of starting pred. The differential diagnoses need to be considered, and really the only way this can be achieved is by a doc having a look, taking a swab and prescribing the appropriate treatment, not by guessing.

[gifford7]

For a comprehensive discussion of LICHEN SCLEROSUS see:

uptodate.com/contents/liche...

Patient education: Lichen sclerosus (Beyond the Basics)

Authors: Susan M Cooper, MB ChB, MRCGP, FRCP, MDStephanie J Arnold, FACD, MBBS (Hons), BSc (Hons)Section Editors:Robert L Barbieri, MDJeffrey Callen, MD, FACP, FAADDeputy Editor:Abena O Ofori, MD

Contributor Disclosures

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete.

Literature review current through: Apr 2019. | This topic last updated: Feb 12, 2019.