Lichen Sclerosus

goodtoknow says: Lichen Sclerosus is a fairly uncommon skin disease. It affects women, mainly in the vulva, and men around the penis area. The cause of the condition is unknown, but it can occur at any age and occurs only 1 in 1000 women. It is often confused with eczema or thrush and a biopsy is usually required to diagnose. There is no permanent cure for the condition and the normal treatment is a steroid cream on the affected area. It often goes away of its own accord.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of lichen sclerosus from patient.co.uk, read on.

What is lichen sclerosus and who does it affect?

Lichen sclerosus is an uncommon skin condition. It used to be called lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, but it is often now just called lichen sclerosus.

It most commonly affects the vulva (genital skin) of women. Less commonly it affects other areas of the skin. It can occur at any age but most commonly develops in middle aged women. It is estimated that lichen sclerosus affects about 1 in 1000 women. However, it may be more common than this as some mild cases may go undiagnosed.

In males, lichen sclerosus affects the foreskin and end of the penis. It is uncommon but can occur at any age, including young boys. Lichen sclerosus in males used to be called balanitis xerotica obliterans.