How is lichen sclerosis treated?

Steroids are the almost magical cure for lichen sclerosis (LS), but it needs to be the right steroid and it needs to be used the right way. Clobetasol is the prescription-strength cream that is generally the first line of attack. It needs to be applied frequently at first and then is reduced to a maintenance dose. This is one of those conditions that if the medication is completely stopped, the recurrence rate is very high. While some women are able to eventually stop using the cream and apply only if symptoms come back, most need to apply the medication on a fairly regular basis to prevent recurrence.

Steroids tend to make the skin thin, so many treatment protocols also require using topical estrogen cream to make the tissue thicker and more elastic. It's a balancing act; the right combination of steroid and estrogen cream do the trick for the majority of women.

The most important thing to know is that this is a manageable problem. Virtually every patient with lichen sclerosis (LS) is able to restore her sex life and her sanity.

Lichen sclerosus (a rare, progressive skin disorder that occurs most often in postmenopausal women in the anogenital region) can be successfully treated, especially if it's caught before scarring develops. Prescription corticosteroid ointments can halt its progress and reverse early disease. For advanced disease, steroid injections may soften the skin. Women with lichen sclerosus should be monitored for side effects, such as excessive skin thinning, and for signs of squamous cell carcinoma, a curable skin cancer that tends to develop in scarred skin.

Lichen sclerosus is initially treated with a potent steroid medicine. This is not the type of steroid that causes muscle size to increase. It is an ointment that is used in very small amounts nightly or twice a day until the skin improves, and then is gradually reduced in potency and in number of applications per week. Often, women have to continue to use a mild or moderate potency steroid ointment long-term to maintain control of the disease.