Unrecognized Lichen Sclerosus is not a medical diagnosis, it is what happens when a patient with milder degrees of lichen sclerosus (LS) associated with intermittent itching goes unrecognized by providers who lack experience in recognizing the condition. This happens all the time. Consider the following patient who presented to Dr. R. Stuart Fowler at the experts in vulvovaginal healthcare in Phoenix Arizona at Fowler Gyn International:

“I had suffered for years with undiagnosed symptoms and had seen a number of doctors back home in Canada; none of who could diagnosis the issue.  With one visit to Dr. Fowler he diagnosed my problem as Lichen Sclerosus; an issue that I had struggled with for years was diagnosed and treated in one visit and 100% better within 4 months of the medicated treatment protocol.  I was so impressed with Dr. Fowler that after I learned that he had left the Mayo Clinic (where I had first met him) I searched him down and found him practicing at Fowler Gyn International and have followed him there.” T. Edmonton Alberta, Canada

LS is a benign skin condition in the dermatosis category. Other conditions which are more well known in this group include eczema, psoriasis, and seborrhea or dandruff. Like these conditions, once you develop LS you generally have it for life. It is NOT contagious, infectious, inflammatory or a connective tissue disease. There maybe a slight autoimmune link to it. Generally it is regarded as a condition with genetic predisposition. It can affect all ages of women. Itching is the predominant symptom. The skin becomes thin, shiny, wrinkly, and sticky. The labia begin to fuse together along the interlabial sulcus or over the clitoris. At the base of the vagina the tissues can fuse together in the midline. When the tissues get pulled apart by such things a tight clothing or intercourse it causes fissures that look and feel like paper cuts. Also whitening or hypopigmentation can occur in smooth symmetric areas on the vulva or can be splotchy white areas. The labia are most commonly affected follower by the peri-rectal area then the gluteal cleft and the intertiginous areas between the vulva and the inner thighs.

Experts can easily diagnose the condition by sight. It only needs to be biopsied to exclude VIN meaning pre-cancer and or squamous cell cancer if there is any areas of irregular or thickened skin.

Treated correctly, symptoms can promptly and dramatically respond within a few weeks. Even when the condition is recognized by providers, most of them inappropriately threat LS episodically with  suprapotent class I corticosteriods on an episodic basis. While use of these steriods such as Clobetasol are very appropriate for severe cases of LS, prolonged use or episodic use for recurrent symptoms symptoms is not. If you are suffering from vulvar itching with no apparent cause, visit Fowler Gyn International at fowlergyninternational.com or call 480-420-4001. The founding principal, board certified gynecologist Dr. Fowler has probably managed as many or more cases of women with LS than any provider in the country. Put this expertise to work for you!