His and Her Health

I am 56 yrs old and very active and have been in manopause for a few yrs already. I am very dry and trying to have sex is a problem! I went to the gyn and said it was lichen sclerosis. I am itchy on the vulval area lower down a bit. thought there was a fungus, but it came back. (the itching) this is annoying. I have psoriasis on other part of body. don't know if there is a connection. would like to know if anyone is suffering from this.

so annoying

Joycelinda

I am truly sorry that you are having such a difficult time with your health concern. I've consulted with our medical expert and listed below is the information he provided. I sincerely hope this helps and please keep in contact with us. Wishing you good health.
Karen

Dear Joycelinda,

Lichen Sclerosus can be a very challenging problem. The itching and redness need to be dealt with by someone who is familiar with the problem. While it does not cause skin cancer, it can be very worrisome.

First make sure of the diagnosis. Usually this requires taking a small piece of skin from the vulva area and sending it to a pathologist to make certain. If that is the problem, warm sitz baths can be helpful. It usually also requires prescription steroid creams to soften the skin. Examples are betamethasone, clobetasol and diflorasone diacetate.

If your doctor isn't familiar with these treatments, ask for a referral to someone who is. It could be a dermatologist or a gynecologist.

You can also get information from:

http://www.lichensclerosus.org/
http://vulvalpainsociety.org
http://www.nva.org

or

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484
Toll Free: 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267)
TTY: 301–565–2966
Fax: 301-718-6366
Email: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov

Machelle (Mache) Seibel, MD
Professor,
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Founder, HealthRock
www.mseibelmd.com
www.healthrock.com

You will also find helpful information on http://www.ourgyn.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=66 and
www.cvvd.org