As we all know, education is foundational to health. If we don’t know about our bodies and vulvovaginal conditions, it’s difficult to take care of them. LSSN exists to empower people with LS through evidence-based information and support. And this year, we’re bringing you even more opportunities to access information and experts in the field.
For the first time, LSSN is hosting a mini-summit! The LSSN Mini Summit: Vulvovaginal Conditions is a 3-day virtual event that will provide you with the information and support you need to take control of your vulvar health. It will take place Friday, September 29, through Sunday, October 1, 2023.
You'll learn from leading experts about vulvovaginal conditions rarely discussed, including Lichen Sclerosus. Other conditions include:
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Persistent Pelvic Nerve Pain
- Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder
- Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
- Lichen Simplex Chronicus
- Overactive Pelvic Floor Muscles.
You'll also be able to connect with other people facing similar challenges and share your experiences!
You can learn more about the agenda, speakers, and details by clicking the button below.
5 Reasons to Attend the LSSN Mini Summit
The LSSN Mini Summit is a valuable resource for anyone concerned about their vulvar health. Whether you're just starting to learn about vulvar health or you’re a seasoned pro, you'll find something valuable at this event.
I already have LS. I don’t need to be thinking about anything else down there.
Now, you may be thinking, “I already have LS. I don’t need to be thinking about anything else down there.” But here’s the deal: You do! Without thinking about other things going on down there, you run a risk of missing a secondary condition, being misdiagnosed, or using the wrong treatment.
So, if you’re still unsure about this amazing event, here are five reasons to attend!
You may be misdiagnosed.
Yes, it happens. One lady who joined our LSSN Membership wasn’t diagnosed yet, but her providers were saying it was probably LS. The LS treatment wasn’t working for her, and after months and months of asking questions and getting information, she finally had a diagnosis. And it wasn’t LS. It was lichen simplex chronicus, which is curable.
Knowing about vulvovaginal conditions can be helpful in asking the right questions, getting the correct diagnosis, and getting the right treatment.
You may have a secondary condition.
Unfortunately, it’s very possible for you to have more than one vulvovaginal condition.
For instance, one sweet lady was diagnosed with LS eight years ago. For the first three years, she was pain-free with no symptoms. Then, all of a sudden, she started having lesions that were weeping. She thought the new symptoms were just a manifestation of LS, so she increased her steroid treatment.
The steroids didn’t help, and she went from doctor to doctor looking for help. When she reached out to LSSN, I referred her to our provider director at lssupportnetwork.org/providers. She was able to see one of the providers on our list and get a proper diagnosis. It was actually a condition called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
Yeast infections are a more common example. In fact, 75% of people with a vulva will have a yeast infection at some point in their life. When you use topical medications like topical steroids or topical calcineurin inhibitors (like many people with LS do), you have an increased risk of having a vulvar yeast infection.
Knowing the symptoms and causes of a vulvar yeast infection will help you advocate for yourself at the doctor. You’ll know that the swab to test for yeast should be of the vulva, not the vagina. You’ll also know that topical steroids may make the condition worse.
You need proper treatment for secondary vulvovaginal conditions.
It’s so important that we don’t just throw our LS treatments on our vulva when there’s a problem. We could be creating a worse situation for ourselves. If we’re not treating our secondary condition properly, it could be progressive.
Personally, I’ve had a secondary condition that, at first, I thought was LS. Earlier this year, I started getting some itching around my anus. Lichen Sclerosus can affect your anus, as well as your vulva, but I didn’t want to apply steroids down there without knowing for sure that's what it was.
At first, I saw a dermatologist, but they sent me to a gynecologist. After a swab test, it was determined that I had bacterial vaginosis (BV). I didn’t have the typical symptoms of BV because it presented around my anus.
I treated the BV for five days with cream and then had no more itching around my anus. If I had treated the condition like LS with topical steroids, I could have caused myself more damage.
You’ll develop a personal medical resource.
The best medical guidance doesn’t come from Google. It comes from healthcare professionals who are educated in that particular field. Our Mini Summit gives you access to these amazing providers.
All of the Mini Summit replays will use software that automatically creates a searchable transcript. So if you have a symptom, you can go into the playlist, type in your symptom, and it’ll pop up all of the different sessions where the speakers talked about that symptom.
How amazing is that? You’ll also take away a downloadable PDF that will have all of the conditions and their symptoms for future reference.
Plus, if you have an All Access Pass (which I totally recommend), you’ll be able to talk to seven different providers and ask them questions — without even having to leave your home.
You’ll empower yourself and develop self-advocacy.
As patients, it’s so important that we go into each visit armed with information so we’re not just relying on our providers to give us their knowledge.
Sadly, many OB-GYN providers are so focused on the health of the vagina that the vulva is an afterthought. But if the vulva is sick, guess what? You’re not going to be wanting to use your vagina, right? So, it’s very important that we know the proper language and symptomology so that when we walk into that office, we can voice what we’re feeling.
With this knowledge, you’ll become the expert in your own body, and the provider will be your teammate.
Register now for the LSSN Mini Summit!
The LSSN Mini Summit has two levels of passes to accommodate every budget. Here’s what you get for each pass:
Basic Pass: $25+ donation
- Live access to Basic sessions
- Keyword searchable general session replays for 30 days (access will be emailed to you on October 9, 2023)
All-Access Pass: $99+ donation
- Live access to ALL sessions, including exclusive access to Q&As + networking sessions with your favorite expert (All-Access Sessions)
- Downloadable PDF guide of 30+ pages with extra worksheets and session notes to get quick learning at a glance. (Available for download after September 25 )
- Keyword searchable replays of ALL sessions, including exclusive Q&As (Access will be emailed to you on October 9, 2023)
- LSSN Mini-Summit Commemorative Mug (Valued at $25)
- BONUS until September 26, 2023: Get access to ALL the (W)holistic Healing Summit 2022 and 2023 replays until November 1, 2023 (valued at $200).
Register today and take the first step towards better vulvar health!
