Does Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus Smell

Does Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus Smell

Introduction We at LSSN get a lot of questions, such as, “Does vulvar lichen sclerosus cause redness?” or “Can it cause perianal fissures?” Lately, we’ve been getting questions asking, “Does vulvar lichen sclerosus smell”?  Some vulvovaginal conditions can have a distinct odor; thus, it’s not strange to wonder if vulvar lichen scleorsus (VLS) has a smell. Or perhaps you have a VLS diagnosis and noticed a new odor; you may wonder if this is from VLS or if something else is going on. If so, we got you! Keep on reading to learn more. Disclaimers *This post is evidence-based; I draw on the medical literature to share what you need to know about vulvar lichen sclerosus. Importantly, what I share is my interpretation of the science and data. **The information contained in this blog post is up-to-date at the time of publication.  ***If this post is helpful to you, we’d…
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Managing Vulvar Fissures from Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus

Managing Vulvar Fissures from Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus

Introduction In our last post, I (Jaclyn) shared my experience with vulvar lichen sclerosus and fissures. In today’s post, we will dive deeper into the nature of fissures, why they happen with vulvar lichen sclerosus, and recommendations on healing and treating them. *This post is evidence-based; I draw on the medical literature to share what you need to know about vulvar lichen sclerosus and fissures. Importantly, what I share is my interpretation of the science and data. **If you found this post helpful, we’d love your support in continuing to provide important education like this. Make a donation today, volunteer with us, or share our posts in your support groups. Vulvar Fissures in General First of all, anyone can get vulvar fissures–they aren’t exclusive to people with vulvar lichen sclerosus. Many things can cause them, which we will highlight below. So, let’s review the basics of fissures first and dive…
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New Research on Pregnancy and Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus

New Research on Pregnancy and Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus

Introduction For some time, the medical community believed that vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) primarily affected children and post-menopausal people. This meant younger adults were often left out of VLS conversations and research. Thanks to recent advances in VLS research and loud advocates for the VLS community, we now know people of all ages can be affected by VLS. At LSSN, we noticed a trend amongst newly diagnosed younger adults–a worry about pregnancy and vulvar lichen sclerosus. And we get it: a VLS diagnosis can be scary if you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, especially since there is not a lot of research and information on this topic. We published two blog posts to help raise awareness about pregnancy and vulvar lichen sclerosus and to help bring more information on this topic to our community. One reviewed what the science said about pregnancy and VLS; another was a post…
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Expiry Dates and Lichen Sclerosus Medication

Expiry Dates and Lichen Sclerosus Medication

Introduction Treatments get a lot of discussion here at Lichen Sclerosus Support Network, at the doctor’s office, and in the scientific literature. And rightly so! Treatment is a very important topic. Often, discussions about treatment center around the proper application, side effects (risks versus benefits), and the science behind them. One thing that gets a lot less attention (and discussion) is expiry dates and lichen sclerosus medication. Expiry dates are important when using medications for lichen sclerosus, so today, we are going to chat about all things lichen sclerosus medication and expiry dates. Do expiry dates matter? Can you go past the expiry date? How to check your expiry date? These are all questions we will address in today’s post. Our philosophy here at Lichen Sclerosus Support Network is always to present the evidence and/or what the experts are saying so you can make informed decisions about your body and…
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Phototherapy for Lichen Sclerosus

Phototherapy for Lichen Sclerosus

Introduction Topical corticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors are the two main approved treatments insofar as evidence-based medicine is concerned. However, some more experimental therapies are out there, such as laser, platelet-rich plasma, and phototherapy. We have discussed ablative and non-ablative lasers, as well as platelet-rich plasma. Today, as part of our experimental treatment series, we will be discussing phototherapy for lichen sclerosus. We will answer questions like what phototherapy is, who performs it, what to expect, and what the science says about it.  Our philosophy here at Lichen Sclerosus Support Network is always to present the evidence and/or what the experts are saying so you can make informed decisions about your body and healthcare plan. Disclaimers *This post is evidence-based; I draw on the medical literature to share what you need to know about phototherapy for lichen sclerosus. Importantly, what I share is my interpretation of the science and data.…
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Barrier Cream or Emollient: Which is Better for Lichen Sclerosus

Barrier Cream or Emollient: Which is Better for Lichen Sclerosus

Introduction For today’s video, I discuss the difference between barrier creams, emollients, balms, and salves and which option is best for lichen sclerosus. Be sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more educational LS content. If this video was helpful to you, we’d love your support so we can continue providing important education like this. Make a donation today at https://lssupportnetwork.org/donate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VO13qXjiME Important Links Get FemmeSense balm in Canada or the United States here and save 10% off of your order with code LABIALOVE23 Celina's code for 10% off of the Momotaro Salve with code JOYONJOYONJOY Get my FREE eBook on vulvar lichen sclerosus here Want to work with me (Jaclyn)? I offer 1:1 lichen sclerosus peer support calls. Learn more and book a call here. Sign up for LSSN's FREE virtual support meetups Subscribe to LSSN's newsletter here Subscribe to TLLC's newsletter here Timestamps for Barrier…
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