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Clobetasol (Dermovate): Recommended 12 weeks - experience with that duration?

Posted , 4 users are following.

jj2013B
jj2013B

NOTE: I am posting here and the Lichen Planus forum because I am diagnosed with both and in this first 12 weeks of treatment.

I have LP and/or LS on penis. Doctor says, and everything I read, recommends Dermovate 2 times daily for 12 weeks and then taper. What was your experience on that 12-week regimen of clob?

I am through 3.5 weeks. I can't say it is dramatically better. The itch is gone (thankfully) but sex is still a problem (intercourse).

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • SnappyCat
    SnappyCat jj2013B

    Posted

    jj - Not sure about with men, but with the female version, moisturizer/barrier is the key to everything. Every single toilet visit includes reapplication of either vaseline or oils.

    There are a few guys on this forum...they would know best.

    • jj2013B
      jj2013B SnappyCat

      Posted

      Snappycat - thanks for that tip. Do you put the moisturizer on top of the area where you rubbed clob steroid cream?

      What happened to you during your first 12 weeks with clob (Dermovate)? Was the change gradual? Sudden? Not at all?

      As for bathroom, I am always worried that urine drips will wash away the clob. (The LS/LP is directly on either side of the pee hole/meatus).

    • SnappyCat
      SnappyCat jj2013B

      Posted

      JJ, OK, so here's what my Derm says:

      1. The most important steroid application is at night...it has a better chance of staying on. Pretty much, what you apply during the day, try to put it on early before you leave.
      2. Try to "dab" not "wipe" both to keep the meds in place and also to not irritate things.
      3. Apply the vaseline or oil or whatever you use, wherever you have symptoms, but also, all over the area. The idea is to both moisturize and lubricate, but also create a barrier so that the urine doesn't irritate. All over the general area.

      I used Beta (steroid) 2x day for 2 wks...then cold turkey for the biopsy. Then 3x a week (at night) for the foreseeable future. Itching went away. Area looks ok.

  • Wee_Dugie
    Wee_Dugie jj2013B

    Posted

    Hi JJ, I have been treating LS for 8 years now and the idea of a successful treatment regime is to achieve and maintain the healthiest skin possible. How each individual sufferer achieves the healthiest state possible for LP/LS infected skin varies considerably.

    For example, in contrast to the other replies you have received so far on this LS forum I cannot apply anything else otherwise my skin will worsen.

    I have developed a hygiene protocol for men to follow who are experiencing any form of penile skin disorder: here is a range of essentials from that -

    • wash your penis every time you urinate with water only and make sure you are completely dry following washing and after a shower. If you cannot wash, either use a clean paper tissue or toilet tissue to dry around the tip of the penis when you have urinated.
    • do not apply anything else to the penis (yes, that means zero!) , certainly condoms are positively dangerous for LP / LS infected skin
    • in terms of sex or self-pleasuring try to abstain from these as long as you can - I would say the 12 week regime is the minimum you need to aim for in terms of abstaining
    • for a steroid to be successful it must be applied sufficiently frequently enough, to all the infected skin areas, a quick application and get on with other stuff you want to do is of minimal or NO benefit. The OINTMENT (not cream versions!) needs to be gently massaged into the skin and the minimum time you need to spend doing this is 4 or 5 minutes
    • in addition, you need to achieve and retain suppleness and elasticity in infected skin, this is essential to achieve the healthiest skin possible. This is crucial on the foreskin if this is infected. otherwise you risk the skin splitting and tearing from time to time / and or, the skin always being unhealthy. Gentle stretches in as many directions as possible is best, and the massage movements help with this too, if your skin is severely infected simple massage movements when applying the Steroid will be sufficient until healing is well under way.

      .

      I can give you further tips if you wish - simply reply in this Forum, if nothing else, can you please update your Forum Post here at the end of your 12 weeks to say how you are getting on ........

    • jj2013B
      jj2013B Wee_Dugie

      Posted

      I will update after 12 weeks. 4 weeks so far. Maybe it feels better, maybe it is imagination. Nothing like "wow! The clob is really working!"

      Is this why you recommend ointment?

      "Conventional dermatologic wisdom is that ointment preparations provide the highest potency (due to their occlusive nature and moisturizing ability)"

      Elsewhere, I read they recommend against ointment in moist areas but studies find clob doesn't cause atrophy there (perhaps because it is mucosa and not skin).

      I will need to convince my derm to switch me. He was hesitant to give me clob despite my biopsy results (he wanted the next doctor - after 12 week wait - to do it).

    • Wee_Dugie
      Wee_Dugie jj2013B

      Posted

      I would imagine the cream version is best for skin conditions on certain locations of the body, but I have heard that several people have stated that only the ointment version was effective / gave better results than the cream versions for Lichen disorders.

      If the guy was going to wait for 12 weeks to start treating you my guess is that he is not too familiar with the Lichen based skin disorders - that is too long to wait to start treatment. Is this a Dermatologist you have seen or a general doctor?

    • jj2013B
      jj2013B Wee_Dugie

      Posted

      He isn't waiting to treat me. I INSISTED on the 12-week clobetasol medicine and he gave it to me. He is a dermatologist. There were two earlier biopsies (on underside of head and shaft - not the primary problem area) that were non-specific but leaned toward irritant dermatitis or perhaps incomplete psoriasis plaque. He still thinks it is irritant dermatitis despite the unqualified lichen result when I had him to it on the problem lesions.

      In short, I have been on clob for 4 weeks and will do it 8 weeks more, then I see a doctor in a big city a few hours away.

    • Wee_Dugie
      Wee_Dugie jj2013B

      Posted

      Thanks for the further information, JJ. It would be good if you can update here once you have seen the Doctor in 8 weeks time ....

    • martin24428
      martin24428 Wee_Dugie

      Posted

      Hello iv been given clob cream,the pain I'm experiencing is breaking me as i have a partner can things get better,im 3 or 4 months in didn't realize what was goin on,then went private dermo,feeling very low at living with this pain wise

  • jj2013B
    jj2013B

    Posted

    PS: I don't have any foreskin at all (and no frenulum) due to circumcision. The only area that is affected is the meatus and surrounding tissue on glans.

  • jj2013B
    jj2013B

    Posted

    I am now at the 6 week mark with clobetasol. I switched from the cream to the ointment in the past 2 weeks.

    Good news: it still looks inflamed and cracked but feels SO much better. I have had sex several times in the past 2 weeks. The only time it hurt was the tip ached after 20 minutes of intercourse - ached enough so I climaxed to be done.

    I wonder if I should put lidocaine on the spot that is most sore (at the tip)?

    Also, for the first time the right meatus bump swelled. Has this ever happened to you before? It didn't hurt at all and the next morning the swelling was gone. image

    • jj2013B
      jj2013B

      Posted

      Another pic. image

      And from previous time I had sex (with condom): image

      Again, it didn't hurt and next morning swelling down. Is this just something people with LP or LS get used to?

      Thanks for all help!

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