Does occlusion (covering the skin) worsen LS?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I came across a medical article that observed:
"We report our observation in 6 patients (3 males and 3 females) with histologically proven lichen sclerosus that showed relative sparing of the uncovered areas of the genitals, thereby suggesting that the occlusion of the genital skin may be playing a greater role in the causation of LS than is currently thought, in both sexes."
There is a theory that the foreskin (covering of the skin) may cause or contribute to LS in men. This article above suggested that LS is worsened by occlusion. Does any one have thoughts on this issue?
I have LS on the tip of my penis and I have been applying clob with a gauze bandage taped over the tip (over the pee hole). I worried that rubbing against clothes will rub off the clobetasol or any other ointment.
Thoughts?
1 like, 41 replies
andrea58721 jj2013B
Posted
Hi JJ,
I'm a 70-year-old woman. I wear skirts and cotton slips only and no underpants unless I'm gardening in which case I wear slacks. And that's ok standing up. Sitting down with underwear on brings redness to my LS by the end of the day. I guess that would suggest for you to wear as loose slacks as possible. Air circulation is good. My gynecologist told me last visit she expects my LS might be a bit worse at the end of the summer because of the extra heat, so that confirms airiness for me.
I'd suggest loose cotton underwear, and be careful you wash it in natural soap that won't irritate your skin. Health food stores are good for finding those.
I'm with Nancy on her suggestion to rub the clob in for 90 seconds. That way it doesn't get smeared around.
Try anything that sounds promising but only stick with what works. That's been my compass in this journey. We're all different....
All the best figuring out what works for you!Andrea
Guest jj2013B
Posted
Hi JJ,
Do you have a citation for that article? A journal name, author name or volume and page no so I can look it up on our university database? You can private message the link to me if it is in a popular magazine.
jj2013B
Posted
Does this site let me post links?
You can find it by Googling
Lichen sclerosus: Role of occlusion of the genital skin in the pathogenesis
That is just a six patient study but there are many more. Enter that search in Google Scholar and see all the articles on the occlusion theory of LS.
jj2013B
Posted
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?uact=5&um=1&ie=UTF-8&lr&cites=6209574757603749693
Google scholar citations to article on occlusion theory of LS
Guest jj2013B
Posted
JJ as you've described it, yes the circumcision thing is a lot of hogwash and has don't a disservice to men. As a women, I can't feel what you feel but I can say I empathize with the loss and the saying "they do hat they want to do." I don't think they care what we want because we are all stupid. (I have a PhD and several patents and do my own car repair) They don't like it when I question them or complain. Too bad. I'd say hang in or try to to find a functional medicine doctor. I think you have a basic imbalance somewhere in your system. Have you a ny recent blood tests to share? biscuit
jj2013B Guest
Posted
Thanks, eggbiscuit. I have a PhD, too, and my parents were in the medical field so they taught me to be skeptical of doctors as gods (or goddesses)! In many instances, "if all you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail" depending on the specialist and his tool kit.
I have full blood panel done twice a year and two others annually to check things related to testosterone (I take testosterone injection once weekly. I had normal T for my age before that but oh my the T shots make my blood panels look like a 20 year old).
What type of imbalance would cause my LS?
Nancy_K_B jj2013B
Posted
HI again JJ. Nancy here in North Carolina again. age 73. Well - I ma consummate researcher with a Masters... and when I discovered I had LS over 1/5 years ago I went ot work on that question - what imbalances do I have?
My cardiologist had already told me abut the massive worldwide deficiency of Vitamin D (D3). He had solved for his own Chrones disease by studying up on nutrition, and consequently started the integrative medicine department of his hospital. I started with the knowledge of vitamin D, worked though it's cofactors and built out from there. I think I take 27 or 28 supplements a day and I am now comfortable (except when i backslide on sugar). I built out this nutritional protocol for all autoimmune diseases and especially for our skin ailment, LS. If you have time to read through the explanation of each, you'll see what many are specific for skin.. but please don't assume that that's all you have to supplement with to get the results... each has the own interactive bits...
for instance, it is our livers that get so overloaded that cause skin outbreaks...
maybe you can add to this knowledge base. Here is the link I posted about 15 months ago and still needing updating but not much.
the daily nutrients:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/nutritional-support-for-autoimmune-diseases-updated-for-several-skin-disorders-641279
the rationale:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pathway-into-and-out-of-autoimmune-diseases--661033
Guest jj2013B
Posted
As Nancy has written here below, we are our own chemical factories with our own specific blood types, metabolic styles, and neurological foundation (sympathetic/parasympathetic dominant). Our modern diet under supports the body which means every organ system is probably operating at a sub-optimal level. I know what works for me and if I don't stick to it, I am out of balance and all manner of crap starts happening (crap is PhD talk for "bad things" LOL). I do much of what Nancy suggests here, specifically A, B (methylated not cyanide-based), C, D (natural), and organic calcium; magnesium, zinc and milk thistle, the latter is supposed to help the liver de-congest itself.
Has anybody suggested that the testosterone may be a factor?
What about adrenal function? Has anyone checked your thyroid antibodies? What about Immunoglobulin E, I, or G? Cytokines? Histamines? Other autoimmune tests such as sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) ? When these are out of line the imbalance can manifest in the skin because I had another problem years ago that I finally figured out, not the Doctor.
biscuit
jj2013B
Posted
The past ten days I stopped putting a bandage (2" gauze with sensitive tape on sides) over the end of my penis. I would say the appearance of the meatus is redder and more cracked, probably from rubbing against clothes. I know many where loose clothes (I do too) but any rubbing seems to irritate the meatus opening and sides. I might go back to bandage.
Wee_Dugie jj2013B
Posted
For anyone who cannot receive Messages or Personal Messaging on this web site that wants to enable it this is the route:
Go to your Profile Link at the top of the Page, Right and either Hover over or Click on your Icon, then select "Settings" then on the Menu on the Left of the Screen you can click the "Privacy" setting there is an option to "Enable private messaging" and there are two options "Yes" or "No" - to ENABLE Messaging select "Yes" and then the "Update" button.