Is Lichen Sclerosis hereditary?
Posted , 16 users are following.
Today I telephoned my sister who lives in another part of the country and I don't see very often. Nothing unusal about that but the revelation that she also suffers with LS stunned me. She only disclosed this to me because I told her that I had recently been diagnosed with the condition. Thinking I was making her aware of a disorder she may not have known about I was gobsmacked when she told me she had suffered with LS for at least 6 yrs. Is it just a coincidence or can we be genetical disposed to LS ?
Has anyone else on this forum got a close relative with LS.
0 likes, 32 replies
patricia86334 norma54754
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judy02533 patricia86334
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norma54754 patricia86334
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LS is believed to be an immune malfunction and other immune disorders can be present with LS. My sister with LS has got eczema as I have also developed on one foot.
Another sister 8 yrs. younger than myself has hypothyroidism which is common amongst LS sufferers ( will she be next,I wonder)
All of our autoimmune disorders arose around the menopausal phase.
I feel hormonal inbalances are playing a strong part in disrupting our immune systems.
patricia86334 norma54754
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norma54754 patricia86334
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Ignorance is bliss until one has a problem. I am all for education and awareness. Anything to unravel the cause of and avoidance of LS.
All I know is I have been confirmed by biopsy that I have LS. A dormant gene triggered by an unbalanced hormonal endocrine system is a possibility but what can we do about it. Hopefully research into LS will support us one day.
wendy14679 norma54754
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I am convinced that LS is a genetic disease. I am pretty sure that my father has it, as I have been told he has a "skin problem" and that he uses dermovate ointment, but although I have told him that I have LS, he has never confided in me unfortunately! My sister seems to have a mild version of it, if this is possible. She doesnt want to have a biopsy, so just puts up with it. Are you from the UK?
norma54754 wendy14679
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I favour a biopsy as it diagnoses any vin or malignancy that may be present and confirms the presence of LS.
woozie norma54754
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norma54754 woozie
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Morrell1951 norma54754
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norma54754 Morrell1951
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diana49315 norma54754
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I asked my doctor if I got it through heredity and he said probably not. My dad had skin problems and my son has skin problems, he said the type my dad and son had did not have anything to do with my problem. I am luck that my LS acts up only once in a while and for a few days at a time. The first time I had it my GP was treating me for a yeast or urinary infection. No matter what he gave me, it only made it worse until I went to the Gynocologist. He put me on a two different creams, I quit using both, the one was estrigen and seeing where using it for prolong periods of time could cause cancer. I don't think either cream helped anyway, they were very expensive to buy. I will just live with the problem and deal with it as it comes up.
But if your family has the same condition, I don't see how it could not be passed down through the family, a lot of things are passed down including diabetes. I think mine comes down from my dad's line.
norma54754 diana49315
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renee77108 norma54754
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I've often wondered it it could be linked to arificial hormone replacement...I mean it comes from an animal...mind started when I was using estrogen creams for vaginal dryness. I had a terrible reaction to both types they put me on...and that's when mind all came about.
diana49315 renee77108
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When I went in to see my doctor for my yearly exam he asked me if I wanted a refill on the two creams, I told him no, but I would take a refill on the creams people use for yeast infections, that seemed to calm down the problem more than any of the other creams he had given me. I did not have a yeast infection when I started using the cream since they did do a yeast infection test before hand, but for me, that type of cream helped. I won't use the estrogen creams, they give warnings of using that cream too much since it is linked to cancer.
What works for one patient will not work for another, but I would ask if you could use the yeast infection cream, I use it just like I would have the estrogen cream, not like the directions on the boxes. They also sell that cream in the stores, but since our insurance pays for it, I get it through the pharmacy
renee77108 diana49315
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I also had the LS on my lower legs. Fortunately that cleared up when I did the Paleo auto-immune diet for 4 weeks and has not come back...very thankful for that. It temporarily cleared up in the private areas and is much better with fewer flares so I am seriously considering going back on the diet and trying it for a longer period of time to see if I get a total remission. Currently I have great success with a spray of witch hazel (pure witch hazel can be dilluted with 15% of purified water), but I've also used the one with alcohol at times...although it can sting. I pat dry and follow this with a dab of 98% or higher of aloe vera gel. If I get a split I use manuka honey at bedtime...at least 20% with cotton panties for a couple of nights and it heals quickly. There is medical proof of manuka honey being a great healing salve. This way I avoid the chemicals and the side effects of steroid creams. Others on other LS forums have had success after trying this. If you have the itch...this really helps. However, it does not seem to help with LS on the extremities...at least it did not for me.
norma54754 renee77108
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I have already made comments on synthetic HRT which I took for 17 years. I believe it may be an immune system disruptor and could kick of any autoimmune disorder one may be predisposed to. My sisters have autoimmune disorders that developed around menopausal years and they also took systemic HRT. Makes one think doesn't it. Have we been guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical firms!
renee77108 norma54754
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norma54754 renee77108
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