Lichen Sclerosus Remedies

Recently diagnosed. Location in anal area, on chest, stomach, and legs. Oh holy night the Chronic anal itching during day is terrible!!! The SEVERE, wake me up, loss of sleep, night itch... makes me want to scream into my pillow and cry. Wait I have done that!!!! Punctured a COQ10 softgel and placed directly on anal affected area at 7:00 a.m. (Warning!!!! ' it Burned like hell but I felt instant itch relief. Burning sensation lasted 10 minutes) Just for testing purposes, I placed it again at 5:00 (still burned but way less this time) It is now 9:19, not one time did I have to sneak off into the bathroom at work to scratch and I have been laying in bed for over an hour without a hint of an itch. Crossing fingers (haven't had a solid night's sleep in 14 months & I hope this allows me to sleep through the night)!

I find strong Manuka honey fantastic for instantly taking away and keeping away the itch and soreness of vulval LS. I apply it topically morning and night. Have also tried paw paw ointment and calendula ointment which help a little but the honey is best. Manuka honey is well known for healing leg ulcers so I'm hoping it might also heal my LS but have only been using it for a week so don't know yet whether it will be a wonder cure.

Thank you for sharing, I was skeptical that this would help. It has more than helped it has almost completely healed. I have dealt with this for over 20 years and I am amazed at the results. I use cotton rounds with a few drops of lavender and dilute with water 3 times a day. I also purchased some Frankincense as someone else suggested on here and plan on using it as well just as a precautionary.It is a little pricey, but we'll worth it and it's not a steroid! Thank you again for sharing! I hope this information will be helpful to others as well.

I have had Ls for 2.5 years. I found Christine Kent from Whole Woman and she as suggested honey, the size of a pea, down there with red clover tea. There are also capsules, low oxalate diet, alkalinizing our system and a low anti-inflammatory diet. Do not have candida anymore.

Not giving up hope. Allegra

Which frankincense did you use, pls. The product of India or Yemen? The latter very expensive.

How is the Kreosotum and petroleum used? Is Kreosotum an over the counter cream or pill?

Thanks for the blog plus this new possibility of remedy. I have been suffering with LS nearly 10 years. I have been seen by numerous doctors but none seem to have a cure. There are doctors in Ohio who are claiming they've cured patients with penicillin injections but it's imperative to make sure you are not allergic or it could cause death.

For the past few years, I've been taking antibiotic twice daily as these same doctors have found the bacteria Borelia is the cause of LS. It has kept the LS from progressing although it is all over my body as well as my neck, chin and sides of my face. I went to a doctor who uses the light box therapy but he said it might further my condition. Coconut oil has given me some relief and I think it may even be reducing the white patches and hopefully my skin will become pink again! Good luck to all who suffer from this....

Try an antihistamine for the itching. I use non-drowsy and regular. It really works. Be aware that you need to take BEFORE the itching starts. Good to help you sleep.

I read about a 60 year old woman, here on EarthClinic, who has been healed by UVB light treatment (eximer laser). Her symptoms have been completely reversed. I wish she could tell us who gave her the treatment. And how comes this is not world news?

I will ask (again) for some Dutch doctors here and will let you know. In the meantime I sit in the sun, in lotus... now and then.

Hi Linda, May I ask where you had your UV therapy done? Was it at a dermatologists office? Thanks.

Hi Linda, May I ask where you had your UV therapy done? Was it at a dermatologists office? Thanks.

If you type in Essiac Tea in your browser you will find all the information you need to make a decision about using this product. I have just started to use it.

I was diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosis on April 16, 2015 after my OB GYN did a vulvar biopsy. I had been suffering for 20 months with symptoms but the current flare up has been the worst ever. My doctor prescribed the steroid, clobetasol, but I must be allergic to one of the preservatives because my symptoms became even more intense. I have stopped the steroids and I'm searching for some type of relief. What has been very soothing is using organic coconut oil before (used as a barrier) and after going to the bathroom. Two days ago I picked up a homeopathic remedy for shingles at the health food store that has greatly reduced the itching and pain. It did sting when I applied it so I have been diluting it with castor oil.

My question: Has anyone tried UV Light Therapy as a treatment for LS?? I had a horrific eczema outbreak on my legs and after using the UV Light Therapy, it completely sent away and has never returned.

Julia,

From reading through the entire blog, it seems there is something to coconut oil. I'm going to try it. I'm "frigid" from fear of a bloody show after intercourse, intercourse that is always painful. A certain MD forced me to have a biopsy, it was totally unnecessary, as it turned out. There is another product "Yes" - has anyone tried it or heard of it? Active ingredient is aloe vera. I'll let you know if it works to help the atrophy. I feel so badly that you have suffered so much. Let us know if the coconut oil helps, try a little first near the labia and just see how your skin looks and feels before using more. Blessings, Helen

Hi Kate. You mentioned a number of homeopathic remedies you used. I am currently using urtica urens based on your advice. It is helping but not complete. How did you use so many remedies? In what order, when and how much? Thank you

Is the castor oil, lavender and lemongrass still working for you? I just got diagnosed and am frightened. Desperate you might say. Thank you

Wendy, have you read Dr Brownstein's book re iodine and followed up with the Iodine protocol as mentioned on Earth Clinic; and, whether this has cured the LS?

What kind of lavender oil did you use? And where do you apply it at?

I have a theory about lichen sclerosus and wondered if it applies to anyone else. I heard that girls born to women with an overactive thyroid whilst pregnant have a high chance of developing LS. This applies to me, does anyone else have a mother with LS and who had it whilst pregnant?

Did you drink this concoction or insert it?

Hello, I developed Lichen Sclerosus after a bad allergic reaction to latex. After trying the baking soda/acv/castor oil and getting some but not complete relief I tried borax in water, taken internally 2 times a day. It was completely gone within a week.

The dose I used was 1/8 tsp in a large glass of water and followed by another glass of water to ensure it was well diluted. I have been on this solution for almost 2 weeks and have had no further symptoms. I hope others suffering from this ailment will research borax cures.

Good luck all!

How are you using the essential oils (Thieves)? Taking orally or applying to the site?

What brand frankensense oil did you use?

You can relieve the itch of Lichen Sclerosis in the genital area by applying 99% or 100% pure aloe vera gel. I also use a spray of witch hazel about 8 oz, with three drops of tea tree oil, 5 drops of vitamin E oil, 5 drops of lavender essential oil and a capful of castor oil. I spray that on...let it dry a little or lightly pat it dry if I'm in a rush...and then just apply about 1/8 teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Works very well for me. Heals me, keeps me healed and the aloe vera gel keeps the itch away.

I had chronic vaginal yeast infections all my young adult life. I was taking Canestan at least once every 3 months for years. Now I'm 66 and I was diagnosed with vulvar Lichen Sclerosus 13 years ago.

A connection? Seems logical.

The LS symptoms are under control with diet (no dairy, wheat, sugar, flour) and drinking lots of pure water, plus doses of lactobacillus and digestive enzymes, all of which were originally prescribed for IBS, so they keep my gut (and therefore my whole system) healthy and alkaline.

Fairly irrelevant but no, 90% of the wheat is not roundup ready. It is desiccated before harvest with round up but GMO wheat, though it exists is not approved for planting. What is out there is an accidental escape from test plots. I highly recommend avoiding any contact with RoundUp if you have any autoimmune issues at all, ever, under any circumstances. But, if Monsanto asks, I didn't say that.

Wow, I hadn't put the two together. My eyes are dry and red when I have the flare ups. Never realized that before this post. Thank you.

I don't know what the relationship is but I have flare ups if I drink sweet soda whether artificially sweetened or not, organic or the usual. I haven't noticed any other strong correlations.

How often did you apply the "castor oil, lemon grass lavender" mixture. I'm having a flare up and it's painful. Can't see my Dr.till April...she's booked up. need relief now!

Lynn,

I have had LS for about 15 years. Your post concerns me because you fail to consider that this is a progressive disease.You are in the early or mid stages, and I assure you there is no going backwards. I urge you to arrest the progression before you have irreparable damage. By the symptoms you are reporting, the disease is marching forward. This is not good..

There are stages to the disease that are much worse than you are experiencing now. I urge you to seriously educate yourself on this disease. I know a great resource!!

I belong to a wonderful LS support group, well over 10,000 women and men are members, discussing what is working.. Please get ahold of the LS before it progresses much further.

Here it is:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LichenSclerosis/info

This is REALLY WORTH YOUR TIME.

Sincerely, Cyn

I have been on a paleo diet for over 5 years and my Lichen Sclerosus started about 1 1/2 years ago! Not sure if diet is a preventive, but I think mine would be worse if I didn't eat healthy.

I combined coconut oil and baking soda into a paste, immediate relief of burning and itching.

I clean with Witch Hazel Wipes (courtesy of VA dr) and using diluted Apple Cider Vinegar. Hopefully I can cure self using these simple things. Four years is too long to be itching and having skin tear and bleed. Been celibate well over four years!!!!!

I'm wondering if anyone has explored the use of Monolaurin for lichen sclerosis? InspiredNutrition.com indicates it is helpful with yeast, infections, MRSA (even) as well as Herpes and more. Would you mind letting me know your thoughts? thank you

I was just recently diagnosed with Lichen Schlerosus. Fortunately, caught it very early because I was itching for a couple of weeks, thought it was a yeast infection and treated it that way but still made an appointment with my OBGYN. He immediately diagnosed it as LS. I was surprised because nothing had changed in my life, not even my soap, but he said it happens often post-menopausal because of a general thinning of the tissues around the vaginal area due to drop in estrogen, etc. (Of course, this doesn't explain those who have it pre-menopause). However, this list has served me greatly because I believe in tackling the symptoms somewhat aggressively early with a little western medicine (the steroid cream) and then figuring out how to holistically stop the cause internally. Based upon this list (thank you very much) I drink red clover tea twice a day (which supplements the immune system and provides a little estrogen to the post-menopausal body), eliminated sugar and dairy (which I had started to do anyway prior to this event), take Black Seed Oil (which supports the immune system and provides a whole host of other amazing benefits, take a probiotic to replenish the good bacteria, take a teaspoon of Carlsson's lemon-flavored Cod Liver Oil (also a host of amazing benefits for women) and eating whole organic foods (no processed foods). I also use organic coconut oil as a regular lubricant in between the steroid treatments and take a daily sitz bath infused with organic apple cider vinegar (with the mother). I have been feeling much better and it's just been the third day. In addition, I got rid of my regular panty liners and got organic chlorine and plastic free cotton ones from the health food store. I believe we are subjecting our bodies to so many chemicals in an unregulated fashion...at some point the body is going to rebel. While the OBGYN said this condition is relatively common, you have to ask yourself why? It makes no sense to me but I'm going to treat the symptoms and my system and have faith it will clear up. At the end of the day, the body tells us we have an issue with what we are doing. If we listen and address both the symptoms and the suspected cause we are only going to benefit ourselves in the long run.

Dear Jerene,

Personally, I would want to find something else to try first. When I look at cures for LS, I see a number of things I would try before Essiac if I was expecting. I am a huge fan of herbs and use them often. Herbal medicine can be quite powerful. So, I would hesitate to use Essiac in pregnancy. In a cursory search, I was not able to find that the ingredients in Essiac, individually, were contraindicated for pregnancy, I would still err on the side of caution with an herbal blend that is able to cure cancer.

That said, if I had cancer and had to pick between Essiac and chemo, I would pick Essiac.

When I look at Earth Clinic's cure page for LS, I see things like Apple Cider Vinegar, baking soda, dietary changes, eliminating artificial sweeteners, etc. I would be more comfortable with trying those things first.

I hope you find a cure soon! And I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy!

~Mama to Many~

I was diagnosised with Lichen Sclerosus August 2014 and prescribed Clobatesol which worked great for initial flare up. I have had two additional flare ups which seem worse each time. I am seeking natural healing options. How do you use the ACV and Baking soda, as a soak or place directly on inflammed area?

I have Lichen Sclerosus and am 16 wks pregnant. Would essiac tea be safe?

Hello.. Re: LS... Where did you purchase the Essiac Tea?
How are you feeling now?
Thanks!! Victoria

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream works as well (if not better) then the prescription Clobetasol. It has all natural ingredients so can be used long term with no bad side effects. My OBGYN said that it was ok to use. The thought of using a steroid cream for the rest of my life bothered me. Glad to have found something safe. Buy it at Costco (best price), Whole Foods or online. Just use as often needed.

I feel like I could have written your posting........ ;(

I have had Lichen Sclerosus for about 10 years now. I have just recently started using baking soda for it. I put about 1 tbsp bakin soda in a small glass 1/3 cup of water, take a seat on the toilet and pour it directly over the vaginal area. Let it dry, and I'm good to go! It has been very helpful!!!! :))

Can I mix francinsense mixed with coconut oil for lessions on vg?

AJ - your post is very encouraging and I'm going to try your treatment! I do have a question, though - how often do you apply the castor oil mixture? Daily? More often?

Thank you for sharing this!!!

The sitz bath is what I was thinking too with the baking soda. I'm trying the castor oil, lavendar and lemon grass for ointment. Husband is out now shopping for ingredients.

I was managing the Lichen Sclerosus fine with Emuaid and then ended up in the hospital with acute asthma exacerbation. I had antibiotics and steroids for 3 weeks. The LS has gone wild. I have blistering, inflammation, skin peeling and I can't bear to have clothing on. Emuaid no longer helps.

I'm so glad you guys are here!

Hi. Did you make a salve of the baking soda and baby oil or soak in it?

I was diagnosed with LS at the age of 27 by a dermatologist specialist. I am now 48. I am not sure what caused it as I have had no trauma that would warrant it that I can think of other than an episiotomy at age 18 when my daughter was born. I have always been able to keep it under control with steroid creams clobetasol and OTC 1% cortisone ointment. Been out of clobetasol for 4 years and OTS ointment has not really been helping. In the last 9 months my skin has turned more white and some tearing with sex and itching and burning with my monthly menstrual cycle.

I have been doing so much research on how to heal myself. I tried emu oil with little results, coconut oil mixed with lavender and lemongrass with pretty good results but last week I think I found the best thing ever. I researched and starting using a solution of organic castor oil (4tbsp mixed with 2 drops lavender oil and 1 drop lemongrass oil) I have used it for a little over a week now with wonderful results. It gives instant relief of itching and burning, my tears have healed and my skin is finally starting to turn back pink again. Castor oil is very thick and odorless so it stays with my skin well throughout the day while I am at work or in bed asleep at night.

Sex was great with no tearing or itching burning afterward. I will continue to use this and I hope it helps anyone who reads this suffering with this horrible affliction.

Frankincense - why not, I have tried everything else. It has got to work. I have gotten rid of bread, sugar and dairy.

Did you just go wheat free and sugar free, or grain free? Due to my jst flashes, insomnia, my nutrtionist said I should give up all grains which I did for almost two months and things were getting better but not quite perfect, I think nightshades and dairy are culprits... It was just so expensive eating organic, buying all my vitamins, etc that I. Ould to keep it up. I ended up going on bioidentical hormones which mostly work. I believe I have had LS for over ten years and just now my Dr did a biopsy for it. I'm using cortisone but it's only been two weeks and things are a bit better but far from perfect. I have raw areas around my opening that aren't healing much, I have not been able to have intercourse for six months. Wondering what to do. I will try wheat free and sugar free and go from there I guess.

Hi Emily, Do you mean you are cured? Is it really gone, or 'just' the symptoms? I can prevend the itching by using oil on the white area, but the pain stays. I do not eat/drink: gluten, sugar, dairy, alcohol, black coffee, black tea. I meditate and sport a lot. My main whish is to get back the soft skin around my clitoris. It is hidden now...and I would love to dare being intimate again, without pain and with more joy!

Hmmmm... Interesting, I've had Lichen Sclerosus for about 8 years. Over the past year I've had chronic yeast infections. Any suggestions would be great!! Thanks

Be very carefull of using treatments for thrush when you have Lichen Sclerosus. Several Drs just gave it to me and then the specialist said that the antifungal treatments I was given were actualy feeding the LS and making it worse. I believed this because when I used these treatments it felt worse. It took me 2 years of going from dr to dr to be diagnosed properly.

I brought some zinc oxide powder. Do I make a paste and put it on the affected area?

I'm very interested in your post as I have had Lichen Sclerosus for 2 years and been on Steroid cream, which has stopped working. I would love to use a more natural approach, so thought I would try Frankincense oil - do you put it in a carrier oil? And do you apply it directly to the area affected? Thank you so much! I am looking forward to enjoying itch free evenings. Debbie

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I have had LS for 10 years and was prescribed Clobatesol. It did help in the beginning with the white patches and the itch but still got flare-ups that are excrutiating. I have never been able to stop using it for any lenght of time and would have flare-ups that lasted for weeks. This creme has done absolutely nothing for my LS for the past 4 months, I don't know if the area is now immune to it. I'm willing to change my diet but do not have a clue where to start. Are there certain foods that I should stay away from? I don't eat processed food or junk food, I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, I eat poultry and some fish. I thank you for any advice you can give me.

All of my Lichen Sclerosus symptoms disappeared within about a week of starting the raw food diet + supplement. I had horrible LS symptoms for 2.5 years and was 12 doctors before being diagnosed. I also have contact dermatitis (skin allergies) and was prone to yeast infections, both of which made it even more inflamed. Anyway, after trying tons of home remedies and not wanting to be on steroids long term I decided to focus on my immune system.

So, I started taking Culturelle and eating a 90% raw food diet (MOSTLY vegetables and SOME fruits). I like to blend them up so the sweetness of the fruit makes it more enjoyable to eat a lot of greens. I recommend watching documentaries like "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" and "Food Matters" to kick start your new diet. Supplements I take are liquid B Complex, Zinc, Fish Oil, and a did a 2 week Essiac tonic detox which is easy and inexpensive. YOUR BODY IS ABLE TO CURE ANY DISEASE OR ILLNESS IF YOU PROVIDE IT WITH THE RIGHT FOODS. You should avoid sugar and minimize animal products (milk, eggs, meat). Less than 6% of Doctors get any nutritional education in school so don't listen to them if they tell you you don't need to make dietary changes like they told me.

Mary, I'm having some of the same issues. What kind of doctor performed the UVB laser treatments for you? An OB/GYN or Dermatologist? Have the results lasted for you since your last post? Thank you for your help. The steroid cream is helping but not doing enough and some symptoms are progressing.

Rita...for scarring: have you ever been offered estrogen cream (estradiol--prescription only in the U.S.) to apply to the scars? I have been reading that many people have seen their scars "break up" with the use of the cream. It doesn't matter what your age..even young children have shown improvement with it's use. It's not enough hormone to be absorbed by the body or change your own hormones. It's just a small amount rubbed into the scarred area. Do a search for Lichen Schlerosus and Estrogen Cream.

Re: Improving Lichen Sclerosus With Diet: I have improved all of my inflammatory conditions through better eating. Everything you put in your body can either cause inflammation or heal it. I am a Wellness coach and have helped others to reverse these conditions through better eating. Start with reading about Mark Hyman or Dr. Andrew Weil, all about how processed foods cause inflammation. Hope this helps

Was the Frankensence oil applied topically?

Hello everyone.....I am sorry that a lot of you are suffering with LS!

I've had LS for at least 7 years now....diagnosed for 5 years.(I am 55) I have tried so many lotions, potions, treatments, etc....I've been reading your posts and will try some of these! I eat organically, eat pasture fed meat and eggs, drink Reverse Osmosis water and exercise.I eat healthy. I am going to try the gluten free diet and see if that helps. I take all kinds of vitamins, etc...a lot of these were mentioned in your posts. I have been using steroid cream....but it has stopped working about 10 months ago....I hated using it anyways......but kept me from going mad. I was using organic, bio-identical progesterone cream..(Natpro).....I didn't think the cream was working, and thought maybe that I didn't use a high enough dosage, but after discontinuing the cream my LS became much worse. I was also under a lot of stress since about that time...so I'm not sure if this is a coincidence or not. I belong to an online support group and some of the women on there say they have had remarkable success using concentrated cannabis oil (topically). Makes one think. I know my doctor would never give me a prescription for it. :( They rarely give people here prescriptions for medical cannabis...let alone the oil. Makes one want to break the law! A lot of the LS treatments are just that.....treating the horrible symptoms that we get....never getting at the cause. It definitely has something to do with hormonal imbalance. Almost everyone that has LS has hypothyroidism...and I think the ones that don't have hypothyroidism just haven't been diagnosed with it yet. It makes me think that maybe we should be finding something that cures hypothyroidism which in turn would cure the LS. I am going to start researching into the thyroid issue. I've been rather down about my LS lately. I hate the horrible itching, the pain, the atrophy.....and especially how it effects my sex life and relationship with my husband. I usually try to be positive and up beat about things......but lately it's been bad.

I have had LS for 7 years. I always wash my clothing, etc before wearing them.

I have noticed a lot of comments about artificial sweeteners being suspect. Not true in my case. I am 45 years old and have always avoided artificial sweeteners due to the controversies. I have found that less sugar, in general, has helped with mine. When I was first diagnosed, I was given Clobetasol. At the time, my vulva had scarring but nothing like it does now. I won't be graphic but I do believe the steroid cream/ointment is what has caused even more narrowing/scarring at my vaginal opening and various other important areas. I also, strongly believe, I have an undiagnosed thyroid issue.

Oil of Frankincense, as well as any other essential oil but Oil of Lavender, should NOT be used neat (undiluted) put the drops in a carrier oil and apply topically. Do NOT take it internally!

A further question about the use of Frankincense Oil - did you use it topically or did you take it internally?

I had a question about the frankincense oil, did you use it straight or diluted?

I have found using a good quality honey applied topically to the area a few times a day until the symptoms are relieved does reduce itching and irritation.

Frankincense Oil completely healed my painful LS very quickly! To think that I had suffered with this for over 4 years. At first I was embarrassed thinking that it was a painful VD but because of the itching thought it was a candida fungal problem. I tried EVERYTHING... with various results but it kept returning and was excruciatingly painful. Rosewater sprayed on the area would stop the itching though. Yes, I even tried Oregano oil diluted, white iodine with DMSO, baking soda baths. All would help for a day or so but would not heal it.

Then I read that this was a precancerous condition and very closely tied to emotional issues. So I immediately started using pure Frankincense oil and within two days could tell it was healing. No pain, no itching and the lesions were disappearing. I used two drops in the am and in the pm for three weeks. Now it is GONE! I'm so thankful for this healing and am staying off sugar and starting to eliminate wheat! I can sit without wincing and walk without that pain! Thank you EC for your awesome website to help us all!

My condition was self diagnosed. I have had LS for several years now and non of the doctors could figure out what it was. Finally my condition got worse and started researching the symptoms and couple of months ago I figured what I had. I came across this site to find cure for this and I took Daisy's advice and ordered some Essiac Tea to cure it internally and used Perrin's blend for external use. It's been almost a month and I am feeling much better. The white patches have almost disappeared just 2 small areas to be treated. Also I've heard that this could be due to some emotional trauma and shame so I am sending myself some luv every morning and night. Essentially I am doing three prone healing - internal, external and emotional. I am optimistic that I am getting better and better everyday. I will keep you posted.