Lichen Sclerosus: Complications

The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by lichen sclerosus:

Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99).

  • Tearing/bleeding of the affected skin areas, e.g., due to scratching.

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

  • Infection of the affected areas of the skin

Mouth, esophagus (food pipe), stomach, and intestines (K00-K67; K90-K93).

Neoplasms – tumor diseases (C00-D48).

  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative squamous cell carcinoma (malignant tumor of skin and mucosa) in the genital region in women (individual, lifetime risk about 1-2%) (very rare in men).
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis (in men over 30 years of age; possible triggering factor HPV 16?)

Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract-genital organs) (N00-N99).

  • Atrophy of the external genitalia
  • Kraurosis vulvae (see symptoms below for definition).
  • Phimosis (foreskin constriction) → micturition and erectile dysfunction.
  • Meatus stenosis (narrowing of the urethral outlet) – possibly with ischuria (urinary retention).
  • Stenosis of the introitus vaginae (vaginal entrance narrowing) – dyspareunia (pain during vaginal intercourse), possibly also cohabitation disorders.
  • Reduced sensitivity of the glans penis and painfulness of erection.

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  • Cosmetic impairment