Lichen sclerosus: between misdiagnosis and taboos

Often mistaken for a mycosis or bacterial infection, lichen sclerosus is in fact an autoimmune disease of the vulvar mucosa. This inflammatory condition, little-known to the general public, but also to some doctors, causes itching, pain and cracking, mainly around the vulva in women. It is thought to affect between 1% and 2% of the female population in Switzerland, and remains largely under-diagnosed.