Stay informed. Stay hopeful. Better answers are coming!
In Part 1, I shared some of the research highlighted in a recent Medscape article on emerging treatments for vulvar lichen sclerosus, including JAK inhibitors and fractional CO₂ laser therapy.
But another area of research may be even more intriguing to those of us who have lived with LS for years:
Could future treatments actually help repair or remodel tissue affected by the disease?
PRP and regenerative treatments
Researchers are studying several approaches intended not simply to suppress inflammation but potentially to encourage tissue repair and remodeling.
These include:
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
- Autologous fat grafting
- Treatments involving adipose-derived cells
PRP is produced from a patient’s own blood. The platelets are concentrated and then injected into the treatment area, with the idea that growth factors and other substances released by the platelets may encourage healing.
Fat grafting takes a different approach, using a person’s own fat tissue. Researchers are also studying cells and biological components derived from adipose tissue.
The concept is fascinating for LS because inflammation is only part of the problem for some patients. Years of disease can result in scarring, narrowing of the vaginal opening, changes in vulvar architecture and discomfort that doesn’t necessarily disappear simply because the inflammation has been brought under control.
Could regenerative medicine eventually help address some of that tissue damage?
Possibly.
But this is where we have to separate possibilities from proof.
The early findings are interesting, but studies of PRP and other regenerative approaches have generally been much smaller and more varied than the evidence supporting corticosteroid treatment. We still need better controlled studies to determine who benefits, how much they benefit, how long improvements last and which techniques actually work.
So I see regenerative medicine as one of the most interesting areas of LS research—but not yet as an established treatment.
Earlier diagnosis may be just as important as new treatments
The new therapies understandably get our attention, but another message from the research shouldn’t be overlooked:
Earlier diagnosis and better long-term follow-up matter.
LS is still sometimes mistaken for recurrent yeast infections, irritation, menopausal changes or other vulvar conditions. Women can spend months—or even years—trying different treatments before receiving the correct diagnosis.
During that time, LS can continue to cause inflammation and scarring.
Newer European and British recommendations emphasize considering LS when someone has persistent vulvar itching, pain with intercourse or unexplained vulvar discomfort that doesn’t improve with conventional treatments.
They also emphasize follow-up rather than simply handing someone a prescription and sending her home indefinitely.
I think this is especially important because LS is a chronic condition. Feeling better doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying tendency toward inflammation has disappeared.
LS affects more than skin
Another change I am glad to see is greater recognition of the effect LS can have on a woman’s overall quality of life.
LS can affect sexual intimacy, relationships, confidence and body image. Pain or fear of tearing can cause women to avoid intimacy altogether. Changes in vulvar anatomy can be emotionally difficult as well as physically uncomfortable.
That is one reason some specialists are moving toward a more multidisciplinary approach involving gynecology or vulvar specialists, dermatology, pelvic-floor physical therapy and, when appropriate, psychological support.
Treating LS successfully shouldn’t simply mean making the skin look better during an examination.
The goal should also be helping someone feel better and live better.
Why this research gives me hope
What encouraged me most wasn’t any single experimental treatment.
It was the direction the research is taking.
Researchers are asking questions that matter to those of us living with LS:
Can we identify and target the inflammatory pathways driving the disease?
What can we offer people who don’t respond adequately to steroids?
Can damaged or scarred tissue someday be repaired or remodeled?
Can treatment improve sexual function and quality of life as well as control inflammation?
And can we diagnose LS earlier so that some of the permanent damage never occurs in the first place?
We don’t have all those answers yet.
But those are exactly the questions I want researchers asking.
Hopebut with a little caution
Whenever you live with a chronic condition, it’s understandable to become excited when you hear about a new treatment. I’ve learned to be careful with words such as breakthrough, regenerative and revolutionary, particularly when a treatment is already being sold directly to patients.
PRP, laser therapy, JAK inhibitors and fat-derived therapies should not be interpreted as cures for lichen sclerosus.
Some of these approaches are further along scientifically than others, and we still need larger and longer-term studies.
At the same time, I don’t think we should overlook the significance of what is happening.
The LS treatment conversation is expanding. Researchers are looking at targeted immune therapies, procedural treatments and regenerative approaches. They are also paying greater attention to early diagnosis, long-term monitoring, scarring, sexual function and quality of life.
There isn’t a new cure for lichen sclerosus. But there are new ideas, new research and potentially new options being investigated for people who haven’t gotten the relief they need from today’s treatments.
That is progress worth following.
Stay informed. Stay hopeful. Better answers are coming!
Sources and Further Reading
Medscape: What’s New in Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus Treatment? July 9, 2026.
Bonham A. Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2026. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000006383.
Savage A, Miao VY, Fischer G, Merriman M, et al. Long-Term Outcomes of Prepubertal-Onset Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus. Pediatric Dermatology. 2025. DOI: 10.1111/pde.70056.
Brambilla M, Boero V, Di Loreto E, Cetera GE, et al. Vulvar Widening Through Perineal Flap Transposition, Rigottomy, and Fat Grafting for Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2026. DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000013214.
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