Can anyone advise if this is Lichen Sclerosus / Planus? Or genital Herpes? Please help!

Women's health
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Hello, Would anyone be able to provide their thoughts on the attached photographs please? I have been itching like mad daily for around 8 years now. I have had numerous STI tests carried out. All were negative apart from a blood test for HSV-1. As I have had severe itchiness, my doctor put me on acyclovir tablets and cream. This made 0 difference to my symptoms and he is now of the view that HSV-1 is not what is causing my discomfort. It has now been put down to 'vulvodynia' which I am unwilling to accept as I have no pain, just extreme itchiness! I have carried out some research and note that Lichen Sclerosis/Planus can cause severe itchiness down below and I wondered if this is possibly what I have. Some photographs I have found seem to be extreme cases and I don't know if I possibly have a mild version of it? You will see from the 3rd photograph that there are fissures on my labia minora. I have always lived in hope that I would get this fixed and find some sort of relief, but I am now reaching the end of my tether and do not know what else to do. I can't even walk from one end of the room to the other without extreme itchy discomfort. I feel that I have 0 quality of life. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Sorry for the ramble and thanks in advance!
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Can anyone help at all please? I would appreciate it so much!

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hello!

the fissures are very common with LS which seem to replicate mine ( mine are by the vaginal entrance).

it is worth mentioning that for years i was under the impression that i had HSV1 (from visual examination but negative test results). and now 5 years along the line i have been diagnosed with LS. so there is a huge possibility like me you have been misdiagnosed.

im hoping to book in for a biopsy to fully confirm what i have but it might be worth documenting your experience and visiting a gaenacologist. or visiting sexual health clinic in the mean time and getting you some steroid ointment to ease swelling and itching.

i hope your symptoms ease up soon.

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thank you for your reply, that was really helpful. are your symptoms pain or itching? i find the itching relentless and cant get it to stop! have you found any treatment that has worked for you?

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these are two other photos of my inner labia minora. i dont know if anyone can see all the little cuts/redness/whiteness… these are the parts that are causing me irritation.

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69535,
I have just stumbled back on to this site. I don’t know if old posts are still accessible, but there are hundreds of posts, some w/photos if you can find them. I can’t recognize LS in photos as I see nothing unusual on my own body although my GYN can sometimes see miniscule white areas. When I was first diagnosed I had very faint white lines that went away after using a steroid ointment. I am in the US where we can go to a GYN Dr. GPs are clueless about this disease. To suffer for 8 years sounds like the dark ages to me. You HAVE to see a GYN Dr and preferably one who deals with skin issues.
I am post menopausal and was first diagnosed with atrophic vaginitis. I have been put on estrogen cream as well as Triamcinalone steroid ointment. Many women use Clobetasol but that was too strong for me to use consistently. I have never had an outer itch. More of a pulling or burning and for a period I had a buzzing feeling (said to be active LS). There is a myriad of symptoms. Some have splitting as you do. If it is LS you can control it with medication. Hope you get to see a specialist soon. Good luck.