Lichen sclerosus is a long-term condition that affects skin in the genital or anal area. In females, it usually affects the vulva and skin around the anus. The affected skin develops small white patches that enlarge and may become cracked and sore; the patches are often itchy.
Eventually, the vulva may scar and shrink. In males, sore, white, sometimes itchy patches develop on the tip of the penis, and skin there becomes firm and white.
There may also be difficulty retracting the foreskin. Treatment for lichen sclerosus is with topical corticosteroids, although surgery to widen the vaginal opening or remove the foreskin may be recommended in severe cases.