Lichen sclerosus
Lichen sclerosus is a skin condition that causes itchy white patches on the genitals or other parts of the body. There's no cure, but treatment can help relieve the symptoms.

Check if you have lichen sclerosus
Lichen sclerosus affects people of all ages, including children. But it's much more common in women over 50.

It causes patches on the skin that are usually:

itchy
white
smooth or crinkled
easily damaged – they may bleed or hurt if rubbed or scratched
The patches can appear anywhere, but most often are on the:

area around the opening of the vagina (vulva) and anus – in girls and women
foreskin and end of the penis – in boys and men
See what lichen sclerosus looks like on the vulva and anus
Non-urgent advice:See a GP if you have:
an itchy white patch on your genitals or skin
been diagnosed with lichen sclerosus and treatment is not helping
been diagnosed with lichen sclerosus and have pain when going to the toilet or having sex
Your GP may refer you to a specialist for tests and treatment.

Treatment for lichen sclerosus
Lichen sclerosus cannot be cured, but prescription steroid cream usually helps relieve the symptoms.

You may need to use the cream regularly for a few months to get your symptoms under control.

If your symptoms keep coming back, you may have to keep using it every now and again.

You can get more cream from a GP if you need it.

Things you can do to help with lichen sclerosus
To help stop your skin becoming irritated or damaged:

Do
wash with emollient soap substitutes instead of regular soap – ask a doctor or pharmacist about suitable products
gently dab your genitals dry after peeing
regularly apply a barrier cream or ointment, such as petroleum jelly, to affected areas
wear cotton or silk underwear
use vaginal lubricant if sex is uncomfortable
Don't
do not scratch or rub the affected skin
do not wear tight or restrictive clothes – women may find it helps to wear stockings rather than tights
do not wash your underwear with detergent – just use water
Problems caused by lichen sclerosus
Although treatment can help, skin affected by lichen sclerosus can sometimes become scarred and tight over time.

This can cause discomfort when peeing, pooing, having sex or getting an erection.

If it's severe, you might need a small operation, such as surgery to widen your vagina or remove your foreskin (circumcision).

Important
Cancer and lichen sclerosus
Lichen sclerosus also increases your risk of getting cancer on your vulva or penis.

The risk is low, but it's a good idea to check yourself regularly and see a GP if you're worried.

Symptoms to look for include a lump or ulcer that does not go away.

Read about vulval cancer and penile cancer.

Causes of lichen sclerosus
The cause of lichen sclerosus is unknown.

It might be caused by your immune system, the body's defence against infection, mistakenly attacking and damaging your skin.

Lichen sclerosus is not:

contagious – you cannot spread it to other people
caused by poor personal hygiene
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This is the 30-second version of a short, bold film created by NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government to raise awareness of the importance of cervical scre...

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Please share widely
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Our Living Well strategy launched last year and a key outcome is ensuring our staff are able and motivated to support the people that they see to live well.

Coaching networks play an important role in this by supporting staff to develop the skills they need to help self management, health behaviour change and deliver person-centred care. If you work in health, social care or the 3rd sector, we are looking for your input on how best to develop a coaching network for Argyll and Bute.

Come along to our Coaching Network development day in Inveraray on 17th February to help shape an Argyll and Bute coaching network. You can register for this event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/developing-a-coaching-network-in-argyll-and-bute-registration-90170136305

For more information about the event please contact Jenny Dryden, Health Improvement Team, on j.dryden1@nhs.net or 01546 790 043. ... See more

A reminder for all of us...

Our Living Well strategy launched last year and a key outcome is ensuring our staff are able and motivated to support the people that they see to live well.

Coaching networks play an important role in this by supporting staff to develop the skills they need to help self management, health behaviour change and deliver person-centred care. If you work in health, social care or the 3rd sector, we are looking for your input on how best to develop a coaching network for Argyll and Bute.

Come along to our Coaching Network development day in Inveraray on 17th February to help shape an Argyll and Bute coaching network. You can register for this event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/developing-a-coaching-network-in-argyll-and-bute-registration-90170136305

For more information about the event please contact Jenny Dryden, Health Improvement Team, on j.dryden1@nhs.net or 01546 790 043. ... See more

#SmearForSmear
Join us for #SmearForSmear 2020 during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (20-26 January). Over the last few years we've asked you to smear your lipstick, this year we're doing something different...

Smear tests can prevent cervical cancer and we want as many people as possible to understand what the test is for, but we also want them to feel informed and comfortable when they get their results. That means knowing what HPV is.

This year we want to smear the stigma and myths that exist around smear tests and HPV. 80% of us will have HPV in our lives, and for something so common there shouldn't be so much shame, fear and confusion around it.

How to get involved
Embarrassing, rare, dirty, scary. These are just some of the words people can associate with HPV. We want to smear the stigma and get the facts out.

During the campaign (20 – 26 January) share a lipstick smear, one of our graphics below or smear your own myths. Smear your makeup, paint, whatever you have - it’s up to you! Just don’t forget to use #SmearForSmear and tag us - @JoTrust on Twitter and @JosCervicalCancerTrust on Instagram. You might want to share your own experience or a tip to help someone feeling nervous about their smear test. ... See more

#YoungCarersAwarenessDay on 30 January raises awareness of the challenges faced by young carers and campaigns for support for them. Find out more about Young Carers Awareness Day and what #youngcarers do: bit.ly/2MTos5r @CarersTrustScot ... See more

This is a great resource - please share.

January isn't the best of months - the blues, the weather. If you've lost someone you cared about then this month can heighten your emotions & it isn't fair. Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs are here to listen & can organise free counselling sessions for you & hopefully make your January a bit brighter 💜

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This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week
Do you know how cervical cancer can be prevented? During Cervical Cancer Prevention Week we want as many people as possible to know how they can reduce their risk of the disease and to educate others.

When? 20-26 January 2020

Where? You can raise awareness, fundraise or campaign in your local community, at home, school, university, your GP surgery or hospital. Read on to find out how you can get involved!

How can you reduce your risk of cervical cancer?
We want to ensure all women and people with a cervix know how cervical cancer can be prevented. This means:

Attending cervical screening when invited
Knowing the symptoms of cervical cancer and seeking medical advice if experiencing any
Taking up the HPV vaccination if aged 11-18
Knowing where to find support and further information
How can you get involved?
There are lots of different ways to get involved during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

Raise awareness in Cervical Cancer Prevention WeekRaise awareness
Hold an awareness day: use our free materials to hold an awareness stand, talking to others about the campaign week.
Share your story: if you have been personally affected by cervical cancer or cell changes (abnormal cells), talking about your experience in the media can encourage others to take action.
Use newsletters, the media, noticeboards and intranets to share messages about cervical cancer prevention
Use social media: join the conversation on social media and let your followers know how cervical cancer can be prevented.
Invite your local MP/AM/MSP to attend our drop-in event >
Fundraise in Cervical Cancer Prevention WeekFundraise
Host a fundraising event to mark the awareness week! We have lots of ideas to help you organise your own event.
Make a donation: We rely on your support to reach more women with the message that cervical cancer can be prevented
Fundraise at your stand or event: Already raising awareness? Order some fundraising materials to raise money at the same time.
Get in touch with our team on fundraising@jostrust.org.uk for ideas and help getting started.
Campaign in Cervical Cancer Prevention WeekCampaign
Contact your MP to ask them to join us in working to increase uptake of cervical screening in your local area.
Get your workplace to sign up to Time to Test to ensure female employees have the time to attend cervical screening.
Join our #SmearForSmear campaign! This year we want to smear the stigma and myths that exist around HPV.


Work in general practice or healthcare?
Why not arrange an out of hours cervical screening clinic or event for women to find out more about the test.

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We all know that being active is vital to physical health. It lowers blood pressure, increases energy levels, helps with relaxation and improves your health in general.

But did you know that staying active can also help our mental wellbeing? Even though we know staying active is important, things can sometimes get in the way…

In fact, around twenty million adults in the UK are not currently active…

This can be even harder for people with serious mental health problems, which may mean they have more physical health problems such as diabetes, hypertension or smoking-related issues.

In fact, people with serious mental health problems such a schizophrenia or bipolar disorder live 10 to 20 years less than the general population. We think this needs to change.

At the Mental Health Foundation, we want to understand how people with serious mental health problems can be supported to become more physically active, so we’ve partnered with some of the field’s brightest minds and listened to what people had to say as we developed and delivered a three-month physical activity intervention in Northern Ireland for people with serious mental health problems.

We employed researchers living with or affected by mental health problems to evaluate the programme and find out what worked well and what could be improved.

Ultimately this study helped us understand: how we can design a physical activity programme that people with serious mental health problems can and want to take part in? And how we can better support people with mental health problems to become more active in their daily life…

There are many ways we can all benefit from staying active and this definitely doesn’t just mean going to the gym… It’s all about getting your body moving whatever shape or age you are.

Find out more at mentalhealth.org.uk

Because physical activity should be accessible and available to everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthfoundation/videos/591198631439671/?v=591198631439671

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