Letter of the Month for December 2006 comes from a man who has lichen sclerosus. He invites comment and replies.

I have had lichen sclerosus since the early 1990's. I went to several doctors in Spain, where I was living at the time, who all told me I had a fungal infection. Naturally enough, this played havoc with my sex life. Then one Christmas when I was back in my home town, I went to the local GP, who diagnosed me from the other side of his desk as having phimosis! This was after having been peered at by doctors with magnifying glasses and what not. He advised me to get circumcised, which I did. This was an improvement, and at least | could have intercourse. I did notice though that there was a patch of angry red skin that used to peel and I also noticed a tendency to dribble after passing water. Eventually, I went looking for an answer on the internet and self-diagnosed. To be on the safe side, I went to the WellMan centre in Dublin, but the person who examined me just talked about Viagra and pumps and what not. So I went to the chemist and talked her into giving me a tube of Dermovate, which unfortunately I used too much of and for too long, resulting in thinning of the skin all over the glans. Since coming to the UK I have had a biopsy done and spoken to a consultant who knows what he's about. Anyway, now I need to get it looked at again to figure out how I can reverse the thinning, if at all, and keep the LS at bay. I'm a bit concerned about some dark patches that have emerged but the consultant I spoke to said not to worry as the pigmentation change was purely cosmetic.

It is interesting to note that I also have a condition known as geographical tongue, which is apparently hereditary. My sister has an underactive thyroid.

I would like to know if there is any reliable way to reverse thinning of the skin caused by over-use of clobetasol propionate.

To read the Letter of the Month for November (the first letter) click here.