vulvastrong

Are you facing a biopsy down there? Me too!  I am only a couple of weeks away from my 3rd one, and I recently turned 24 years old. Women often ask me what is the hardest part of a biopsy. I honestly believe the hardest part is the mental toll it takes on you. Just because we’re vulvastrong does not mean we can’t be scared or nervous. It is totally normal to have those feelings, and you should embrace them! But, vulvastrong DOES mean we will face the task head on, and get through it just like our other sisters have before!!  If you are facing a biopsy, the hardest part is waiting for the procedure to be performed. The anxiety that builds up is the worst although the procedure is relatively fast. Most women say the hardest part is the numbing shot. That is going to be the most “painful” part of it. But, it’s quick! I recommend asking your doctor for a stress ball or something to squeeze for the initial pinch. I count to 5 vulvas(instead of 5 Mississippi’s LOL), and then the numb...

The C Word It’s time for the dreaded talk. The C word talk. That’s right, Cancer. I know, I know. I want to stop writing this, and just pretend it never existed. But, it is said that vulvar cancer is usually curable if found at an early stage. So, why not educate yourself and be ahead of the game!? It may seem “scary,” but it is our reality. Lichen Sclerosus makes us more susceptible to gynecological cancers , and it’s nothing to be upset or sad about. It is simply something to be aware of! Never forget that you are vulvastrong ! You can overcome and conquer situations unimaginable to most. Be proud of yourself you vulva goddess ! Today is another day to take control of those wild lady bits that have a mind of their own. Because between you and me, I’m over her thinking SHE can control ME! Not today honey!! So what do you have to look out for? Some changes to be aware of are color changes, bumps, bleeding, and/or nonstop itching of the vulva .. A small purple skin change could be ...

What is precancer? Welcome to the confusing world of precancer. I’m just keeping it real with you, because I know what you’re thinking. Precancer? Vulvar intraepithelial neo... what ? Now what you LS devil!? Let me introduce you to Precancer AKA VIN AKA Vulvar Intrapathelial Neoplasia. V ulvar intraepithelial neoplasia is not cancer, but if left untreated can progress into it over the years. VIN comes in 3 levels. So, there’s VIN1, VIN2, & VIN3. The levels pertain to how deep the abnormal cells are in the tissue. VIN1 is considered low grade, while VIN3 is considered high grade. VIN1 is either left untreated, or treated with an immune response modifier cream such as Imiquimod. In some cases VIN1 will regress, which is why doctors will simply closely monitor the area. If you have VIN2, doctors may choose laser(some drs. do this with VIN1, too), creams, or will perform a WLE. A WLE is a wide local excision. It is a procedure where the doctor will cut out the effected area to ensure ...

Newly diagnosed? Don’t be afraid! You are vulvastrong !!! On this page, we are a family. We are not strangers. We are sisters united through an unfortunate yet eye opening disease. You will face struggles you will have to learn to adapt to. But you will also learn valuable information and realize there are many more women like you than you thought. Educating yourself about this disease can ultimately save your life. Check yourself, spread the word, reach out to the community, get people talking about LS and normalize the word vulva ! At first, I was very reluctant to talk about my diagnosis with other women. As time went on and I accepted the diagnosis, I started opening up to spread awareness to others to check themselves. I quickly learned that every time I opened up about “down there,” a woman had a story or question she would then share. Not once have I ever shared my story and not heard a response when I was done about “something weird,” or that they need to get checked. Spre...

  Do I have Lichen Sclerosus? Although labeled online as a rare/uncommon disease, it may simply be because it is not being properly diagnosed. In order to see if you have LS , doctors will do a punch biopsy of your vulva or will diagnose you by sight. Often times, they will give patients a steroid cream for treatment. This steroid is for relief and maintenance of the skin, and will not cure the disease (remember this disease is incurable <3). One doctor has made huge progress in the LS community. He believes it is a disease you can somewhat easily diagnose by sight... No more glorious biopsies necessary... could you imagine? Many doctors agree, but the issue is that a lot of doctors do not know what to look for. Often resulting in no diagnosis at all, or the famous we will see how it does in a few months approach. The issue with LS is some women may have the disease, and not have any symptoms. Some women may have visual skin changes, but no itching or tearing so they don’t e...

What is Lichen Sclerosus? In short terms, Lichen Sclerosus is a condition created by the devil that affects the vulva . If you want to get technical, it is the thinning of the vulva which creates dryness, tearing and itching. Lichen Sclerosus is a rare understudied underfunded mysterious disorder no one truly understands. Face it, hardly anyone even knows what the term vulva means.  It is believed to possibly be an autoimmune or genetic disorder. LS is not contagious. So, no it is NOT a sexually transmitted disease, and you can NOT spread it to your partner. It is also believed that LS mainly affects girls going through puberty or postmenopausal women. Although recent studies and doctors believe that it may be more common than we first thought. It is also important to note that LS does increase women's chances of cancer like Vulva Cancer . Women with this disorder need to make sure to check their skin much more often for any changes. The history of Lichen Sclerosus is interes...