{"id":3222,"date":"2021-12-08T14:18:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-08T14:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusfoundation.org\/?post_type=sw_disease_condition&#038;p=3222"},"modified":"2026-05-13T18:30:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T22:30:30","slug":"lichen-sclerosus","status":"publish","type":"sw_disease_condition","link":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/lichen-sclerosus\/","title":{"rendered":"Lichen Sclerosus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-focused-ultrasound-therapy\">Focused Ultrasound Therapy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with lichen sclerosus. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue. See also&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/womens-health\/vulvar-dystrophy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cVulvar Dystrophy.\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How it Works<\/strong><br>Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling lichen sclerosus to be treated without surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Advantages<\/strong><br>The primary options for treatment of lichen sclerosus include medication and sometimes invasive surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications \u2013 such as surgical wound healing or infection \u2013 at a lower cost.&nbsp;&nbsp;Focused ultrasound can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue and can also be repeated, if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-clinical-trials\">Clinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a <a aria-label=\"clinical trial in Shandong, China (opens in a new tab)\" class=\"ek-link\" href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT02890277?term=NCT02890277&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>clinical trial in Shandong, China<\/strong><\/a>, for non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of vulva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click <a href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/search?cond=Lichen%20Sclerosus&amp;term=focused%20ultrasound&amp;aggFilters=status:not%20rec\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>, it will take you to the latest information available from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-find-a-treatment-site\">Find a Treatment Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/the-technology\/treatment-sites\/?indication=Lichen%20Sclerosis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Search for a treatment center or clinical trial near you.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-regulatory-approval-and-reimbursement\">Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This treatment has been approved by the NMPA in China. Focused ultrasound treatment for lichen sclerosus is not yet approved by other regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-notable-papers\">Notable Papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Li L, Zhang G, Sun M, Lang J, Yu X.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/41867046\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Application of high-intensity focused ultrasound in&nbsp;gynaecological&nbsp;diseases<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2026 Dec;43(1):2635294.&nbsp;doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2026.2635294.&nbsp;Epub&nbsp;2026 Mar 23. PMID: 41867046&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Liu M, Zhang X, Xiao L, Liang J, Cheng D, Zhu Y, Chang S.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40415409\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The comparison of fractional CO2 laser and focused ultrasound for vulvar lichen&nbsp;sclerosus: a retrospective study<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2025 Dec;42(1):2507958.&nbsp;doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2025.2507958.&nbsp;Epub&nbsp;2025 May 25. PMID: 40415409&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lu D, Wang H, Wang M, Pei X, Du X, Zhang X. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40128021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The efficacy of microwave therapy combined with focused ultrasound or white spot ointment combined with infrared light in the treatment of female vulvar sclerotic lichen<\/strong><\/a>. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Mar 21;104(12):e41716. doi: 10.1097\/MD.0000000000041716. PMID: 40128021&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jia R, Wu C, Tang X, He M, Liu X, Su C, Li C. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36710083\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Comparison of the efficacy of focused ultrasound at different focal depths in treating vulvar lichen sclerosus<\/a>.<\/strong> Int J Hyperthermia. 2023;40(1):2172220. doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2023.2172220.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Li L, He S, Jiang J.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34013843\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Comparison of efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound at different powers for patients with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2021;38(1):781-785. doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2021.1926561.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Krapf JM, Mitchell L, Holton MA, Goldstein AT.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32021489\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus: Current Perspectives<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Womens Health. 2020 Jan 15;12:11-20. doi: 10.2147\/IJWH.S191200. eCollection 2020.<br><br>Ye M, Deng X, Mao S, Xue M.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26367074\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>High intensity focused ultrasound treatment for non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva: Factors affecting effectiveness and recurrence<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2015;31(7):771-6. doi: 10.3109\/02656736.2015.1053101. Epub 2015 Sep 14.<br><br>Liming Ruan, Zhenwei Xie , Huiyun Wang, Jingyi Jiang , Haiyan Shi , Jian Xu.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1016\/j.ijgo.2009.12.014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>High\u2010intensity focused ultrasound treatment for non\u2010neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva<\/strong><\/a>. Intl J of gyn\/OB. First published: 13 February 2010&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ijgo.2009.12.014\"><strong>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ijgo.2009.12.014<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/?term=%28%22focused+ultrasound%22+OR+HIFU%29+and+%22lichen+sclerosus%22&amp;sort=date\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a> for additional references from PubMed.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":1,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"sw_disease_condition_cat":[28],"sw_disease_condition_stage":[20],"class_list":["post-3222","sw_disease_condition","type-sw_disease_condition","status-publish","hentry","sw_disease_condition_cat-womens-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - 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