An anti-ageing remedy made well-known by Kim Kardashian might relieve the agony for girls with a painful, intimate pores and skin situation.
A Platelet Wealthy Plasma (PRP) facial – also referred to as a ‘vampire facial’ – is alleged to plump and rejuvenate the pores and skin by injecting the sufferers’ personal blood into their face. However now, personal clinics are utilizing £1,350 PRP injections in intimate areas to deal with lichen sclerosus, which causes patches of dry, damaged pores and skin to type across the genitals.
Sufferers have instructed The Mail on Sunday of exceptional enhancements to the broken pores and skin following the remedy.
Kim Kardashian, pictured, had a vampire facial remedy which entails a affected person’s personal blood being injected again into their pores and skin
It’s hoped the remedy might present reduction to as much as 1,000,000 British girls who are suffering the painful criticism. Pictured, Kim Kardashian on the Annual Hollywood Magnificence Awards in Los Angeles in February 2019
Regardless of this, only one high-quality examine has examined its efficacy – and the findings have been inconclusive. Researchers discovered no important distinction in genital pores and skin high quality between a gaggle injected with PRP, and one other with saline resolution.
As simply 29 sufferers participated within the examine, the scientists concluded that extra trials are wanted to find out if PRP works for lichen sclerosus.
However consultants have echoed the determined want for brand new therapies and additional analysis into this dysfunction which blights about 1,000,000 British girls.
Dr Louise Hayes, marketing consultant gynaecologist at York and Scarborough Educating Hospitals NHS Basis Belief, says: ‘Lichen sclerosus has all the time been a uncared for space of analysis and girls are turning to therapies that aren’t but backed by research as a result of they’re determined.’
She provides: ‘Hopefully, the rising curiosity on menopausal well being will assist researchers get the funding they want for bigger research of PRP.’
Scientists are uncertain precisely what causes lichen sclerosus, however it’s considered triggered by a fault with the immune system.
It might probably have an effect on each women and men however mostly develops in girls after the menopause.
Victims discover white, irritated, itchy and blistered patches showing across the vulva, vagina and anus. Pores and skin can tear and bleed.
If left untreated, the pores and skin hardens, turns into tight and may type scar tissue over the doorway to the vagina and urethra – the tube via which urine exits the physique, so intercourse and going to the bathroom turn into extraordinarily painful.
Presently, the one obtainable remedy is steroid cream, which could be prescribed by a GP to scale back irritation. However this gives solely momentary reduction from irritation and doesn’t restore broken tissue.
Presently, the one obtainable remedy is steroid cream, which could be prescribed by a GP to scale back irritation. However this gives solely momentary reduction from irritation and doesn’t restore broken tissue
PRP remedy, which lasts an hour, works through the use of the physique’s therapeutic skills to regenerate injured pores and skin. PRP facials grew to become a sensation in 2013 after social media and TV star Kardashian had the process.
For lichen sclerosus, a numbing cream is first utilized to the affected intimate space. Subsequent, a blood pattern is taken from a vein within the affected person’s arm. The blood is positioned right into a centrifuge – a tool that spins the blood at excessive pressure to extract particular therapeutic cells referred to as platelets. Plasma, the liquid a part of blood that incorporates important restore cells, can also be extracted.
Each are then injected into every affected space of the genitals and this stimulates the discharge of proteins and hormones which assist new, wholesome tissue to develop. Dr Shirin Lakhani, a dermatologist from Kent-based Elite Aesthetics who presents the remedy, says: ‘The remedy tips the physique into believing there may be an damage and goes into restore mode. It makes diseased tissue wholesome once more.’
Susan Wooden, 59, from Yorkshire, says PRP remedy has rid her of the stinging and soreness brought on by lichen sclerosus. The previous trainer first observed signs in 2018 when she started experiencing agonising tearing throughout intercourse.
‘I observed patches of the pores and skin have been white and infrequently bled after going to the bathroom or intercourse,’ she says.
After six months struggling in silence, Susan visited her GP, who recognized lichen sclerosus and prescribed steroids. These calmed flare-ups, however didn’t eradicate the sore scar tissue that had fashioned. Susan says: ‘I muddled via for years as a result of I used to be instructed the situation was incurable. Ultimately the ache grew to become an excessive amount of, and fortunately I discovered about Dr Lakhani.’
Susan underwent the remedy in Could. Inside a few weeks, the pores and skin appeared wholesome and plump – and the scars had softened. She says: ‘Intercourse just isn’t uncomfortable any extra as a result of I don’t tear. It’s made an enormous distinction to my life.’
Dr Lakhani says the remedy has been useful for 80 per cent of her sufferers and needs the remedy made obtainable to all – since it’s already obtainable on the NHS to assist restore joint accidents, together with extreme arthritis.
Dr Hayes says: ‘I’m conscious that PRP works for some folks. However it’s tough to know if the impact is considerably psychological – what scientists name a placebo. So we’d like giant numbers of sufferers earlier than we could be certain if it really works or not.’
Dr Paula Briggs, chair of the British Menopause Society, mentioned it was essential to ‘maintain an open thoughts’ concerning the remedy.
‘PRP is more and more in style and seems to do little hurt,’ says Dr Briggs, who can also be a sexual well being and replica marketing consultant for Liverpool Ladies’s NHS Basis Belief.
‘NICE [the body that sanctions NHS treatments] will solely suggest therapies which can be backed by high-quality medical trials.’
However simply because one thing isn’t NICE-approved, it doesn’t imply it’s ineffective, she says, including that laser remedy, although controversial, may be very efficient for girls with incontinence – however NICE says it received’t approve it till it has extra high-quality trials.
Susan Wooden is satisfied PRP needs to be obtainable on the NHS.
‘This illness can have an effect on your psychological well being, your identification as a lady and your intercourse life. However this remedy has given me hope,’ she says.
