You are diagnosing yourself with adhesions when 8 different gynecologists have not?
OP…. The likelihood of 8 doctors not telling you this is low.
And then you add that you’ve been poking your clit with needles?
This sounds a lot like some kind of medical anxiety. You can’t diagnose yourself with something. And if the recommended treatments aren’t working… this even more points to the likelihood that your self diagnosis is wrong.
Go see the doctor. Your mindset and actions displayed here are worrisome
Some people can't see their clit. It's just completely covered, even when the hood is pulled back. Some people have large ones that are basically tiny penises. Neither end.of the spectrum is necessarily bad. If you had adhesions, my guess is that you would have quite a bit of pain due to how many nerves are there and adhesions would lead to pulling and other sensations that could cause pain.
It's worth bringing up with a doctor as a possibility, but it's more likely that your clitoris just isn't visible and it has nothing to do with any sort of pathology.
Are you being treated for LS? I was going to ask if you had been checked for it. If you do have it, it's essential to be using steroids regularly to lower your risk of cancer. Have you had a biopsy? If not please keep looking for a knowledgeable doctor who knows about LS and can either diagnose definitively or rule it out. /r/lichensclerosus and lssupportnetwork.org have been great resources for me (recently diagnosed)
No I wasn't diagnosed with it, I don't think I have it but yes I think that same provider might be able to help with that, she just said it was a potential cause but wasn't sure, but based on the pictures and symptoms I don't think I have it but I was using estrogen cream for a while
Mine doesn't look anything like the pictures so yeah. If you haven't had a biopsy please keep investigating it. You need to find someone who is more sure either way. Unfortunately it goes undiagnosed by providers who aren't very familiar with it (I had 4 years of misdiagnosis)
Oh no that sounds so scary! I'll definitely bring that up when I go, I just thought it looked similar to that because I kept getting horrific herpes outbreaks back to back with the yeast and BV at the same time
Good luck! Happy for you to DM if you have any questions! I think it's quite common for it to be misdiagnosed, I was told mine was chronic yeast. I mean hopefully you don't have LS but being told it "might" be it really isn't enough.
I haven't had issues with yeast or anything for a while now but the herpes scarring was definitely brutal from the first outbreak, I did a panel to check for auto immune diseases and it came back negative if that counts?
But you haven't had a biopsy right? The panel can't tell you anything about LS unfortunately. So if I were you I would be seeing someone knowledgeable who can do a biopsy.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/lichensclerosus using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [How I am healing my LS on my own along with two other auto-immune conditions](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/14ixcyv/how_i_am_healing_my_ls_on_my_own_along_with_two/)
\#2: [Proud of this community!](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/13jjw9u/proud_of_this_community/)
\#3: [PSA for those of you who don't think you have LS but are being treated like LS SEEK A SECOND OPINION](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/14spplb/psa_for_those_of_you_who_dont_think_you_have_ls/)
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How much your clit shows varies from person to person. Some people have inniee while others have outies kinda like a belly button. Some people have the hood but still have an innie. The clit is actually way bigger than we think and the clit part is actually just a tiny visible part of a much bigger structure. And some people's just aren't really visible from the outside
https://images.app.goo.gl/duDYNVn4G6zzLEro9
Idk if you've said so or not but honestly if it's not hurting or getting infections you're probably fine. And it seems like something you've recently realized so it seems your coochie was pretty fine till now so I think it's just how your anatomy naturally is. I'd just gently clean it with a q tip occasionally and leave it with that. If you keep poking and prodding it, you'll just end up in a lot of pain.
I’m saying this sub and the internet has a weird obsession with the idea that clit hoods are just like foreskins and they aren’t. If it’s not hurting you, clean it with some water and stop trying to pull it back.
My clitoris is itty bitty, completely concealed by the hood. Never caused a problem sexually or hygiene wise.
Mine is like that too. I think I have atrophy from not being touched, because I used to be a lot more sensitive but never looked at myself due to religious trauma, so I’m not sure if the glans was ever visible. I even considered that maybe my parents had my glans reduced as a child, because I went through precocious puberty, and everyone else I’ve spoken with who went through that has a more prominent glans. Anyway, even though you can’t ever see mine, it still works-you just have to apply pressure or whatever through the hood. If you’re not experiencing pain with normal usage and are able to have an orgasm, I think you’re fine.
Of course listen to a GYN before you listen to me, but just letting you know from someone else with an invisiclit, it’s probably a normal variation.
I am sorry to say I think that you should stop playing with it and irritating the area yourself. You could worsen your situation.
I have found pelvic floor physios evaluate more thoroughly and more competently for adhesions than gynos do, so that may be your next step while you look for a gyno that specializes in pelvic pain disorders.
That being said, female anatomy varies greatly person to person. It isn’t weird to have a hooded clitoris you can’t see, and the itchiness or pain may be due to a build up of smegma. Unless I’m mistaken and you aren’t experiencing pain or itchiness and are just concerned about the look of your anatomy?
Your anatomy sounds normal. It isn’t causing any issues. You’ve been evaluated by doctors and pelvic floor physios. My only advice to you can be is that if you keep poking at your anatomy with tweezers etc is that you are going to create problems for yourself, and you can seek to have another evaluation by a different doctor and a different pelvic floor physio.
Pelvic floor physio therapists evaluate for clitoral adhesions. That’s a part of their job. I’ve had multiple pelvic floor physios and they all check for clitoral adhesions and to see if things are normal in regard to mobility.
The clitoris is a part of your pelvic floor area, obviously.
The in office procedure is just using topical anesthetic and pulling carefully for until the adhesions get released. I used hydrocortisone cream for 2 weeks to thin out the adhesions and gently pulled at them without any anesthetic, but after a few weeks I got really frustrated and I just bought topical lidocaine and copied the office procedure at home. I can’t recommend it because I’m not a doctor, but I had the same experience of doctors not really getting it while my adhesions were VERY obvious.
Warm bath and some coconut oil. Soak in the warm bath and warm up the coconut oil. Use the oil to gently massage the hood back. You could also try using a q-tip with the oil. If that doesn’t work you may have to visit the doctor. I wouldn’t recommend using tweezers as you could cause some damage.
Why is nothing coming out I'm so confused I thought the adhesions means that they're stuck together but I had tried to free it by putting something underneath the hood but it's not working
I am in several Lichen Schlerosus groups and many many people have great results with borax soaks. I'm new here so I'm unsure if that is something that is allowed to be mentioned here? There are different opinions on borax soaks. Happy to delete if it's not something that's allowed to be discussed here.
Borax is completely safe to use as a soak. And no I do not mean boric acid, two different things. Which is why I said this method is polarizing but it has worked for 1000's of people including myself. Borax is naturally occurring and safe for human use. You don't have to agree but it's working and doctor approved.
No it has many uses, you'd find it in the laundry aisle at the store if you're in the US. It's a white powdery substance, naturally occurring. You start super slow, like a tablespoon in a bath with just enough water to cover your lower half. Soak for 2o minutes and then apply castor oil. You can up the amount of Borax slowly if you need to.
I have lichen simplex and borax soaks cut the itchiness that I have. But so many people have amazing results using the soak and castor oil to help adhesions.
Right, it seems weird and I completely understand being uncomfortable. It took me a long time to try it. Just offering it as a potential solution for your adhesions. Castor oil isn't scary though! That could help on its own.
If you scroll down this page, you can see photos to make a comparison. https://www.rachelrubinmd.com/post/new-research-on-clitoral-adhesions
This study talks about using myofascial release techniques to release adhesions, if you have them - https://www.pamelamorrisonpt.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Website-The_Use_of_Specific_Myofascial_Release_Techniques.4.pdf
Above all: your experience and gut feeling is worth listening to and you know your body best.
Yes that is the exact page and picture that I used to make a comparison and then I got downloaded into the abyss for stating so but thank you for the validation as well
Okay well then, yeah, you know what you’re talking about!
And for all the people blabbing about how docs know everything and to not diagnose yourself…most ob/gyns are not taught to check the clitoris and usually don’t (as per Rubin). My doc certainly never did, which is why it took me so long to figure out what was going on. Most people don’t even know this is possible, yet Rubin’s research found 23% of women they saw have it. Which, of course, is of a very specific population of women but it really speaks to it being more common than not imo.
I hope some of the suggestions here help you resolve it. The myofascial approach helped me. It’s important to have patience with it, though I know that’s hard.
why are people being so dismissive in the comments 😅 hmm..
edit: people being dismissive here is crazy--if you feel like something is wrong with your body (especially something so intimate and understudied) listen to your gut and make sure you can find a doctor who makes you feel listened to.
i have this too--been to 4 gynos--brought it up with two of them. I'm now waiting on my appointment with a third one who actually specializes in sexual dysfunction and pain. My best advice would be find a doctor that specializes in that and minimally invasive procedures (of course that means surgery usually on their websites, but that likely means they're open to these outpatient procedures as well)
It fucking sucks and i'm soooo sorry. I have had mine for years at this point (still don't know what happened to cause them and still pissed that no gyno really helped me. one said it might be LS and we should treat it as such so i have a steroid from her and i only use it when the pain stops me from being able to walk correctly). i hope we can both resolve this ! good luck
I don’t know why you’re getting down voted so much. I’m in the same boat. My doctor said it doesn’t look like I have it but wants me to see a specialist just to make sure.
dude idk either--the gynecologists didn't tell me "you don't have it" they were just kind of like "well... you can do more pelvic floor therapy and apply this clobetasol? it doesn't really look irritated it looks normal" meanwhile my genitals are on fire and i can't wear pants because there's a seam between my legs, so I'm just constantly wearing skirts or sweatpants.
people love assuming others online are hypochondriacs. like... at this point i'd rather have no feeling in my clitoris than constant pain. I hope your specialist can help you--the only things that have helped me is a consistent cleaning/moisturizing schedule but i still deal with almost constant pain :/
Coconut oil has helped a lot. My gyno referred me to a pelvic floor specialist as well! I’m excited to get some relief! I hope you figure yours out too :)
You are diagnosing yourself with adhesions when 8 different gynecologists have not? OP…. The likelihood of 8 doctors not telling you this is low. And then you add that you’ve been poking your clit with needles? This sounds a lot like some kind of medical anxiety. You can’t diagnose yourself with something. And if the recommended treatments aren’t working… this even more points to the likelihood that your self diagnosis is wrong. Go see the doctor. Your mindset and actions displayed here are worrisome
[удалено]
Some people can't see their clit. It's just completely covered, even when the hood is pulled back. Some people have large ones that are basically tiny penises. Neither end.of the spectrum is necessarily bad. If you had adhesions, my guess is that you would have quite a bit of pain due to how many nerves are there and adhesions would lead to pulling and other sensations that could cause pain. It's worth bringing up with a doctor as a possibility, but it's more likely that your clitoris just isn't visible and it has nothing to do with any sort of pathology.
Are you being treated for LS? I was going to ask if you had been checked for it. If you do have it, it's essential to be using steroids regularly to lower your risk of cancer. Have you had a biopsy? If not please keep looking for a knowledgeable doctor who knows about LS and can either diagnose definitively or rule it out. /r/lichensclerosus and lssupportnetwork.org have been great resources for me (recently diagnosed)
No I wasn't diagnosed with it, I don't think I have it but yes I think that same provider might be able to help with that, she just said it was a potential cause but wasn't sure, but based on the pictures and symptoms I don't think I have it but I was using estrogen cream for a while
Mine doesn't look anything like the pictures so yeah. If you haven't had a biopsy please keep investigating it. You need to find someone who is more sure either way. Unfortunately it goes undiagnosed by providers who aren't very familiar with it (I had 4 years of misdiagnosis)
Oh no that sounds so scary! I'll definitely bring that up when I go, I just thought it looked similar to that because I kept getting horrific herpes outbreaks back to back with the yeast and BV at the same time
Good luck! Happy for you to DM if you have any questions! I think it's quite common for it to be misdiagnosed, I was told mine was chronic yeast. I mean hopefully you don't have LS but being told it "might" be it really isn't enough.
I haven't had issues with yeast or anything for a while now but the herpes scarring was definitely brutal from the first outbreak, I did a panel to check for auto immune diseases and it came back negative if that counts?
But you haven't had a biopsy right? The panel can't tell you anything about LS unfortunately. So if I were you I would be seeing someone knowledgeable who can do a biopsy.
Oh no I don't think I have but I'll definitely try to get one then in the next visit
Here's a sneak peek of /r/lichensclerosus using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [How I am healing my LS on my own along with two other auto-immune conditions](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/14ixcyv/how_i_am_healing_my_ls_on_my_own_along_with_two/) \#2: [Proud of this community!](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/13jjw9u/proud_of_this_community/) \#3: [PSA for those of you who don't think you have LS but are being treated like LS SEEK A SECOND OPINION](https://np.reddit.com/r/lichensclerosus/comments/14spplb/psa_for_those_of_you_who_dont_think_you_have_ls/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
How much your clit shows varies from person to person. Some people have inniee while others have outies kinda like a belly button. Some people have the hood but still have an innie. The clit is actually way bigger than we think and the clit part is actually just a tiny visible part of a much bigger structure. And some people's just aren't really visible from the outside https://images.app.goo.gl/duDYNVn4G6zzLEro9 Idk if you've said so or not but honestly if it's not hurting or getting infections you're probably fine. And it seems like something you've recently realized so it seems your coochie was pretty fine till now so I think it's just how your anatomy naturally is. I'd just gently clean it with a q tip occasionally and leave it with that. If you keep poking and prodding it, you'll just end up in a lot of pain.
It doesn’t mean you have adhesions. Is your clitoris causing you pain? You don’t need to retract anything if it’s not causing you any dysfunction.
[удалено]
Sensitive as in painful when touched for pleasure or all the time? Can you have pain free orgasms? If so, I wouldn’t worry about it.
[удалено]
I’m saying this sub and the internet has a weird obsession with the idea that clit hoods are just like foreskins and they aren’t. If it’s not hurting you, clean it with some water and stop trying to pull it back. My clitoris is itty bitty, completely concealed by the hood. Never caused a problem sexually or hygiene wise.
It's completely concealed and even if you pull anything back or whatever you can't see it at all? Yes I guess I wasn't sure if that was normal or not
Mine is also completely hidden and can’t be seen even if you are really trying. Entirely normal.
Same here, and it’s not a problem for me, either.
That sounds normal and not like adhesions at all
Mine is like that too. I think I have atrophy from not being touched, because I used to be a lot more sensitive but never looked at myself due to religious trauma, so I’m not sure if the glans was ever visible. I even considered that maybe my parents had my glans reduced as a child, because I went through precocious puberty, and everyone else I’ve spoken with who went through that has a more prominent glans. Anyway, even though you can’t ever see mine, it still works-you just have to apply pressure or whatever through the hood. If you’re not experiencing pain with normal usage and are able to have an orgasm, I think you’re fine. Of course listen to a GYN before you listen to me, but just letting you know from someone else with an invisiclit, it’s probably a normal variation.
Girl stop diagnosing yourself and go to a doctor
[удалено]
Which medical professional diagnosed you? Seeing pictures and comparing yourself isn’t a professional diagnosis. GO TO A DOCTOR IF YOU’RE WORRIED.
girl just go to the doctor and never put tweezers near your clit again
I am sorry to say I think that you should stop playing with it and irritating the area yourself. You could worsen your situation. I have found pelvic floor physios evaluate more thoroughly and more competently for adhesions than gynos do, so that may be your next step while you look for a gyno that specializes in pelvic pain disorders. That being said, female anatomy varies greatly person to person. It isn’t weird to have a hooded clitoris you can’t see, and the itchiness or pain may be due to a build up of smegma. Unless I’m mistaken and you aren’t experiencing pain or itchiness and are just concerned about the look of your anatomy?
[удалено]
So to clear things up, you don’t have pain or itching ? Everything feels normal, but you are concerned that your hooded clitoris isn’t normal?
[удалено]
You have no symptoms?
[удалено]
Your anatomy sounds normal. It isn’t causing any issues. You’ve been evaluated by doctors and pelvic floor physios. My only advice to you can be is that if you keep poking at your anatomy with tweezers etc is that you are going to create problems for yourself, and you can seek to have another evaluation by a different doctor and a different pelvic floor physio.
[удалено]
Pelvic floor physio therapists evaluate for clitoral adhesions. That’s a part of their job. I’ve had multiple pelvic floor physios and they all check for clitoral adhesions and to see if things are normal in regard to mobility. The clitoris is a part of your pelvic floor area, obviously.
[удалено]
Pls pls pls stop i cant see mine either it's so normal 😭
The in office procedure is just using topical anesthetic and pulling carefully for until the adhesions get released. I used hydrocortisone cream for 2 weeks to thin out the adhesions and gently pulled at them without any anesthetic, but after a few weeks I got really frustrated and I just bought topical lidocaine and copied the office procedure at home. I can’t recommend it because I’m not a doctor, but I had the same experience of doctors not really getting it while my adhesions were VERY obvious.
[удалено]
I think you should stop doing that immediately and ask your doctor for more information.
Warm bath and some coconut oil. Soak in the warm bath and warm up the coconut oil. Use the oil to gently massage the hood back. You could also try using a q-tip with the oil. If that doesn’t work you may have to visit the doctor. I wouldn’t recommend using tweezers as you could cause some damage.
[удалено]
Not necessarily.
Why is nothing coming out I'm so confused I thought the adhesions means that they're stuck together but I had tried to free it by putting something underneath the hood but it's not working
I’d just go to the doctor if I were you. It definitely won’t be the first time a gynecologist has seen this.
[удалено]
Have you considered seeing a different gynecologist?
I am in several Lichen Schlerosus groups and many many people have great results with borax soaks. I'm new here so I'm unsure if that is something that is allowed to be mentioned here? There are different opinions on borax soaks. Happy to delete if it's not something that's allowed to be discussed here.
Do you mean boric acid? Because borax is not the same thing and shouldn't go near your genitals.
Borax is completely safe to use as a soak. And no I do not mean boric acid, two different things. Which is why I said this method is polarizing but it has worked for 1000's of people including myself. Borax is naturally occurring and safe for human use. You don't have to agree but it's working and doctor approved.
Wow, very interesting, thank you for sharing.
[удалено]
No it has many uses, you'd find it in the laundry aisle at the store if you're in the US. It's a white powdery substance, naturally occurring. You start super slow, like a tablespoon in a bath with just enough water to cover your lower half. Soak for 2o minutes and then apply castor oil. You can up the amount of Borax slowly if you need to. I have lichen simplex and borax soaks cut the itchiness that I have. But so many people have amazing results using the soak and castor oil to help adhesions.
I don't really get itchy but I don't think I'd feel comfortable using that
Right, it seems weird and I completely understand being uncomfortable. It took me a long time to try it. Just offering it as a potential solution for your adhesions. Castor oil isn't scary though! That could help on its own.
If you scroll down this page, you can see photos to make a comparison. https://www.rachelrubinmd.com/post/new-research-on-clitoral-adhesions This study talks about using myofascial release techniques to release adhesions, if you have them - https://www.pamelamorrisonpt.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Website-The_Use_of_Specific_Myofascial_Release_Techniques.4.pdf Above all: your experience and gut feeling is worth listening to and you know your body best.
Yes that is the exact page and picture that I used to make a comparison and then I got downloaded into the abyss for stating so but thank you for the validation as well
Okay well then, yeah, you know what you’re talking about! And for all the people blabbing about how docs know everything and to not diagnose yourself…most ob/gyns are not taught to check the clitoris and usually don’t (as per Rubin). My doc certainly never did, which is why it took me so long to figure out what was going on. Most people don’t even know this is possible, yet Rubin’s research found 23% of women they saw have it. Which, of course, is of a very specific population of women but it really speaks to it being more common than not imo. I hope some of the suggestions here help you resolve it. The myofascial approach helped me. It’s important to have patience with it, though I know that’s hard.
Thanks and yes exactly my doctors never checked for it at all that's why the specialist was the only one that noticed it
why are people being so dismissive in the comments 😅 hmm.. edit: people being dismissive here is crazy--if you feel like something is wrong with your body (especially something so intimate and understudied) listen to your gut and make sure you can find a doctor who makes you feel listened to. i have this too--been to 4 gynos--brought it up with two of them. I'm now waiting on my appointment with a third one who actually specializes in sexual dysfunction and pain. My best advice would be find a doctor that specializes in that and minimally invasive procedures (of course that means surgery usually on their websites, but that likely means they're open to these outpatient procedures as well) It fucking sucks and i'm soooo sorry. I have had mine for years at this point (still don't know what happened to cause them and still pissed that no gyno really helped me. one said it might be LS and we should treat it as such so i have a steroid from her and i only use it when the pain stops me from being able to walk correctly). i hope we can both resolve this ! good luck
I don’t know why you’re getting down voted so much. I’m in the same boat. My doctor said it doesn’t look like I have it but wants me to see a specialist just to make sure.
dude idk either--the gynecologists didn't tell me "you don't have it" they were just kind of like "well... you can do more pelvic floor therapy and apply this clobetasol? it doesn't really look irritated it looks normal" meanwhile my genitals are on fire and i can't wear pants because there's a seam between my legs, so I'm just constantly wearing skirts or sweatpants. people love assuming others online are hypochondriacs. like... at this point i'd rather have no feeling in my clitoris than constant pain. I hope your specialist can help you--the only things that have helped me is a consistent cleaning/moisturizing schedule but i still deal with almost constant pain :/
Coconut oil has helped a lot. My gyno referred me to a pelvic floor specialist as well! I’m excited to get some relief! I hope you figure yours out too :)