Male genital lichen sclerosus and filaggrin

Lichen sclerosus (LSc) is an acquired cutaneous disease of contentious aetiology. The majority of male cases involve the genitalia. Amongst prior postulated pathogenic factors in genital (G)LSc are infection, autoimmunity and genetic and environmental influences.1 There is an arguement that male (M)GLSc might be due to chronic occluded exposure of susceptible epithelium to urine. GLSc has also been associated with atopy.2 Filaggrin is a key epithelial protein expressed during terminal differentiation of the epidermis, forming a component of the epithelial barrier.