This is a complex question to answer. Specialists in the study of this disease can be found worldwide, both in universities and international institutions (hospitals, clinics, and research centers).
However, when focusing on both research and the application of regenerative medicine to patients with Lichen Sclerosus, one of the world’s leading figures is undoubtedly Dr. Patricia Gutiérrez Ontalvilla.
Who is Dr. Patricia Gutiérrez Ontalvilla?
Dr. Patricia Gutiérrez Ontalvilla is a plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgeon and an internationally recognized scientific researcher for her pioneering contributions to the treatment of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (VLS) using regenerative therapies based on regenerative cells and stromal vascular fraction (SVF). Her work has marked a before and after in the approach to this chronic, inflammatory disease, which has a high physical and emotional impact on the women who suffer from it.
In her role as Principal Investigator of the LIQUENIA clinical trial (NCT03961126), conducted at the Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe in Valencia, Dr. Gutiérrez scientifically demonstrated that the application of autologous adipose tissue combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves vulvar elasticity, reduces fibrosis, alleviates pain, and restores sexual function in patients. This prospective, controlled Phase II study was the first in the world to objectively analyze tissue regeneration achieved after using regenerative cells derived from the patient’s own fat.
As a result of these findings, Dr. Gutiérrez developed the Liquenia Protocol, her own medical-surgical process based on autologous regenerative medicine, which uses the patient’s fat to repair tissues damaged by Lichen Sclerosus. The Liquenia method, now an international benchmark, has been presented at medical conferences in Europe and America, and has attracted the interest of hospitals and universities seeking to incorporate it into their clinical practice.
Her approach combines scientific rigor and a humanistic vision: she believes that therapeutic success depends not only on the treatment itself, but on a comprehensive approach that includes early diagnosis, multidisciplinary care, and improving the quality of life for patients. For this reason, Dr. Gutiérrez founded the Nixarian Foundation, a non-profit organization she chairs, which runs university training programs and scientific outreach for doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists, with the aim of disseminating updated knowledge about VLS.
Dr. Gutiérrez has also promoted multiple theoretical-practical courses in regenerative medicine applied to Lichen Sclerosus, endorsed by Spanish universities and medical societies such as the Spanish Society of Aesthetic, Regenerative and Functional Gynecology (SEGERF) and the Spanish Society of Fat Transplantation (SETGRA). In these courses, she has shared her knowledge with specialists worldwide to enable them to make early diagnoses of the disease.
In the academic and outreach fields, she authored the book “I Have Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus… Now What Do I Do?”, the first text in Spanish to address this disease from a medical perspective but with language adapted for the general public. She is also the promoter of the Liquenia Project, an international initiative that integrates research, training, and treatment within a sustainable model of regenerative medicine.
Her research and publications have contributed to redefining the paradigms of VLS treatment, positioning autologous regenerative medicine as a real and effective alternative to conventional corticosteroid-based treatments. Her work has shown that tissue regeneration not only improves physical lesions but also restores patients’ confidence, functionality, and sexual life, offering new hope where before there was only resignation.
Therefore, as we mentioned at the outset, while it is not easy to name the single greatest global expert in Lichen Sclerosus treatment, Dr. Patricia Gutiérrez Ontalvilla is currently considered one of the foremost international authorities in the application of regenerative medicine to Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus, collaborating with universities, hospitals, and scientific societies in Europe, Asia, and America. Her commitment to science, innovation, and the dignity of women has made her a global reference in the study and treatment of this silenced disease.
