What is Lichen Planus ?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
What is the meaning of Lichen Planus?
A condition causing swelling and irritation in the skin, nails, hair, and mucous membranes is known as lichen planus. Lichen planus in the skin appears as itchy, purplish, flat bumps that tend to develop over many weeks. In regions like the mouth and vagina, which are covered by a mucous membrane, lichen planus is seen in the form of lacy white patches, sometimes accompanied by painful ulcers or sores. Lichen planus is not a contagious condition and mild cases of lichen planus can be treated at home without any medical care. In cases of severe pain or itching, the doctor may recommend certain medications. In this article, we will be discussing in detail lichen planus and lichen planus treatment
- What are the causes of Lichen Planus?
- What are the risk factors of Lichen Planus?
- What are the symptoms of Lichen Planus?
- How to diagnose Lichen Planus?
- What is the treatment for Lichen Planus?
- What are the complications of Lichen Planus?
- What are the home remedies for Lichen Planus?
What are the causes of Lichen Planus?
Lichen planus is a condition that develops when your immune (disease-fighting) system attacks the cells of the skin or mucous membranes. Why this abnormal immune response occurs is not very clear.
Lichen planus can be triggered by the following factors:
- Flu vaccine
- Hepatitis C infection (a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver)
- Certain chemicals, metals, and pigments
- Some medications are taken for high blood pressure, arthritis, or heart disease
- Pain-relieving medications like naproxen and ibuprofen
( Know more about- What is Hepatitis B ? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment)
What are the risk factors of Lichen Planus?
The risk of developing lichen planus is more in the following cases:
- Middle-aged individuals
- Oral lichen planus is more common in women
- Family history of lichen planus
- Viral disease like hepatitis C
- Exposure to certain chemicals
- Exposure to allergens like antibiotics, gold, arsenic, iodide compounds, diuretics (water pills that help your body in getting rid of salt and water), certain medications, some kinds of dyes
( Know more about- What is HPV in men? )
What are the symptoms of Lichen Planus?
Lichen planus commonly affects the following regions:
- Skin
- Genitals
- Nails
- Scalp
- Mucous membranes
- Mouth
Lichen planus usually clears up within six to sixteen months. The symptoms of lichen planus vary depending on the area affected and may include the following:
- Purplish bumps with flat tops that occur most often on the wrist, ankle, inner forearm, and sometimes the genitals
- Lesions which develop and spread over the body over the course of many weeks or a few months
- Blisters that break to form crusts or scabs
- Itching at the site of the rash
- Thin white line formation over the rash
- Lacy white patches in the mouth or tongue or lips, may cause a burning sensation and may be painful
- Painful ulcers or sores in the vagina or mouth
- Hair loss
- Nail damage
- Nail loss
(Know more about- What is Vaginal Irritation? )
How to diagnose Lichen Planus?
- Physical examination: The diagnosis of lichen planus can be made by a physical examination done by the doctor, and the symptoms of the patient. The doctor will note down the medical history and family history of the patient.
- Biopsy: A small section of the affected tissue is removed or excised by the doctor and sent to the laboratory for examination under the microscope, to check for the presence of any cell patterns which may be characteristic of lichen planus.
- Hepatitis C: A blood test may be required to check if a person is having hepatitis C.
- Allergy tests: A dermatologist or allergy specialist (allergist) can perform a few tests to determine if you are allergic to something that may be a trigger factor for lichen planus.
( Know more about- What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Treatment? )
What is the treatment for Lichen Planus?
Lichen planus on the skin normally clears up on its own in months to years. In the case of lichen planus that affects your mucous membranes, it is more resistant to treatment and likely to recur.
The various treatments for relieving the pain and itching, and promoting healing include:
Corticosteroids:
- Corticosteroids creams or ointments may be prescribed as the first line of treatment for lichen planus.
- If the cream does not work, the doctor may suggest taking a corticosteroid injection or pill.
- The side effects associated with topical corticosteroids include irritation of skin or thinning in the area of cream application, and oral thrush.
- Corticosteroids are generally considered safe when taken for a short-term as prescribed by the doctor.
( Know more about- What are Psoriasis and its treatment? )
Immune response medicines:
- In severe cases of lichen planus, some prescription medications may be required to modify or suppress the immune response of the body.
- Examples of these medications include cyclosporine, methotrexate, mycophenolate, and azathioprine.
Oral anti-infection medications:
- Some oral anti-infection medications that can be used for the treatment of lichen planus include antibiotic metronidazole and antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine.
Antihistamines:
- This medication is taken orally and helps in relieving the itching associated with lichen planus.
( Know more about- What is Anti-histamine tablet? )
Light therapy:
- Phototherapy or light therapy helps in clearing up the lichen planus that affects the skin.
- Ultraviolet B (UVB) light is the most common type of phototherapy done for lichen planus treatment.
- The UVB light only penetrates the epidermis (upper layer of the skin).
- Two to three treatments are required in a week for many weeks.
- This form of treatment is not recommended for dark-skinned people, as they have a higher risk of their skin staying dark even after the rashes are gone.
Retinoids:
- If lichen planus symptoms cannot be relieved using corticosteroids or light therapy, the doctor may prescribe an oral retinoid medication, like acitretin.
- Retinoids are not recommended in women who are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, as retinoids may cause birth defects.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, the doctor may recommend a different type of treatment or delay the retinoid therapy.
Treatment for triggers:
- If lichen planus is caused due to hepatitis C infection, a drug that you may be taking, or certain allergies, the doctor will treat the cause of the disease.
( Know more about- What is HPV vaccination and how does it prevent cervical cancer? )
What are the complications of Lichen Planus?
The complications of lichen planus may include:
- Difficult to manage on the vagina and vulva (external female genitalia that surrounds the vaginal opening), leading to severe pain
- Scar formation
- Sexual dysfunction
- Oral ulcers or sores
- The dark patches of the skin may stay back even after the rash gets cleared up, especially in dark-skinned people
- Increased risk of oral cancer
( Know more about- What is Mouth cancer treatment? )
- Hearing loss (in case of lichen planus of the ear canal)
What are the home remedies for Lichen Planus?
The following lifestyle changes can help in reducing the itching and discomfort that is caused by lichen planus:
- Soak in a bathtub with colloidal oatmeal, and then a moisturizing lotion
- Apply cool compresses
- Avoid any injury to the skin
- Avoid scratching the skin
- Use hydrocortisone (a type of corticosteroid) ointment or cream
- Quit smoking
- Limit the consumption of alcohol
- Avoid consumption of acidic or spicy food and drink
- Apply aloe vera gel for treating lichen planus of the vulva (external female genitalia that surrounds the vaginal opening) and mouth
( Know more about- Benefits and Side effects of aloe vera )
We hope that we could answer all your questions regarding Lichen Planus through this article.
If you need more information related to lichen planus, then you can contact a Gynecologist.
We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medicine or treatment. Only a doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.
