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What is Lichen Planus?
Lichen Planus is a fairly common skin disease that appears as shiny, purplish-red bumps. They can appear anywhere on the body, but are more common on the lower legs, back, neck and inner wrists. It can appear in patches and often looks like scales. Although the itching can become nearly unbearable, about 20% of people with lichen planus have no discomfort at all. In some individuals, lichen planus can also be found in the mouth, genitals, hair and nails.
What causes Lichen Planus?
Lichen planus is not contagious and rarely occurs in someone younger than 30 years of age. The cause of lichen planus is unknown.Sometimes it can be associated with hepatitis, so your doctor might check you for that. Some physicians and researchers believe it’s a response to stress, infection or autoimmune disorder, while others believe it has more than one provoking factor. There is also an inherited form of lichen planus. Occasionally, drugs used for high blood pressure, arthritis and/or cardiovascular disease are found to create a lichen planus-like reaction.
The bumps may appear over time or overnight, and they may last months or even years.
How Do We Treat Lichen Planus?
Our Boca Raton dermatologists, Dr. De Araujo and Dr. Schwedelson, will carefully evaluate your skin in our Boca Raton aesthetic center and make the best treatment recommendation based on the severity, extent and location of the condition. The first goal is to reduce itching and to improve the appearance of the rash. Often, steroid creams are helpful in reducing the redness, while oral antihistamines can relieve the itching. If the lesions are extremely bothersome, the dermatologist may prescribe oral steroids for a few weeks to shorten the outbreak. Severe cases can be treated with photo therapy and retinoids.
Many of our patients have found that oatmeal baths and lotions such as Aveeno or Sarna are very help in decreasing the itching.
