Lichen planus

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Lichen nitidus on the abdomen	Lichen planus - close-up	Lichen planus on the arm	Lichen planus on the hands
Lichen planus on the oral mucosa	Lichen striatus - close-up	Lichen striatus - close-up	Lichen striatus on the leg

The goal of treatment is to reduce your symptoms and speed healing of the skin lesions. If symptoms are mild, no treatment may be needed.

Treatments may include:

• Antihistamines
• If you have mouth lesions, lidocaine mouth washes may numb the area temporarily and make eating more comfortable.
• Topical corticosteroids (such as triamcinolone acetonide cream) or oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone) may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and suppress immune responses. Corticosteroids may be injected directly into a lesion.
• Topical retinoic acid cream (a form of vitamin A) and other ointments or creams may reduce itching and inflammation and may aid healing.
• Occlusive dressings may be placed over topical medications to protect the skin from scratching.
• Ultraviolet light therapy may be beneficial in some cases.

Lichen planus is generally not harmful and may resolve with treatment, but can persist for months to years. Oral lichen planus usually clears within 18 months.

Long-standing mouth ulcers may develop into oral cancer.

Call your health care provider if symptoms persist, or if there are changes in the appearance of skin or oral lesions.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if oral lichen planus persists or worsens despite treatment, or if your dentist recommends adjustment of medications or treatment of conditions that trigger the disorder.

Review Date: 10/16/2006
Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.