Skip to main content

Lichen Planus

Dongsheng Jiang, MS, MD and Juan Qiu, PhD, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

Lichen planus (LP) is an idiopathic eruption with characteristic shiny, flat-topped (Latin: planus, “flat”) purple (violaceous) papules and plaques on the skin, often accompanied by characteris...

DIAGNOSIS

  • LP is most commonly diagnosed by its appearance despite its range of clinical presentations.

  • Dermoscopy: Most common findings are polymorphic pearly white structures, radial capillaries, and...

TREATMENT

Although LP can resolve spontaneously, treatment is usually requested by patients who may be severely symptomatic or troubled by its cosmetic appearance. 

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Goal is to relieve i...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Serial oral examinations for erosive/ulcerative lesions 

PATIENT EDUCATION

  • Oral, erosive, or ulcerative LP: annual follow-up to screen for maligna...

REFERENCES

1
Rotaru D, Chisnoiu R, Picos AM, et al. Treatment trends in oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2020;20(6):198.
2
Thandar Y, Maharajh R, Haffejee F, et al. T...

CODES

ICD10

  • L43.9 Lichen planus, unspecified

  • L43.0 Hypertrophic lichen planus

  • L43.1 Bullous lichen planus

  • L43.8 Other lichen planus

SNOMED

  • 4776004 Lichen planus (disorder)

  • 68266006 Hypertrophic lichen planus...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • 7 P’s of LP: purple, planar, polygonal, polymorphic, pruritic (not always), papules that heal with postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

  • Serial oral or genital exams are indicated for ero...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

 
×