Symptoms of red lichen planus.

Symptoms of red lichen lichen can be conditionally divided into general and specific, while specific manifestations depend on the form of lichen.

Flat lichen looks like a set of small papules that can alternate with plaques (compacted formations). In general, the skin with red flat lichen looks like a glossy sheet of purple-cyanotic color.

Symptoms of red lichen are very remarkable, and they are difficult to confuse with other dermatological pathology. For example, Wickham's symptom or mesh is a blue-purple color of the rashes and apparent mesh. To be more precise, the Wickham mesh is manifested when a drop of vegetable oil is applied to the affected area of the skin. As a result, you can see whitish bands and points - a pathological increase in the stratum corneum of the epidermis in certain places, which is visible through the epithelium.

The phenomenon of Kabner is called the appearance of elements depriving in places of the greatest traumatization: a belt, a collar, etc.

CPL is a rather dangerous disease, as it often has a chronic undulating course with internal organs and secondary infection. The itching in this disease is sometimes unbearable, the patients begin to scratch the whole body, eroded surfaces are formed, which can be inflated. Patients with flat lichen simply can not fall asleep from the itching and unpleasant sensations on the skin.

KPL is mainly located on the flex surfaces of the upper shoulder girdle and lower limbs. It is not excluded the appearance of papules and plaques in the abdomen, hips, groin and in other areas. It should be noted that the face and hair are almost never affected by red lichen planus, only sometimes you can find single plaques.

Specific symptoms of red flat lichen can be detected with a hypertrophic warty form. As the name implies, against the background of the classic clinical picture of lichen, multiple warty growths can be detected. One can not ignore the fact that when localizing this form in the hair area on the head, there is an alopecia that can knock the doctor out of the correct diagnosis.

Pemphigoid (bladder) and fulminant form of CPL are infrequent. They are dangerous because the clinical picture is not typical for ordinary flat lichen, which means that the diagnosis is not made immediately; The current is delayed. Symptoms of red lichen planus, which appear with a bubble form, are quite diverse. The clinical picture can begin with the appearance of small cavities filled with a clear liquid or blood. Vials can be opened to form crusts.

Other forms of lichens are also very rare in clinical practice and require differential diagnosis with psoriasis, eczema, syphilis and other pathologies. However, localization of flat lichen in the mucosal area is quite common. For example, red flat lichen of the oral cavity occurs in 50% of cases. Eruptions in the tongue are expressed vaguely and look like a thick white coating (as in secondary syphilis), so they also require additional diagnosis.

The causes of red lichen planus, unfortunately, are not accurately identified. Scientists have only noticed a certain pattern that lichen often occurs after severe stress, against the background of immunodeficiency states, diabetes mellitus. Also, the virus theory of CPL and genetic predisposition are not ignored. There is a connection in generations, where one of the relatives suffered from flat-line, and viral particles were found in the pathological foci. However, none of the theories have yet been proved.