White lichen: causes, treatment, consequences

Many people associate the word "lichen" with a dangerous disease. In fact, this opinion is erroneous. By this term usually mean a whole group of pathologies of the skin. From the materials of this article, you will find out what symptoms are accompanied by white lichen, infectious or not this type of disease, how to deal with it correctly.

General characteristics of pathology

Most people think stereotypically. With the word "lichen" in memory immediately pop up images from medical directories. Many mistakenly believe that the only and at the same time contagious form of this pathology is the cutting option. In fact, white lichen (often called simple) is distinguished by a different clinical picture, it is absolutely safe for others and does not require serious treatment.

Diagnosis of this disease is very difficult, since the reasons for its occurrence and the order of symptomatic manifestation have not been studied so far. As a consequence, the selection of effective treatment tactics is also limited.

This disease is more affected by small children and adolescents, with the majority of patients - boys. Ordinary lichen can take a chronic form, and already in adulthood to disappear without drug therapy. Self-healing is a fairly common phenomenon. That's why the ailment is not as dangerous as it might seem at first glance.

Causes of the disease

The causes of the appearance of white lichen are still not studied. It is assumed that the disease is associated with the penetration of Malassezia into the body. These fungi block the access of ultraviolet rays to the skin by producing a special substance. In addition, bacteria slow the transport of melanin from melanocytes to keratocytes.

Disputes in the scientific world are not only about the causes of the origin of pathology, but also about its belonging to any group of diseases. Some experts consider white lichen to atopic dermatitis, others - to a mild form of staphylosterepiddermia. There is no common opinion on this issue.

The disease almost does not cause discomfort to patients, so only 10% of those infected become active with it. Scientists have identified a certain group of people who are more prone to this ailment:

1. Patients who had previously suffered an allergic form of dermatitis.
2. Boys from 3 to 16 years.
3. People who have a hereditary predisposition to bronchial asthma.
4. Patients with eczema or hay fever.

If the infection occurred in the first years of the child's life, the lichen can remain on his skin for many years. In this case, doctors speak of the chronic form of the disease. Lishay passes with time, without causing any anxiety.

What symptoms are accompanied by the disease?

Most often there is white lichen on the face skin, but sometimes the spots are localized in the shoulder area and on the back. This disease manifests itself in the form of oval light spots, whose diameter ranges from several millimeters to 5 centimeters. The edges of the rashes have pronounced boundaries.

A small child on the skin can have one or several such spots at once. As the disease progresses, they increase in size and merge together. Rashes cover small transparent scales. Sometimes, before the appearance of white spots on the baby's skin , you can see pale pink papules with convex edges. They persist for 2-3 weeks, and then are covered with a thin film and take on a form typical of simple lichen.

In adults, the disease is extremely rare. If you notice a characteristic rash on the skin, it is more likely that it is an otarian dystonia. White spots, despite the relative safety of pathology, should not be left without attention - it is necessary to seek advice from the appropriate specialist.

What is dangerous for lichen? Effects

The disease does not pose a danger to the health of the child and leaves no visible traces on the skin after recovery. Without adequate therapy, lichen can persist for weeks or even years, and from time to time it becomes more noticeable.

Do I need to see a doctor?

As already mentioned, the causes of the onset of the disease are still poorly understood. However, this does not mean that pathology can be neglected. When there is a characteristic rash on the skin it is better to show the baby to the doctor.

After the specialist confirms the disease, you can start treatment at home. If the spots are not a manifestation of white lichen, an additional examination will be required to establish the cause of their occurrence. A similar clinical picture exists, for example, in vitiligo. In this case, a completely different treatment is prescribed.

As a rule, to confirm the diagnosis of "white lichen", the physician should conduct a physical examination of the patient and check the skin with the help of a Wood lamp. This is a special device that gives ultraviolet light. When a routine examination is not sufficient to confirm the disease, the patient is assigned an additional examination. It includes a biopsy and a histological analysis of the skin.

Therapeutic recommendations

One of the reasons for the development of the disease is the drying of the skin, so dermatologists recommend starting treatment with correction of daily care.

Parents should make sure that the child is washed only with warm water. Means of personal hygiene should have a gentle effect. The next step on the road to recovery is the use of drugs to moisturize the skin (on a regular basis). In summer, it is recommended to use sunscreen for additional protection against ultraviolet rays.

If the above recommendations do not help for several months, deprive a person's body, it is necessary to seek help from a doctor for more serious therapy. Usually, small patients are recommended ointments based on corticosteroid hormones. Subject to all precautions, such treatment can be very effective and at the same time safe for a small organism.

Sometimes, instead of hormonal ointments, doctors prescribe creams with pimecrolimus or calcipotriol ("Elidel", "Protopik"). Such treatment is especially effective for small patients with atopic dermatitis.

Treatment with folk remedies

White lichen is a relatively common disease that sometimes passes by itself. Many patients prefer to use the prescriptions of traditional healers instead of drug therapy.

Excellent proved itself in the treatment of this pathology of aloe. It is necessary to cut one leaf of a plant along, and to wipe a problem place with juice. A positive result is noticeable in a few days.

Herbal preparations are also considered a good way to fight the disease. It will be required to mix one teaspoon of celandine, wormwood and tansy. The resulting mixture must be filled with a glass of boiling water and leave for 10 hours, after filter. The broth can be used as lotions.

Whether it is possible to warn a white deprive?

Treatment of this disease, if the accompanying symptoms do not cause inconvenience, is often not required. And, nevertheless, despite the easy course of the pathology, the lack of itching, many patients are interested in prevention methods. How to prevent disease?

To minimize the likelihood of lichen appearance, doctors recommend observing a few simple rules:

1. First of all, all cuts and lesions on the skin must be treated with an antiseptic solution, because it is through microcracks that bacteria and viruses enter the body.
2. Never use other people's hairbrushes or personal care items.
3. It is important to monitor the functioning of the immune system, not to allow its depletion. For these purposes, you should eat and exercise in a balanced way. Problems with immunity is a factor that has a lot of diseases.

Many are interested: whether white lichen is infectious or not? The answer is unequivocally negative, but this does not mean that the visit should be postponed for an indefinite period. If you do not take any action to combat pathology, you can even damage the body and delay recovery.