Lichen planus is an inflammatory mucocutaneous condition with characteristic violaceous polygonal flat-topped papules and plaques. Pruritus is often severe. Skin lesions may be disfiguring, and involvement of the oral mucosa or genital mucosa in severe cases may be debilitating. Oral lichen planus may predispose to the development of squamous cell carcinoma within lesions. Involvement of the scalp and the nails may also occur. While most cases of lichen planus are idiopathic, some may be caused by the ingestion of certain medications (e.g., gold, antimalarial agents, penicillamine, thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, quinidine and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) or linked to hepatitis C virus infection. Patients with localized lichen planus are usually treated with potent topical steroids, while systemic steroids are used to treat patients with generalized lichen planus.

Acitretin↗

PubMed2000

Angioma serpiginosum with extensive cutaneous involvement.

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare condition that involves both the proliferation and dilatation of superficial blood vessels in the skin. It classically begins in childhood, is more common in females, and is asymptomatic. Typical lesions appear on the extremities and are often asymmetric. We report a case of angioma serpiginosum involving extensive areas of the extremities and the trunk to emphasize that extensive cutaneous involvement must be included in the clinical spectrum of this condition.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Cornifying Darier's disease.

A 48-year-old Caucasian man recounted the onset of keratotic papules on the trunk at the age of 8 years, with subsequent spread to the forearms, scalp, and forehead. His most severe disease was present on the legs. He complained of pain, itching, and noted exacerbations in the summer and with sweating. The family history was negative. On physical examination, the most striking finding was that of extensive, markedly hyperkeratotic plaques on the lower legs >(Fig. 1). His scalp, forehead, chest, and back exhibited mild involvement, with scattered brown keratotic papules, while his forearms showed mildly hyperkeratotic plaques. Flat-topped brown papules were present on the dorsum of the hands, with a few keratotic papules on the palms, and a few nails with distal notching and red longitudinal streaks. There were no palmar pits or oral mucosal lesions. A shave biopsy was performed of a plaque on the leg, and showed a papillomatous and markedly hyperkeratotic lesion >(Fig. 2). Suprabasal acantholysis in the elongated rete produced characteristic lacunae. The acantholysis was associated with dyskeratosis including corps ronds and grains >(Fig. 3). Together, these features were characteristic of Darier's disease. Treatment years earlier with topical retinoids, topical steroids, topical keratolytics, and multiple oral antimicrobials had been unsuccessful, and isotretinoin had been discontinued due to elevated triglycerides. Treatment was initiated with acitretin and, after 3 months, mild improvement was noted

Acitretin↗

PubMed2000

Taking aim at erythema multiforme. How to spot target lesions and less typical presentations.

Erythema multiforme is a distinct cutaneous condition characterized by target lesions. Most cases are associated with HSV infection, which may be subclinical. When the classic target lesions are absent, skin biopsy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment is directed at suppressing outbreaks of HSV infection and controlling symptoms during acute episodes.

Erythema Multiforme↗

PubMed2000

Sarcoidosis of the scalp: a case series and review of the literature.

Sarcoidosis of the scalp is a rare manifestation of cutaneous sarcoidosis. We report 4 cases, all in African-American women with systemic sarcoidosis. A review of the English-language literature reveals only 24 reported cases, most in African-American women with systemic involvement and other cutaneous lesions. Scalp sarcoidosis may exhibit variable morphologies and therefore must be kept in the differential diagnosis of plaques or nodules of the scalp as well as both cicatricial and noncicatricial alopecia.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Photographic allergens: an update.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Allergens↗