Understanding Lichen Planus

Rarely , in my clinical dental experience I am called upon to help manage the condition know as Lichen Planus.

Our Yellow Springs practice has yielded few cases, but I have seen more in my Sarasota practice and teaching Oral Pathology in the dental residency program for the US Army .

My patients who have suffer this malady show varying severity itchy and swollen lesion in the mouth and surrounding tissues.  The skin can even develop into eroded and very painful inflammations..

Medical Science has been stumped as to the exact causative of this condition. 

The general consensus is that it may be an auto-immune problem.  My impression is that the acute flare-up modulates with the general immunity of the patient.  When they reduce the irritations to the affected skin and bolster their health with rest and moderation we can usually enjoy an amelioration of the symptoms.

Self-observation can be very helpful to help identify what chemical, drug, dye, foodstuff, herb, and or spice may initiate an acute attack.

There are individual sensitivities that folks can come to understand.  This is just another way to understand the general topic of Personal Medicine as is being research by Jackson Laboratory.

Perhaps even keeping a food and drink diary would help give the insights that could tip off what the individual should avoid or pursue to keep their Lichen Planus in a quiescent state.

All Lichen Planus sufferers should rule out the presence of Hepatitis C.