Diseases

Lichen Planus

An inflammatory, pruritic disease of the skin and mucous membranes, which can be either generalized or localized. It is characterized by distinctive purplish, flat-topped papules having a predilection for the trunk and flexor surfaces. The lesions may be discrete or coalesce to form plaques. Histologically, there is a saw-tooth pattern of epidermal hyperplasia and vacuolar alteration of the basal layer of the epidermis along with an intense upper dermal inflammatory infiltrate composed predominantly of T-cells. Etiology is unknown.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An inflammatory, pruritic disease of the skin and mucous membranes, which can be either generalized or localized. It is characterized by distinctive purplish, flat-topped papules having a predilection for the trunk and flexor surfaces. The lesions may be discrete or coalesce to form plaques. Histologically, there is a saw-tooth pattern of epidermal hyperplasia and vacuolar alteration of the basal layer of the epidermis along with an intense upper dermal inflammatory infiltrate composed predominantly of T-cells. Etiology is unknown.

MeSH Record

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

8 entry terms
  • Lichen Ruber Planus
  • Lichen Rubra Planus
  • Cutaneous Lichen Planus
  • Lichen Planopilaris
  • Mucosal Lichen Planus
  • Lichen Planus, Cutaneous
  • Lichen Planus, Mucosal
  • Planopilaris, Lichen

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

a skin disease; sometimes called simply "lichen": check text; lichen planus atrophicus: index here & do not confuse with LICHEN SCLEROSUS ET ATROPHICUS

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. C17.800w.859w.475w.560w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WR 215

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Lichen Planus. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D008010. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D008010
  2. Lichen Planus. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen_planus
  3. Lichen Planus. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q848371