Lichen Nitidus: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

• It occurs equally often in both men and women
• More common in children and young adults
• The exact cause of the disease is not clear
• The manifestation of the disease may be related to genetics
• Characteristic to people with other diseases (lichen planus, atopic dermatitis, Crohn’s disease, tuberculosis and others)

Lichen nitidus is characterized by:

• Clusters of skin bumps (papules) of various sizes
• Papules are skin-colored, can vary from pink to dark brown, shiny, round, flat-topped
• In rare cases, they also appear in the mucous membranes, then the papules are flat and gray in color
• Sometimes nails are affected if the patient has a widespread form of the disease
• Localization: chest, abdomen, arms, genital area. It can migrate, disappearing in one place of the body, appearing in another
• In rare cases, itching may occur

The patient’s survey and examination data are usually sufficient to establish the diagnosis. In rare cases, a skin biopsy may be taken.

Treatment and prognosis

Lichen nitidus usually lasts from a few months to a few years. Often, the disease goes away on its own, and the skin remains unchanged. However, in the presence of itching or other bothersome symptoms, specific symptomatic treatment may be used. During the consultation, the treatment is selected for each patient individually.

For treatment can be used:

• hormone ointments
• topical retinoids
• other topical medications
• antihistamines
• phototherapy