Lichen Nitidus

Skin is regarded as the most sensitive part of the body. With the unhealthy food habits, irregular lifestyle and exposure to the toxic chemicals, it might get prone to many infections. There are numerous skin diseases which might vary in their severity but any kind of skin inflammation can give you hard time in recovering from it.

Lichen Nitidus is one of those chronic conditions which affects very small chunk of the population. Most commonly seen in children and adults, this skin disease causes small eruptions all over the skin which look like tiny bumps.

The cause of this disease is still not known. It doesn’t cause any major discomfort, though it badly affects the appearance of a person. You might observe that most of the patients suffering from Lichen Nitidus lie in the age group of 7-14 years.

Features Of Lichen Nitidus

This rare skin condition may affect any part of the body but the occurrence is predominant in the areas like forearms, abdomen, knees, chest and, elbows.

The most common features of Lichen Nitidus bumps are:

• Its size varies from 1-2 mm.
• It resembles the skin of the color, however, it is shiny in appearance.
• Usually doesn’t cause severe symptoms but it might give you an itchy skin
• Sometimes, it appears on the skin in the form of a slight depression.
• Mostly the Lichen Nitidus Papules are localized.
• Its shape is usually either round or polygonal.
• It also appears in the form of small blisters
• If the inflammation appears around the mouth lining, the color of bumps can be grey or white

Types

Basically, there are 6 forms of Lichen Nitidus. They are differentiated on the basis of their size and the location of their appearance.

Generalised Lichen Nitidus: This is a rare condition which mostly affects children and adults.

Haemorrhagic Lichen Nitidus: This is a type of generalized Lichen Nitidus which will start from the feet, eventually spreading over the entire body.

Linear Lichen Nitidus: In this form, the bumps will arrive in a linear structure that is, they will be in a line.

Vesicular Lichen Nitidus: Mostly it appears on the palm area in the form of tiny, fluid-filled blisters. It has a strong resemblance with Dyshidrotic eczema.

Actinic Lichen Nitidus: During the summer season as the heat increases, sometimes you might see small bumps on your skin. These bumps are temporary. They are more common among the people with dark skin. In order to avoid it, you can protect yourself from the excessive exposure to the Ultraviolent Rays.

Keratoderma: This is a type of Lichen Nitidus which has a striking similarity with another skin condition called Chronic eczema. It mostly affects the palm and sole areas of the body.

Perforating Lichen Nitidus: It appears on the arms and hands in the form of umbilicated papules.

Causes

The cause of this skin problem remains unknown, however, the tiny bumps on the skin are mostly attributed to the abnormalities in the white blood cells of the body. White Blood Cells are responsible for fighting the inflammation occurring in the body, in the absence of which, the skin problems tend to appear. It has also been found to be associated with other medical conditions. Here is the list of diseases which can trigger the condition of Lichen Nitidus in the body.

• Eczema: It is an inflammation marked by dry scaly skin, mild to severe rashes on different parts of the body including hands, feet, and even face.
• Tuberculosis: It is a communicable disease which affects lungs. Its side effect may include Lichen Nitidus.
• Lichen Planus: it is also a skin condition where tiny bumps or itchy patches appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is a disease in which the patient suffers from chronic pain, swelling or tightness in the muscles.
• Crohn’s Disease: This is a digestive system disorder which results in abdominal discomfort, frequent bowel movements, and malnutrition.

Symptoms

Lichen Nitidus appear in the form of small accumulated bumps on the skin. They also have some specific features with the help of which one can differentiate it from any other condition. Following are the ways by which you can recognize the condition of Lichen Nitidus.

Shape: The bumps caused by lichen Nitidus will be round in shape.

Size: The size of the bump might vary from small as a pinpoint to the pinhead size.

Location: These bumps mostly appear on the abdomen, forearm and genital parts, though in rare cases they are reported to be found in the other parts of the body.

Inflammation And Itching: The bump might be accompanied by excessive itching. However, it doesn’t cause any other agony in the body.

Diagnosis

Dermatologist makes a diagnosis of the disease on the basis of symptoms that the patient seems to experience. Also, he can undertake the skin biopsy to rule out the severe cases of Lichen Nitidus. Sometimes your doctor will also prefer to perform histology for the diagnosis of the disease.

• In the case of Haemorrhagic Epidermis, you can see red blood cells just below the Epidermis.
• While penetration, Langhan Giant Cells might be discovered.
• While the diagnosis, it can be seen that the Focal Dense Lymphohistiocytic infiltrate is quite near to the Epidermis.
• Eosinophilic Dermal Material might be visible in the form of a line of small holes within the epidermis.

Treatment

For most of the people, Lichen Nitidua turns out to be a temporary condition which resolves within few months or years. However, if this disease is majorly affecting your appearance or causing rashes, you need to consult a good doctor. There are many treatments available for this condition, most of which are in the form of prescribed medicines.

Retinoids: This is a type of Vitamin A which can be given orally or through topical treatment. Retinoids can result in the birth defect. Hence, it should not be used by a woman who is pregnant.

Corticosteroids: this is used to lessen the skin inflammation. It can be either used as an ointment or you can also consume it as a medicine. However, you need to make sure that the medicine is not used for the very long-term duration as it can cause thinning of the skin. It has also been associated with Osteoporosis and Diabetes.

Antihistamines: if you are suffering from the itchy skin, your doctor may prescribe this medicine. Histamine is a protein which causes inflammation. In order to reduce this inflammation, Antihistamine is used.

Tacrolimus: This is a topical drug which is used for the treatment of Lichen Nitidus. It may cause some temporary side-effects like burning, stinging and itching. Patients are advised to reduce their sun exposure while using this drug.

Phototherapy: this is basically a light therapy which can be used in two different ways. The first type makes the use of Ultraviolent A light while in the second one, Ultraviolent B light is used. This therapy also requires the patient to limit his sun exposure.

Dietary Treatments

• Your diet plays a significant role in treating any kind of skin disease. There are many vitamins like Vitamin B and vitamin A, which is helpful in treating skin disorders. Hence you should increase the consumption of food items like pulses, orange fruits, and cereals. In order to combat the effect of Lichen Nitidus, one should also include omega-3 fatty acids in his diet.
• Antioxidants play a crucial role in curing skin conditions. Green tea is considered an antioxidant-rich drink and it also helps with auto-immune disorders.
• Your skin needs proper hydration to remain healthy. Hence, you should drink at least 8 glass of water every day.
• Most of the skin problems are caused due to the weak immune system. To make your immune system strong, try consuming turmeric, basil, Onion and fenugreek seed.
• Excess salt not only harms your body but can also give you weak bones. Hence, one should refrain from consuming excess salt if he is suffering from Lichen Nitidus.
• Avoid the allergic goods like peanuts, soy products, and eggs.

Prognosis

Lichen Nitidus is not a severe disease and will not result in some severe health complication. If patients follow the proper diet and take prescribed medicine, his skin will give a quick response by getting back to the normal. In severe cases, patients might treat the disease with the help of light therapy.

Lichen Nitidus Pictures

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Lichen Nitidus cause death?

No, the disease doesn’t cause severe complications and hence, cannot result in death.

Is the disease communicable?

No, the disease is not communicable. Hence, the people living with the patients of Lichen Nitdus won’t get affected by it.

Is this skin condition permanent?

It purely depends on the severity of the condition. Mostly, it gets cured within few months or years.

What is the best treatment for Lichen Nitidus?

There are many medications as well as topical treatment available for it. Retinoids and Corticosteroids are the two best drugs to cure the skin problem. In the severe cases, a Phototherapy is also a good option.

Is there any specific diet to cure this problem?

Skin problems are closely linked to your diet. You can increase the intake of important vitamins like vitamin A and Vitamin b in your diet. Also, try to include antioxidants in your diet.

Generally, this skin disease is asymptomatic. It also doesn’t cause any serious health complications. However, a damaged skin can ruin one’s appearance. Sometimes this problem gets treated on its own with proper diet and lifestyle. Also, with the growth of medical science, its treatment has become effective. Your skin is the mirror of your overall health and an inflammation of skin indicates that your internal body function is getting disturbed.