SafePlants

Lichen Planus and Nail Involvement

This page provides information about lichen planus (LP), particularly its effects on the nails, a condition known as nail lichen planus (NLP). Lichen planus is an inflammatory condition that can affect the skin, mouth, scalp, and nails.

Considerations for Children

• Research from JAMA Dermatology specifically addresses Nail Lichen Planus in Children, detailing clinical features, response to treatment, and long-term follow-up.

Considerations for Pets

No information presented in the text suggests any possible interaction or risk from pets.

Common Symptoms and Features

• Nail Changes: NLP can manifest as thinning, longitudinal ridging, distal splitting, brittleness, and lengthwise ridges in the nail plate. Severe cases may lead to nail loss.
• Itching and Burning: These are common symptoms associated with nail lichen planus.
• Oral Lesions: Oral lesions may occur in about one-third of patients with lichen planus, sometimes concurrent with nail involvement.
• Appearance: In some cases, nails may have a "sand-papered appearance."

What is Lichen Planus?

• Lichen planus (LP) is described as a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease.
• It primarily affects the skin but can also involve the oral mucosa, genital mucosa, scalp, and nails.
• "Lichen" means small bumps on the skin, and "planus" means "flat."

Prevalence and Occurrence

• Nail involvement occurs in approximately 10% of reported cases of lichen planus.
• Nail Lichen Planus occurs in 10 percent of lichen planus cases.
• Nail lichen planus most of the time is secondary to skin lichen planus and both fingernail and toenail can suffer from it.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Diagnosis is often confirmed through a nail biopsy, which shows histopathologic features of lichen planus.
• Treatment of nail lichen planus can be difficult, and there is no universally optimal therapy.
• A number of medications and treatments may be recommended for lichen planus of the skin, hair, and nails.