lichen
[li´ken] 1. any of certain plants formed by the mutualistic combination of an alga and a fungus.
2. any of various papular skin diseases in which the lesions are typically small, firm papules set very close together.
lichen amyloido´sus a condition characterized by localized cutaneous
amyloidosis.
lichen fibromucinoido´sus (
lichen myxedemato´sus) a condition resembling myxedema but unassociated with hypothyroidism, marked by
mucinosis and a widespread eruption of asymptomatic, soft, pale red or yellowish, discrete papules.
lichen ni´tidus a usually asymptomatic chronic inflammatory eruption consisting of numerous glistening, flat-topped, discrete, smooth, commonly skin-colored micropapules, located most often on the penis, lower abdomen, inner thighs, flexor aspects of the wrists and forearms, breasts, and buttocks. Widespread involvement may produce confluence of the lesions, with formation of scaly plaques.
lichen planopila´ris a variant of lichen planus characterized by formation of cone-shaped horny papules around the hair follicles, in addition to the typical lesions of ordinary lichen planus.
lichen pla´nus an inflammatory skin disease with wide, flat, purplish, shiny papules in circumscribed patches; it may involve the hair follicles, nails, and buccal mucosa; called also lichen ruber planus.
lichen ru´ber monilifor´mis a generalized or localized eruption with either round, dome-shaped, waxy, dark or bright red papules, or waxy, yellow, milia-like papules, often forming a moniliform (string-of-beads) pattern, sometimes arranged in keloidal bands. Some authorities consider the condition to be a variant of lichen simplex chronicus.
lichen sclero´sus (lichen sclero´sus et atro´phicus) a chronic atrophic skin disease marked by white papules with an erythematous halo and keratotic plugging. It sometimes affects the vulva (kraurosis vulvae) or penis (balanitis xerotica obliterans).
lichen scrofuloso´rum (lichen scrofulo´sus) a form of tuberculid manifested as an eruption of clusters of lichenoid papules on the trunk of children with tuberculous disease.
lichen sim´plex chro´nicus dermatosis of psychogenic origin, marked by a pruritic discrete, or more often, confluent lichenoid papular eruption, usually confined to a localized area. Mechanical trauma, such as scratching or rubbing the area, is a factor in its development. The lesions may arise from normal skin or they may occur as a complication of other forms of
dermatitis. Called also circumscribed or localized neurodermatitis and lichen chronicum simplex.
Treatment consists of administration of corticosteroids applied locally as a cream or given by intralesional injection to relieve the pruritus. The area should be protected by light dressings and the patient encouraged to avoid mental stress, emotional upsets, and irritation of the affected area. The application of very hot or very cold compresses may afford temporary relief of the itching. The condition tends to become chronic with unexplained remissions and reappearance of lesions in a different part of the body.
lichen spinulo´sus a condition in which there is a horn or spine in the center of each hair follicle; called also lichen pilaris.
lichen stria´tus a self-limited condition characterized by a linear lichenoid eruption, usually in children.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.