Pink lichen in humans
Behind the elegant name of the disease hides an unpleasant sight: multi-colored plaques, and sometimes blisters and vesicles, which are difficult to hide under clothing. What is pink lichen, what are the varieties and how to treat it, let’s deal with an expert

Parents often scare their children: do not touch a cat on the street – you will catch lichen! True, this only applies to ringworm. Fortunately, animals do not tolerate other varieties of this disease.

But in any case, lichen is an unpleasant phenomenon. Pink, red, and brown spots or blisters all over the body, which can flake and itch unbearably, make everyday life quite uncomfortable.

In this article, we will talk about rosacea. We will find out from the expert why it occurs, whether it is contagious and how it is treated.

What is deprive

Lichen (in the medical literature you can still find the term “lichen”) is the collective name for a whole group of skin diseases that have similar symptoms. First of all, these are spots on the skin that can peel off and itch a lot. Each variety of lichen has its own appearance, color and localization of spots. According to these signs, the doctor already makes the final diagnosis.

Pityriasis rosea (or Gibert’s disease) is an acute inflammatory skin disease, presumably of an infectious nature.1. Scientists still can not name the exact pathogen, but they suggest that these are herpes viruses.

At risk are teenagers and young people. But young children and adults rarely face such a problem.2.

Interesting facts about pink lichen

Looks likePinkish scaly plaques all over the body, there may be vesicles, blisters. Sometimes itching.
Risk groupAdolescents and youth aged 10-35 years, more often women.
Causative agentInfectious agents, primarily viruses, but the pathogen has not yet been identified with 100% accuracy.
How is it treatedTreatment is symptomatic: drugs and phototherapy. As a rule, lichen goes away on its own and forever.

Types of pink lichen

Zhiber’s disease itself is one of the varieties of lichen and is divided into types – depending on the appearance of the rash and associated symptoms.

Allocate classic pink lichen and its atypical forms. The latter can develop due to external factors (irritation and friction of the skin) and against the background of other diseases (for example, atopic dermatitis). Atypical forms of pink lichen take longer to heal, but usually there are no relapses.

Atypical types of pink lichen:

  • urticarial;
  • vesicular;
  • papular;
  • follicular;
  • miliary;
  • ring-shaped deprive of Vidal (giant).

Below we will analyze the most common types of pink lichen.

Классический

Classic pink lichen is distinguished by the presence of a “mother’s plaque”1, which looks like a bright pink oval spot up to 5 cm in diameter. The spot rises slightly above the surface of the skin, and its surface is slightly flaky.

In the next 1-2 weeks, a rash appears on the body. Pink round or oval spots (usually no more than 1 cm in diameter) appear on the chest and back, in the abdomen and thighs, as well as on the folds of the arms and legs. Itching in most cases is absent or insignificant.

urticarial

According to the symptoms, the urticarial type of pink lichen can be confused with another skin disease – urticaria. In this case, instead of scaly plaques, pink-red blisters appear on the body, which, as a rule, are very itchy. Itching periodically weakens and intensifies.

vesicular

A rash spreads throughout the body in the form of vesicles (clear vesicles with liquid inside). The size of the vesicles is usually no more than 6 mm in diameter. Also a characteristic symptom is severe itching.

Vidal ringworm or lichen giant

In the case of Vidal’s ring-shaped pink lichen, rashes are red or pink, single and very large in size – up to 8 cm in diameter. Along the perimeter of the rash is a zone of peeling in the form of a ring. The disease may be accompanied by itching.

What does pink lichen look like in humans

Here we will talk about the classical form of the disease. Atypical variants of pink lichen, as we already wrote at the beginning of the article, can differ greatly in appearance and localization.

In 80% of cases, a bright, oval, slightly raised plaque 2-5 cm in diameter appears first, with a scaly center3. “Maternal plaque” usually appears on the trunk – on the back or chest. Sometimes there is no “maternal plaque” or, on the contrary, several of these can be found at once.

Later, within 1-2 weeks, multiple small oval spots appear on the body. They are usually pinkish in color, edematous, up to 1-2 cm in diameter. The center of the plaques may be yellowish, slightly flaky.

Rashes do not appear simultaneously, but in flashes. Over time, the center of the spots turns pale, the horny scales peel off, as a result, only slight pigmentation remains.

Itching is usually not observed, or it is insignificant – but this does not apply to atypical forms.

Causes of pink lichen in humans

Very often, the disease begins on the background or after the acute respiratory disease. There are studies confirming that during the covid pandemic, the number of cases of pink lichen has increased4.

Factors contributing to the appearance of pink lichen:

  1. reduced immunity;
  2. hypothermia;
  3. hormonal changes;
  4. stress, nervous strain.

Symptoms of pink lichen in humans

All patients with pink lichen go to the doctor about the rash. In the case of the classic course of the disease, the general condition does not worsen, and itching is rare and is caused more by skin irritation, for example, due to the use of antiseptics or from close contact with clothing. Sometimes the temperature may rise slightly.

The disease begins with the appearance on the body of a pink spot of a round or oval shape with a diameter of 1-2 cm or more. The central part of the plaque turns yellow and flakes, and numerous similar smaller spots appear on the body. They are localized on the trunk, arms and legs. Very rarely (if there is an atypical form of pink lichen), spots appear on the head, palms and feet.

Rashes are arranged in a herringbone pattern: for example, on the back they diverge from the spine to the sides.

Treatment of pink lichen in humans

Zhibera’s lichen usually goes away on its own in 4-5 weeks.2. If there are no complications, then no treatment is required.

But in itself, the presence of ugly spots gives the patient a lot of inconvenience. And if they are accompanied by itching, something definitely needs to be done about it. The main goal of treatment in this case is to eliminate itching, speed up the passage of the rash and prevent its recurrence.

Diagnostics

As a rule, the diagnosis of pink lichen begins with a visual examination of the human skin. If necessary, the doctor prescribes urine and blood tests to rule out syphilis and fungal diseases.

Dermatoscopic examination of skin lesions in rosacea will help identify specific features of lichen, for example, its atypical form5. During the study, the rash and spots are examined using a special dermatoscope device. Dermoscopy can help distinguish pink lichen from skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic eczema.

Preparations

Drug treatment refers to conservative therapy and is used most often. Medicines can be used both internally and externally.

To reduce itching, the doctor may prescribe glucocorticosteroids (usually ointments based on hydrocortisone or alklomethasone), antihistamines.

In complicated forms, systemic glucocorticosteroid drugs are recommended, for example, prednisolone tablets. Sometimes antiviral drugs (acyclovir) are used.

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Phototherapy

This type of treatment of skin diseases gained popularity at the beginning of the 1th century. The affected areas of the skin are exposed to ultraviolet light of a certain wavelength. Usually the duration of treatment is 2-XNUMX weeks, and the procedures take place almost daily.

Phototherapy helps to reduce spots and make them less noticeable, but does not affect the course of the disease itself. Moreover, in some cases, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may appear.2.

Proper care

Washing during the period of illness is necessary according to special rules. First, you need to limit the frequency of water procedures (no matter how much you want to splash more often). Secondly, it is not recommended to take a bath or shower with hot water, use a washcloth and rub with a towel – just gently blot the skin. Under the ban – a solarium and sunbathing, as well as physiotherapy on the skin.

Also, during the period of illness, it is worth limiting sports, changing your wardrobe from synthetics to natural “breathable” fabrics.

Diet

Sometimes (with complications or a general deterioration in well-being) a special diet may be required. Doctors with pink lichen recommend excluding allergen foods from the diet, eating more foods containing calcium, or calcium supplements.

Prevention of pink lichen in humans at home

There is no specific prophylaxis for pink lichen. Since this disease occurs against the background of a weakening of the protective functions of the body (most often after the flu or a cold), it is necessary to maintain your immunity by all known methods.

For example, a rational diet rich in vitamins and useful microelements, a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits, reasonable physical activity, regular exposure to fresh air and observing a sleep and rest regimen are recommended.

If you have to deal with colds often and not only during the viral season, you may need to see a doctor about this.

Popular questions and answers

Pink lichen is considered a fairly common “sore”. And since he has many varieties, this pathology raises a lot of questions. Answers the most popular questions вRach dermatovenereologist Olga Balaban.

How long does rosacea take to heal?

– Ringworm usually does not need to be treated. It may disappear on its own within 3-4 weeks. If the patient is concerned about itching and appearance, then therapy is allowed for a faster recovery. On average, against the background of treatment, rashes can disappear within 10-14 days.

 What is dangerous pink lichen?

– Pink lichen is a non-dangerous disease. Complications are possible only if the patient is self-treated or does not properly care for the skin during treatment.

Pregnant women should definitely consult a doctor if pink lichen occurs. If the cause of pink lichen is herpesvirus type 7 or another virus, then complications for the fetus are likely. Therefore, self-medication in this case is not worth it.

Can I swim during pink lichen?

– Bathing in the shower without the use of irritating skin products and washcloths is acceptable. But swimming in the bath or in the pool is better to exclude. Swimming in any reservoirs, in the seas and oceans is also contraindicated. 

What can not be done with pink lichen?

– Baths, baths, saunas, solariums, massages, sports are excluded, as excessive sweating will lead to the appearance of new plaques and their irritation. Wearing synthetic things for the same reason should be excluded. Like anything that will injure and irritate the skin. You can not rub with a hard towel, comb, peel off the crusts, if any, use peels and skin scrubs, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease.

Can you get rosacea from another person?

– Pink lichen is an absolutely non-contagious disease. They cannot be infected from another person, through a shared towel, bed linen, or any other items. This disease occurs against the background of reduced immunity after suffering or against the background of an existing acute respiratory viral infection, acute respiratory infections.

Do pets get rosacea?

– Among domestic animals, dogs (some breeds) are prone to this disease. The reason is also a decrease in immunity. Clinical manifestations are the same as in humans. It is not completely clear whether it is contagious to humans, but veterinarians recommend limiting contact between the animal and children.

Sources of:

  1. I.V. Tarasov. Rashes in allergic and non-allergic diseases // Allergology and Immunology in Pediatrics. 2019. Volume 56. No. 1. pp. 10-18. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sypi-pri-allergicheskih-i-neallergicheskih-boleznyah-algoritm-differentsialnoy-diagnostiki/viewer
  2. Pink deprive Zhibera. Clinical guidelines. All-Russian public organization “Russian Society of Dermatovenereologists and Cosmetologists”. 2020. https://goo.su/9kuOG9
  3. V.N. Grebenyuk, F.B. Basse, S.O. Pilyavskaya, O.V. Medvedev, A.A. Puzankova, L.A. Dudareva. Lychen simplex chronic Vidal in childhood // Clinical dermatology and venereology. 2018. Volume 17. No. 3. pp. 32‑35. https://www.mediasphera.ru/issues/klinicheskaya-dermatologiya-i-venerologiya/2018/3/1199728492018031032
  4. A.S. Dvornikov, A.A. Silin, T.A. Gaidina et al. Skin manifestations in coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) // Archives of Internal Medicine. 2020. Volume 10. No. 6. pp. 422-429. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/kozhnye-proyavleniya-pri-koronavirusnoy-bolezni-2019-goda-covid-19/viewer
  5. M.G. Eremina, E.M. Galkina, D.A. Svistunova, A.Yu. Epifanov. Dermatoscopy in the routine practice of a dermatovenereologist // Saratov Journal of Medical Scientific Research. 2020. Vol. 16. No. 3. pp. 845-847. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/dermatoskopiya-v-rutinnoy-praktike-vracha-dermatovenerologa/viewer

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