Many people associate the word "lichen" with a dangerous disease. In fact, this opinion is wrong. This term usually means a whole group of pathologies of the skin. From the materials of this article, you will learn what symptoms are accompanied by white lichen, whether this type of disease is contagious or not, how to deal with it correctly.
General characteristics of pathology
Most people think stereotypically. At the word "lichen" in memory, pictures from medical reference books immediately pop up. Many mistakenly believe that the only and at the same time contagious form of this pathology is the ringworm variant. In fact, white lichen (often referred to as simple) has a different clinical picture, it is absolutely safe for others and does not require serious treatment.
Diagnosis of this disease is very difficult, since the causes of its occurrence and the order of symptomatic manifestation have not yet been studied. As a result, the selection of effective treatment tactics is also limited.
Thisthe disease is more susceptible to young children and adolescents, with the bulk of patients being boys. Simple lichen can take a chronic form, and already in adulthood disappear without drug therapy. Self-healing is a fairly common phenomenon. That is why the disease is not as dangerous as it might seem at first glance.
Causes of disease
The causes of white lichen have not yet been studied. It is assumed that the disease is associated with the penetration of the bacterium Malassezia into the body. These fungi block the access of ultraviolet rays to the skin due to the production of a special substance. In addition, bacteria slow down the transport of melanin from melanocytes to keratocytes.
Disputes in the scientific world are not only about the causes of pathology, but also about its belonging to any group of diseases. Some experts attribute white lichen to atopic dermatitis, others to a mild form of staphylostreptoderma. There is no consensus on this issue.
The disease practically does not cause discomfort to patients, so only 10% of those infected are actively fighting it. Scientists have identified a certain group of people who are more susceptible to this disease:
- Patients with a history of allergic dermatitis.
- Boys from 3 to 16 years old.
- People with a hereditary predisposition to bronchial asthma.
- Sick with eczema or hay fever.
If the infection occurred inthe first years of a child's life, lichen can remain on his skin for many years. In this case, doctors talk about the chronic form of the disease. Ringworm will go away with time without causing problems.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Most often, white lichen appears on the skin of the face, but sometimes spots are localized in the area of the shoulders and on the back. This disease manifests itself in the form of oval light spots, the diameter of which ranges from a few millimeters to 5 centimeters. The edges of the rashes have pronounced boundaries.
A young child may have one or more of these spots on their skin. As the disease progresses, they increase in size and merge together. Rashes cover small transparent scales. Sometimes, before the appearance of white spots on the skin of a child, pale pink papules with convex edges can be seen. They persist for 2-3 weeks, and then become covered with a thin film and take on the appearance typical of lichen simplex.
In adults, the disease is extremely rare. If you notice a characteristic rash on your skin, it is most likely pityriasis versicolor. White spots, despite the relative safety of the pathology, should not be ignored - you need to seek the advice of an appropriate specialist.
What is the danger of lichen? Consequences
The disease does not pose a threat to the he alth of the child and does not leave visible marks on the skin after recovery. Without adequate therapy, lichen may persist for many weeks oreven years, and from time to time it becomes more noticeable.
Do I need to see a doctor?
As already mentioned, the causes of the disease are currently poorly understood. However, this does not mean that pathology can be neglected. When characteristic skin rashes appear, it is better to show the baby to the doctor.
After the specialist confirms the disease, you can start treatment at home. If the spots are not a manifestation of white lichen, an additional examination will be required to determine the cause of their occurrence. A similar clinical picture is available, for example, in vitiligo. In this case, a completely different treatment is prescribed.
As a rule, to confirm the diagnosis of "lichen lichen", a doctor only needs to conduct a physical examination of the patient and check the skin with a Wood's lamp. This is a special device that gives ultraviolet light. When a routine examination is not enough to confirm the disease, the patient is prescribed an additional examination. It includes a biopsy and a histological analysis of the skin.
Therapeutic recommendations
One of the reasons for the development of the disease is considered to be overdrying of the skin, so dermatologists recommend starting treatment with the correction of daily care.
Parents should make sure that the child was washed only with warm water. Personal hygiene products should have a gentle effect. The next step on the road to recovery is the use of drugs to moisturize the skin (on a regular basis). In the summertime for additional protection from UV rays, it is recommended to use sunscreen.
If the above recommendations do not help for several months, the lichen on the human body persists, you need to seek help from a doctor to prescribe a more serious therapy. Usually small patients are recommended ointments based on corticosteroid hormones. Subject to all precautions, such treatment can be very effective and at the same time safe for a small organism.
Sometimes, instead of hormonal ointments, doctors prescribe creams with pimecrolimus or calcipotriol (Elidel, Protopic). This treatment is especially effective for young patients with atopic dermatitis.
Treatment with folk remedies
White lichen is a relatively common disease that sometimes goes away on its own. Many patients, instead of drug therapy, prefer to use the recipes of folk healers.
Aloe proved to be excellent in the treatment of this pathology. It is necessary to cut one leaf of the plant lengthwise, and wipe the problem area with juice. A positive result is noticeable after a few days.
Herbal preparations are also considered a good way to fight the disease. You will need to mix one teaspoon of celandine, wormwood and tansy. The resulting mixture must be poured with a glass of boiling water and left for 10 hours, then strain. The decoction can be used as a lotion.
Can white lichen be prevented?
Treatment of this disease, if the accompanying symptoms do not cause inconvenience, is often not required. And, nevertheless, despite the mild course of the pathology, the absence of itching, many patients are interested in methods of prevention. How to prevent illness?
To minimize the likelihood of lichen, doctors recommend following a few simple rules:
- First of all, all cuts and injuries on the skin must be treated with an antiseptic solution, since it is through microcracks that bacteria and viruses enter the body.
- Never share combs or personal care products.
- It is important to control the functioning of the immune system, to prevent its depletion. For these purposes, you should eat a balanced diet and exercise. Immunity problems are a factor that favors many diseases.
Many people are wondering: is white lichen contagious or not? The answer is unequivocally negative, but this does not mean at all that a visit to the doctor should be postponed for an indefinite period. If you do not take any action to combat the pathology, you can even harm the body and delay recovery.
