Isolated lichen planus of the lips: cases reports and literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Lichen planus is an inflammatory mucocutaneous dermatosis involving skin, appendages and mucosa. Oral mucosa is the most commonly involved in all its sites, rarely the lips especially when isolated. The aim was to conduct a literature review about isolated lichen planus of the lips and reporting two case reports of this lesion in order to highlight epidemiologic, clinical and histological features and therapeutic modalities of this lesion. Observations: Case report 1: a 34-year-old diabetic male patient consulted for an erosive, crusted and hemorrhagic cheilitis of the lower lip. Clinical and histological examination led to the diagnosis of isolated lichen planus of the lips. Case report 2: a 33-year-old female patient was referred from dermatology department for biopsy of chronic cheilitis of the lower lip. Clinical and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of isolated lichen planus of the lips. Discussion: The review based on 34 case reports of isolated lichen planus of the lips, in addition to literature data confirmed that it is a benign rare lesion affecting mostly male patients having middle age with preponderance of the lower lip, its erosive form is the most frequent and it presents a favorable healing with topical treatment particularly corticosteroids.