Lichen planus is characterized by small, pruritic, polygonal, violaceous, flat-topped papules with or without umbilication, coalescence, Wickham striae, and Koebnerization on the flexor wrists, forearms, dorsal hands, shins, and presacrum. It is a rare disorder triggered by infection, vaccines, stress, contact allergens, or drugs in genetically predisposed individuals. It occurs in 0.2% to 1% of the population, with the highest incidence in people between the ages of 30 and 60. This condition can affect various parts of the body including the skin, oral cavity (75% of patients), scalp, nails, genitalia, and esophagus. Lichen striatus, lichen nitidus, erythema dyschromicum perstans, keratosis lichenoides chronica, actinic lichen nitidus, and annular lichenoid dermatitis (of youth) will also be tested in this section. 

This quiz is designed to test your knowledge on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, differential diagnosis and management of lichen planus and lichen dermatoses. We encourage you to review the associated learning module before taking the quiz.

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• Weston, G., & Payette, M. (2015). Update on lichen planus and its clinical variants. International journal of women’s dermatology, 1(3), 140–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijwd.2015.04.001