Have you been told you have lichen planopilaris (LPP)? Many people have never heard of this condition because it is considered rare. It can impact the skin as well as the hair, nails, and mucous membranes, creating several different symptoms in those who have it. For those who have the variety that impacts the skin, it typically causes flat bumps that itch and often turn a purple-like color. In some situations, it can cause men and women to lose their hair. If you think you have this condition, treatment is important, and options may be available to help you.

What Are the Symptoms of This Condition?

Lichen planopilaris can be determined through full testing. However, the condition does cause some typical symptoms that are easy to recognize in most people. Usually, this starts with changes to the skin. Most commonly on the wrist, ankle, or forearms, purple bumps begin to show up. These tend to be very flat and often can be hard to see. They can also occur on the inside portion of the arm as well as in the genital area in some people.

There are other symptoms associated with this condition, as well. It can cause nail damage that is severe enough that the nail can fall off. It also causes itching that can be hard to stop. Blisters can occur in some situations. When they do, the blisters will break open and then crust over and scab. Some may experience painful sores in the mouth.

When it comes to the impact on hair, this condition can cause several problems. Generally, it causes hair loss because of the damage it can do to the scalp itself. This can include the development of those same patches of purple bumps. It also causes changes to the color of the scalp. This can often occur as a result of the spreading of the condition. If you have this condition, the hair loss is often due to the damage to the hair follicles that occurs as a result of the damage to the scalp.

What Causes It To Occur?

There are many potential reasons for this condition to develop. However, lichen planopilaris is most commonly considered a type of autoimmune disorder. That means that the body’s own immune system decides, for some reason, to attack the skin. This can be hard for doctors to control. However, there are some conditions that make it more likely that you will develop lichen planopilaris. For example, if you have Hepatitis C, you are more likely to develop it. Some people will see it occur as a result of some types of chemicals or metals. Other people may develop it after getting a flu shot. Still, others will contract it after taking a new medication for high blood pressure, arthritis, or heart disease. Some pain relievers that are sold over the country can also cause it, including naproxen and ibuprofen.

What Can You Do To Treat It?

Most people who have a mild form of this condition do not need advanced medical care. However, it is worth visiting your doctor’s office to learn more about this condition and to ensure that it is what you have. From there, your doctor can determine what it is and conduct both Hepatitis C and allergy tests to rule out those causes. If those are the causes, treatment is necessary in order for you to see an improvement to your hair loss or other symptoms.

Most of the time, people who have lichen planopilaris will see the condition improve. It can take weeks to months, and even years for this to occur, though. Doctors may help you to see improvements by prescribing corticosteroids for the condition, though some people may also need oral anti-infection medications to help to bring it under control. In more severe cases, your doctor may decide to use immune response medications that can limit flare-ups. For those who do get it under control, hair loss can improve can stop spreading. However, for many diagnosed with hair loss due to lichen planopilaris may have permanent hair thinning as a result of this condition.

If you are experiencing hair loss due to lichen planopilaris, contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts.