Living with Annular lichen planus
A rare skin condition that causes ring-shaped, slightly raised purple patches.
Understanding Annular lichen planus
Lichen planus is a condition that affects the skin and/or mouth. In the annular form, the patches have no central atrophy (tissue breakdown). Purely annular lichen planus is very rare, but ring-shaped patches show up in about 10% of all lichen planus cases. It can begin at any time in life.
Signs & symptoms
GARD doesn't list specific symptoms for this condition yet, but its summary describes the main skin finding:
- Ring-shaped, slightly raised, purple skin patches
- No tissue breakdown (atrophy) in the center of the rings
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include skin, hair, and nail specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
- 4Connect with expert centers
Autoimmune Association may keep lists of experts for this condition.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Skin, hair, and nail specialists (dermatologists)
- Expert care
- Expert lists: Autoimmune Association
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Autoimmune Association and other patient organizations
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
GARD says the exact cause of annular lichen planus is unknown.
Also known as: annular lp; lichen planus annularis
Patient organizations
- Autoimmune AssociationAnnular lichen planus · United States
- Children's Skin Disease FoundationSkin diseases · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Annular lichen planus.
Explore research for Annular lichen planus
Explore actively recruiting Annular lichen planus studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Annular lichen planus with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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