Why are my arms discolored?

My face, hands and arms are discolored and blotchy with licken planus, how do I lighten up my skin?

• Answer:

  Lichen planus is a disorder of the skin and mucous membranes resulting in inflammation, itching, and distinctive skin lesions. Symptoms * Itching in the location of a lesion, mild to severe * Skin lesion: o Usually located on the inner areas of the wrist, legs, torso, or genitals o Generalized, with symmetric appearance o Single lesion or clusters of lesions, often at sites of skin trauma o Papule of 2 - 4 cm size o Papules clustered into a plaque or large, flat-topped lesion o Distinct, sharp borders to lesions o Possibly covered with fine white streaks or linear scratch marks called Wickham's striae o Shiny or scaly appearance o Color dark -- reddish-purple (skin) or gray-white (mouth) o Possibility of developing blisters or ulcers * Ridges in the nails (nail abnormalities) * Dry mouth * Metallic taste in the mouth * Mouth lesions o Tender or painful (mild cases may have no discomfort) o Located on the sides of the tongue or the inside of the cheek o Occasionally located on the gums o Poorly defined area of blue-white spots or "pimples" o Linear lesions forming a lacy-appearing network of lesions o Gradual increase in size of affected area o Lesions occasionally erode to form painful ulcers * Hair loss The goal of treatment is to reduce your symptoms and speed healing of the skin lesions. If symptoms are mild, no treatment may be needed. Treatments may include: * Antihistamines * If you have mouth lesions, lidocaine mouth washes may numb the area temporarily and make eating more comfortable. * Topical corticosteroids (such as triamcinolone acetonide cream) or oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone) may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and suppress immune responses. Corticosteroids may be injected directly into a lesion. * Topical retinoic acid cream (a form of vitamin A) and other ointments or creams may reduce itching and inflammation and may aid healing. * Occlusive dressings may be placed over topical medications to protect the skin from scratching. * Ultraviolet light therapy may be beneficial in some cases. Lichen planus is an uncommon disorder involving a recurrent, itchy, inflammatory rash or lesion on the skin or in the mouth. The exact cause is unknown, but the disorder is likely to be related to an allergic or immune reaction. The disorder has been known to develop after exposure to potential allergens such as medications, dyes, and other chemical substances. Symptoms are increased with emotional stress, possibly because of changes in immune system during stress. Lichen planus generally affects middle age adults. It is less common in children. The initial attack may last for weeks to months, and come and go for years. Lichen planus may be associated with several other disorders, most notably hepatitis C. There is no quick cure for lichen planus. However, it is likely to clear in time. Treatment aims to relieve itching and improve the appearance of the rash until it goes away. * No treatment - is an option if symptoms are mild. * A steroid cream or ointment - is commonly advised. Steroids reduce inflammation. The effect of steroid creams and ointments are variable. They work in many cases to ease itch, but may not actually clear the rash. * Steroid pastes or mouth washes may help to ease painful mouth ulcers if they occur. * A course of steroid tablets may be advised if lichen planus is severe. This may clear, or greatly reduce the rash. Steroid tablets taken for longer than a few weeks are not usually advised due to possible side-effects. Therefore, the rash may re-appear after the tablets are stopped. However, a course of steroid tablets may help 'tide over' a particularly bad spell. * Acitretin tablets - have been shown to help ease symptoms in some cases. * Immune suppressant medication - may be advised by a specialist if lichen planus is severe. These include cyclosporin and azothiaprine. These reduce inflammation and are used in a variety of conditions where control of inflammation is difficult. Potential serious side-effects mean that they are not used routinely, but may be advised for people with severe lichen planus. * PUVA - this is a special 'light therapy' that may be advised by a skin specialist if you have extensive and severe lichen planus. * Antihistamine medicines - may help ease the itch. A antihistamine that makes you sleepy taken at bedtime may help you to sleep if the itch keeps you awake at night. Newer 'immune-modulating' creams and ointments such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus seem to help but further research is needed to confirm their role in treating lichen planus. I hope this information may help you!