Summertime actinic lichenoid eruption

Abstract

A distinct summertime skin disorder seen in 25 Indian patients is described under a tentative designation of summertime actinic lichenoid eruption (SALE). The eruption predominantly affects females in their 2nd to 4th decade. The initial lesions are in the form of closely aggregated pruritic lichenoid papules starting during summer months on the exposed parts of the body. The lesions respond favourably to sun protection and corticosteroid cream but the recurrences are common during the subsequent summers when the lesions tend to become more persistent, pruritic and lichenified. Histopathologic features include early basal cell degeneration, spongiotic vesiculation with or without focal parakeratosis and an intense lymphocytic infiltrate in the dermis. In spite of strong clinical evidence of relation to sunlight, the lesions are not easily reproducible by artificial light.