Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2020 Sep-Oct;65(5):414-416.
doi: 10.4103/ijd.IJD_363_18.

A Rare Case of Lichen Planus Follicularis Tumidus Involving Bilateral Retroauricular Areas

Vaishali H Wankhade  1 , Pranita P Daware  1 , Bhagyashree Babanrao Supekar  1 , Rajesh Pratap Singh  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Rare Case of Lichen Planus Follicularis Tumidus Involving Bilateral Retroauricular Areas

Vaishali H Wankhade et al. Indian J Dermatol. 2020 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Lichen planus follicularis tumidus (LPFT) is an extremely rare variant of lichen planus characterized by white to yellow milia-like cysts and comedones on a violaceous to hyperpigmented plaque most commonly involving retroauricular area. Clinically, it resembles milia en plaque. It is usually asymptomatic, more common in middle-aged females. Histopathologically, it has features of lichen planopilaris along with follicular cysts in dermis surrounded by lichenoid infiltrate. We are reporting a case of LPFT in a 62-year-old male patient involving bilateral retroauricular areas due to the rarity of this condition.

Keywords: Lichen planopilaris; lichen planus follicularis tumidus; milia en plaque.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Single violaceous tumid plaque of size 1x4 cm with milia-like cysts and comedones over right retroauricular area
Figure 2
Figure 2
Single violaceous tumid plaque of size 0.5x1 cm with few milia-like cysts and comedones over left retroauricular area
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scanner view showing multiple keratin filled cysts in the dermis (H and E, ×40)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Epidermis showing focal hypergranulosis and basal cell layer vacuolization, dense inflammation with lymphocytes and melanophages in dermis (H and E, ×400)
Figure 5
Figure 5
Epidermis showing follicular plugging and dermis showed keratin filled cysts and dense lymphocytic infiltration around cystic spaces (H and E, ×100)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Jiménez-Gallo D, Albarrán-Planelles C, Linares-Barrios M, Martínez-Rodríguez A, Báez-Perea JM, González-Fernández JA, et al. Facial follicular cysts: A case of lichen planus follicularis tumidus? J Cutan Pathol. 2013;40:818–22. - PubMed
    1. Rongioletti F, Ghigliotti G, Gambini C, Rebora A. Agminate lichen follicularis with cysts and comedones. Br J Dermatol. 1990;122:844–5. - PubMed
    1. Patterson JW, editor. Weedon's Skin Pathology. 4th ed. USA: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2016. Lichenoid reaction pattern (interface dermatitis) p. 46.
    1. Vázquez García J, Pérez Oliva N, Peireio Ferreirós MM, Toribio J. Lichen planus follicularis tumidus with cysts and comedones. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1992;17:346–8. - PubMed
    1. Ozden HK, Polat M, Astarci HM. Coexistence of lichen planus follicularis tumidus and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92:585–7. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types