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Case Reports
. 2020 Oct 27;12(10):e11206.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.11206.

A Case of Lichen Planus Masquerading as Guttate Psoriasis

Abraar Muneem  1 , Surav M Sakya  1 , Usman Asad  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case of Lichen Planus Masquerading as Guttate Psoriasis

Abraar Muneem et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes, with variants such as drug-induced lichen planus, which is triggered by medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and antimalarials. Guttate psoriasis (GP), a clinical variant of psoriasis, is associated with streptococcal infections and presents with drop-like papules on the trunk and proximal extremities. In this report, we present a case of LP in an atypical location masquerading as GP and the importance of prompt dermatological referral to improve the patient's quality of life. Coexistence and similarities between several variants of LP and plaque psoriasis have been seen in the literature. However, to our knowledge, our report is the first to show LP specifically mimicking GP.

Keywords: dermatology; eczema; family medicine; guttate psoriasis; lichen planus; misdiagnosis; steroid therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A 76-year-old female patient with pink papules with collarette of scale on the lateral thighs and legs bilaterally.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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