30 Eye-Opening Pictures of Lichenoid Dermatitis

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To help you better understand lichenoid dermatitis, I have compiled a visual guide featuring pictures of lichenoid dermatitis. This skin condition can cause discomfort and concern for those affected. I have searched high and low on the internet to find a resource of quality photos. Let’s dive in.

pictures of lichenoid dermatitis on the arm and trunk of an adult male.

What does lichenoid dermatitis look like?

Lichenoid dermatitis typically appears as small, flat-topped bumps or papules on the skin. These bumps are often reddish-purple in color and may have a shiny appearance. They can be clustered together or scattered across the affected area. Lichenoid dermatitis can also cause redness, inflammation, and itching.

In some cases, there may be white streaks or patches known as Wickham striae on the affected skin. It’s important to note that the appearance of lichenoid dermatitis can vary from person to person. If you suspect you have lichenoid dermatitis, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

All of these pictures have been sourced from Global Skin Atlas (GSA). GSA accepts photos that are submitted by doctors or medical professionals. Their goal is to provide us with skin condition knowledge, through the art of photos.

Neck Lichenoid Dermatitis Image

This picture shows us a young male who has an oval-shaped patch of lichenoid dermatitis on the back of his neck. Although the eczema patch may be considered “unsightly”, it is not contagious.

solitary lichenfield dermatitis on the neck of a young male. The patch of eczema is oval-shaped, and is a lighter color compared to the surrounding healthy skin.
Lichenoid Dermatitis on the neck

Pictures of Lichenoid Dermatitis: Feet & Ankles

Sometimes lichenoid dermatitis is on the ankles as seen in these photos. The doctor who diagnosed this individual described this variant of eczema as “Lichenoid pigmented purpuric dermatitis of Gougerot-Blum”.

Gougerout-Blum is a subtype of purpuric dermatosis where the raised bumps combine and create plaques (raised patches) on the skin; as described by the National Library of Medicine.

lichenoid dermatitis on both ankles of an adult male. The patches are thick and dark, and grouped together.
Both Ankles
lichenoid pigmented eczema closeup. The images shows dark purple, dry, and craked patches of skin on the left ankle.
Close Up Ankle

Elbow Lichen Spinulosus Dermatitis

This picture shows us lichen spinulosus dermatitis on both elbows of a 10-year-old boy. The papules are clustered together on both sides, and each bump is roughly 1 – 3 mm in size. Lichen Spinulosus (LS) is a peculiar and uncommon skin condition that primarily affects children, adolescents, and young adults.

Lichen spinulosus eczema on both elbows of a boy. the bumps range in size from 1-3 mm, and are red.
Lichen spinulosus dermatitis on the elbows
A detailed image of tightly clusted eczema papules on the elbow. There are many little raised bumps all over. The bumps are white on the tops, similar to the look of dry skin.
Close-up of LS on the elbow

Lichenoid Dermatitis Forearm Pictures

Dr. Jayakar Thomas, a Dermatologist, diagnosed this as lichen planus, on the wrist, forearm, and upper arm of an 18-year-old woman.

Lichen Planus (LP) violaceuous papules on the wrist. The bumps are raised, and look purple.
Lichenoid Dermatitis on the wrist
Lichenoid Dermatitis on the upper arm. 9 red spots can be seen, and are all different sizes.
Lichenoid Dermatitis on the upper arm

Pictures of Lichen Planus Dermatitis

These pictures of lichenoid dermatitis on the wrists, fingers, and thighs, were diagnosed by Dr. Ian McColl from the Australian Institute of Dermatology. This patient was treated with PUVA therapy, but it did not improve the symptoms for this 43-year-old male.

PUVA therapy is a combination of psoralens (P), which make you more sensitive to light, and UV light (UVA) to treat a variety of skin conditions.

Lichenoid Eczema inside the wrist. Many little red dots cover the wrist, some have broke open and scabbed. The dermatitis looks to be spreading down the wrist and into the palm area of the hand.
Inside wrist
Lichenoid Planus (LP) Dermatitis on the top of the hands and fingers. Tiny red bumps are seen up the thumb and pointer finger.
LP on fingers
Severe Lichen Planus (LP) with hyperpigmentation on the thigh. Many painful looking red papules are seen on the majority of the skin. Some blistering and scabbing is present.
LP hyperpigmentation on thigh
Lichenoid dermatitis in the groin area. Many red dots are seen within a skin fold of the groin area. The red inflammed dots are sporatic throughout the area.
LP dermatitis groin area

Pictures of Lichenoid Dermatitis: Trunk, Scalp, & Mouth

These pictures of lichenoid dermatitis were taken by Dr. Nameer Al-Sudany on a 59-year-old male. The eczema was found on the patient’s trunk, scalp, and inside his mouth. The lesions were present for about 6 months.

dark purple lichenoid papules on the back skin.
Lichenoid Dermatitis – Back
Dark purple lichenoid dermatitis spots are seen on the forehead and scalp of an adult male.
Lichenoid Dermatitis – Scalp
Lichenoid Planus (LP) in the form of red bumps inside the cheek of an adult male.
Lichenoid Dermatitis – inside the mouth

Lichen Dermatitis with Papules Picture

Dr. Shahbaz Janjua describes this shin skin inflammation (pictured) as “violaceous polygonal papules”, meaning violet-colored, non-circular bumps. Lichenoid dermatitis can take on many shapes and colors.

Pruritic polygonal lichenoid dermatitis papules on the shins. These are very painful looking irregular-shaped purple bumps on the shins of an adult male.
Pruritic Polygonal Papules – Shin

Lichen Planus (LP) Flare-up Picture

In this photo, you will see a pruritic eruption of lichen on the arms and trunk. According to Dr. Ted Rosen, this patient did not consume any medications prior to this flare-up, so it is not considered a drug-induced reaction.

The 65-year-old male was treated with a topical steroid called clobetasol propionate, and his symptoms improved drastically.

A prurtic eruption of lichen on the arm and trunk of an adult male. The papules are very clumped together and are deep purple in color.
LP forearm eruption

Lichenoid Dermatitis Photos – Back & Forearms

These pictures of lichenoid dermatitis show severe inflammation on this woman’s back and forearms. Most of the upper back is covered with rash-like inflammation. It looks like the start of the rash was on the upper left side, as there is a more severe reaction.

Lichenoid Dermatitis covering the upper back skin from shoulder to shoulder. The eczema is tightly clumped and ranged from a dark red to a dark puple in color.
Upper Back Lichenoid Eczema
a minor to moderate case of lichen planus (LP) hyperpigmentation dermatitis on the forearms. The dermaititis bumps are dark purple and spead from the wrist to the elbow on the inside of both arms.
LP on forearms

Purple Lichenoid Dermatitis Leg Pictures

These pictures of lichenoid dermatitis are of a 30-year-old male who was diagnosed with lichenoid dermatitis on his calf and legs. You can tell that these papules are violaceous because of their purple appearance. According to his doctor, this eczema was not seen anywhere else on the body.

Dark puple eczema on the leg/calf. These raised bumps are sporatic on the leg and are not really clustered.
Calf lichenoid dermatitis
Lichenoid violaceous seen on the legs. The dermatitis is raised, purple, and the skin looks dry and damaged.
Close-up calf lichenoid eczema

Shiny Polygonal Lichenoid Dermatitis Pictures

These pictures of lichenoid dermatitis are of the hands, legs, and feet of a 10-year-old girl. Her doctor documented that the duration of her symptoms last for a total of 10 months.

Lichenoid polygonal dermatitis on both feet of a child. The eczema is irregular shaped and has a shiny appearance.
Lichenoid polygonal shiny feet
Lichen Planus (LP) on both feet of a child. The papules are not round and look shiny and purple.
Lichen Planus (LP) violaceous papules on feet
Lichenoid Dermatitis on the top of both hands. The eczema color varies from whitish, to dark purple. The fingers, knuckles, and tops of the hands are affected.
Shiny lichenoid dermatitis on hands
Lichenoid dermatitis on the top of the left hand. Some of the raised bumps are large and clustered, where others are small and by themselves.
Left-hand shiny lichen eczema
Lichenoid dermatitis on both legs. Minor papules are present and are either red, or dark purple.
Lichen papules on both legs

Atrophic Lichen Planus Images

A skin biopsy confirmed that these pictures of lichenoid dermatitis were specifically atrophic lichen planus. Atrophic lichen is characterized by thinning and loss of the affected skin, resulting in depressed or sunken areas.

Atrophic lichen, also known as lichen planus atrophicus, is a specific form of lichen planus, which is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. Lichen planus typically presents as itchy, flat-topped, purple or reddish-colored bumps or lesions on the skin or mucous membranes.

Atrophic Lichenoid Dermatitis on the knee. There is one cluster of infammation on the knee, and is dark red in appearance.
Atrophic Lichenoid Planus (LP) on the knee
Atrophic dermatitis on the back of a female. A lot of dark purple or brown spots are seen on her upper back.
Atrophic Lichenoid Planus (LP) upper back
Atrophic Lichenoid Planus (LP) on the upper back of a female. The sports are dark red and raised. All of the spots are above the bra line.
Atrophic Lichenoid Planus (LP) eczema on top of the back

Lichenoid Planus (LP) Dermatitis on the Forehead

This image of lichenoid dermatitis shows us a dark (hyperpigmented) area of skin on the person’s forehead. According to Dr. Al-Sudany, this plaque lasted about 1 month.

Lichenoid dermatitis on the forehead of an adult male. The eczema is dark purple and is in-between the eyebrows, and travels to the hair line.
Forehead Lichenoid Dermatitis

Picture of Lichenoid Dermatitis on the Lips

You can get lichenoid dermatitis on the lips and inside the mouth. The picture shows us a moderate to severe case of lichenoid dermatitis on the bottom lip of a 60-year-old male.

Lichenoid Dermatitis on the lip of an adult male. The inflammation is bright red and takes up one half of the bottom lip. Some swelling is also seen.
Lower lip lichenoid planus dermatitis

The Power of Pictures

The power of visual aids in medical understanding cannot be overstated, and pictures of lichenoid dermatitis have played a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of this perplexing condition.

Want to help others like you?

If you have encountered lichenoid dermatitis and have pictures documenting your journey, we encourage you to consider contributing to this ongoing effort. By submitting your pictures, you have the opportunity to help others who are seeking answers, support, and guidance. If you would like your pictures featured, please send them to chris@allergypreventions.com