Linear lichen planus: two case reports

Lichen planus is an idiopathic inflammatory skin disease which affects the skin, mucosa, nails, and hairs of middle aged individuals. Linear lichen planus (LLP) is a rare variant of lichen planus characterized by pruritic, lichenoid appearance, violaceous-color papules in a linear pattern. About 0.24 to 0.62% of patients with lichen planus have been reported to have linear lichen planus. In cases with lichen planus, linear lesions can be post-traumatically seen as widespread generalized eruptions (Koebner phenomenon) and as zosteriforms on herpes infection as the Wolf’s isotopic response. However, LLP indicates the presence of spontaneous LLP lesions which follow Blaschko’s lines without any previous association with trauma or herpes infection. Herein, we present two cases with LLP and emphasize the rarity of these cases and the importance of linear lesions in the differential diagnosis.