Cure Lichen Planus Questions
*Ted, an independent contributor, offers information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by Ted or by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
REMEDIES NEEDED FOR ORAL LICHEN PLANUS
10/21/2008: Manju from Ghaziabad, India writes: "Hello,
My father is suffering from last 2 yrs with oral lichen planus we tried lots of medicines, we changed doctors. we treated from Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, Allopathic but result is zero. Like he can't eat spciy food, hot, flavoured & hard(apple) food. I don't know what should i do. Can u give some Home remedies which i can try. I don't know how much that is affected but i don't want to take a chance. I want to try that thing. Plz suggest me what should i do. My father is really fed up now with medicines.
Thanks & Regards
Manju Bala"
10/30/2008: Joyce from Joelton, Tn replies: "Hi Manju, Has your father tried Oil Pulling? Read about it on Earth Clinic. I thought this originated in India!"
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HOW LONG SHOULD I DO THE BORAX FOR LICHEN PLANUS?
06/18/2008: Jose Santiago from Houston, Texas, USA writes: "I would like to know for how long I should stay drinking the mix of water and borax? My Lichen Planus started on November 2007 with a small lession on my right feet around the ankle. As of today ( June 2008 ) it has spread to my calves, buttocks, a few in my arms, the head of my penis. Not to mention inside my mouth which means I have Oral Lichen Planus too. This is devastating and even though I know it will clear up sooner or late, the itching and just the look of it, its just killing me. I went to two different dermatologist and all they prescribed me was corticosteroids. I know that wont help. Please any suggestions and experiences will be greatly appreciated."
08/25/2008: Bruce from Toronto, Canada replies: "Mine started in May 2008 on the head of my penis, and then my feet. since last week (aug15) it started in my mouth and arms. same like you , i have been to 2 different dermatologist and same creams. I really got scared and went to my doctor today and he assured me that it will go away with time, how long, nobody knows :("
09/20/2008: Vanessa from Okinawa, Japan replies: "I have had lichen planus since I was ten years old and have had oral lesions as well as vaginal lesions. Even on my scalp. I would watch my Vitamin D intake! I had an outbreak once that lasted 4 years, during which I noticed a connection between my Vitamin D intake and flare ups. Please note that Vitamin D is also stored in fat stores. I would always see improvements within a couple of weeks. My father also suffers with lichen planus and cutting out vitamin D seems to work for him as well. I am getting another outbreak right now, because of my prenatal vitamins, so I am once again cutting out vitamin D. So far so good. once it goes away, I let my diet go back to normal again, and just make sure to keep my Vit D intake in check. I'm not sure why it work, I just know that it works for me and my father."
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QUESTION ABOUT BORAX FOR ORAL LICHEN PLANUS
06/16/2008: Prabha from Ghaziabad, India writes: "oral lichen planus: sir,please tell me how to use borax whether it has to be consumed or applied on lichens."
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ORAL LICHEN PLANUS
04/22/2008: Joyce from Bonifay, Florida writes: "I read alot about what YOU CAN DO FOR LICHEN PLANUS BUT I have ORAL lichen planus in my mouth only. I can`t find any remedy that I can use in my mouth. The doctors have me on lidex gel which is a steroid gel but it is getting worse inside my cheeks and on the edge of my tongue. now it is on the roof of my mouth and my gums and even came out on my lip. The gel did get rid of it that time. I have used apple cider viniger with some success. Please help!"
03/10/2009: Christel Early from Fayetteville, NC replies: "Hello. My name is Crystal and i too suffer from lichen planus. Im starting to think that my lichen came from the dye in tattoos. Do you have any tattoos? Lichen is used as one of the ingredients in dye. Look into it."
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WANT TO KNOW ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR LICHEN PLANUS
08/08/2007: annie from new bedford, ma writes: "has anyone gotten relief from the remedies mentioned for lichen planus? i've tried everything with little improvement. mine is the vaginal erosive type - very painful. any other suggestions ted?"
09/20/2008: Vanessa from Okinawa, Japan replies: "Watch your vitamin D intake. I have had vaginal lesions before, and that is what worked for me. I discovered it on accident. I was put on prednisone and since it depletes vitamin D stores, I was given a vitamin D supplement, which I failed to take the first 2 weeks. I noticed a great improvement and when I started the Vit D supplement, it flared up worst than before. Ever since then, I cut out Vit D from my diet whenever I am getting an outbreak, and it works. My father has lichen planus too, and it works for him as well. Vitamin D is found in eggs, milk, fotified cereals, liver, fish, multivitamins, and sunlight. I am currently having another outbreak because of my prenatal vitamins."
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WANT TO KNOW TREATMENT OF LICHEN PLANUS
11/04/2006: Linda from San Luis Obispo, CA writes: "Have you ever heard of a condition called lichen planus? I have oral and vaginal Lichen planus and have been given steroids to treat it. If you happen to know of treatments for this condition, I would appreciate hearing from you. Thanks."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Linda: There are several remedies that can relieve the lichen planus depending on the kinds of organism you have. You should see results in 15 minutes (less itchiness) or maximum of 30 minutes.
The list below should have a good change of at least an improvement in your conditions. I should warn that the list below is by no means complete there are other formulas, but these are the ones that I used most often or at least most familiar with, I am assuming also that this is fore EXTERNAL USE only:
1. Lavender oil 100% Apply the lavender oil thinly or especially in some sensitive area. Less sensitive area you can apply more. Frequency of applications can result in longer term relapses. This seems to work quite well in most cases.
2. Boric acid. Certain organism are sensitive to acid. A 10% solution of boric acid applied to the area should reduce the itchiness. If the itchiness does not reduce by 15-30 minutes, then don't bother with continuing, it is probably acid resistant.
3. Borax plus 1% hydrogen peroxide. Measure carefully a 1% hydrogen peroxide in a saturated solution of borax (add water until borax no longer dissolved itself). This is effective against organism sensitive to alkaline. Lately this has become a pattern. Again if itchiness does not reduce by 15-30 minutes, then it doesn't work. For those who studied microbiology, you probably aware that organism tend to die pretty quickly where most organisms tend to die within about 30 minutes. We are so used to meds where itchiness or irritation won't reduce for days and in some cases weeks. Well the simple fact is: it's not working! You don't have to wait that long. I guess I have been brainwashed into thinking that.
4. Copper chloride 2% solution. This seems to be my favorite remedies, if you can get copper chloride. Apply to the area and if it stings, just rinse it with water. For some people copper chloride can cause a green tinge on the skin if you refuse to rinse it, but for many, they seem to like it! The green tinge is temporary and you can rinse it with water to remove them. For most people I know they liked it so much they don't want to rinse it. I guess the irritation was that bad!
For the most squeamish people, you can try another even more powerful antifungal formula, such as copper chloride 1.5% solution plus chromium chloride 1.5% solution.
DO NOT USE OTHER FORMS OF CHEMICAL, as the toxicity of different forms of chemical are very different. These formula I tested myself and have low toxicity and skin irritations. So do not change the chemical compound!
5. Vinegar in 1% hydrogen peroxide solution. The resultant chemical is often called peracetic acid. This used to be my favorite, but for application on the skin, many do not like it from the obvious smell of vinegar solution. Also certain organisms tend to be acid resistant lately due to widespread use of acid based antiseptic. However, it still works in many cases.
6. Zinc chloride 1% solution plus magnesium chloride 2%. If you suspect the lichen planus are viral in nature than this is your chance to try this formula. It will dry up the viral caused lichen planus in record time compared to doctor's meds. If it doesn't then it is not viral or bacterial in nature.
These are the main ways you can treat lichen planus. There is no way I can guess which part of your body is effected. Therefore, test a small area of the skin for possible irritation and if you have problems then switch over to the other formula where you don't have problems. In other cases you might dilute the formula in half instead of throwing away the solution altogether. Lavender and copper chloride are solution are the ones that are used most often, at least for me anyway.
In some cases, if the skin had some pus, often applying a bottle of drug store alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) to the area with cotton bud will dry it. However, be warned it hurts, but you need to apply to kill the active organism in the pus. After application the area will usually dry.
Assuming you have done the above and the itch does go away, this does not deal with the cause. Consider taking zinc acetate 25-50 mg/day and mangesium citrate (or gluconate, or chloride) supplements. You need not take it every day.
You can take it for one week and stop taking for another week, alternately, of course. Then once the conditions disappear or your skin becomes dry, you just stop taking them altogether, or if it comes back then you can take it on as needed basis.
Alkalizing is still important and you need to take at least 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in 1/2 glass of water twice a day. Once in the morning and once before bedtime.
An alternate alkalizing formula, is the lemon/lime formula. Since lemon in U.S. are quite big compared to what I used here, you can use half a lemon, or one small lime and keep adding baking soda until it no longer fizzes. Then add water and take it twice a day. You should notice that this lemon formula tastes almost exactly like water. But the bicarbonates and citrates will neutralize the acid in your body, and alkalize, thus increasing the body's oxygen and killing off the organism, mostly anaerobics.
Regardless of what organism we are talking here, most of them rely on sugar as a source of food. Thus refrain from any sweet foods, such as chocolates, fruit juices, maple syrups, etc.
Lately I have found some people who fear sodium (anti- salt) so much as to completely avoid it, thus causing the body to be sick and be overrun with infections.
If you happened to be staying away from salt or going all organic diets or all fresh veggie diet, I must warn you that the once the body is low in sodium, you can get lichen planus also.
To prove to you whether lack of sodium, just take 1 heaping teaspoon of sea salt in one glass of water. That is all and you not need to take again until the following week.
If the sea salt DID NOT reduce your problem then it IS NOT a the lack of sodium issue. If by chance it IS A SODIUM ISSUE, then you take it maximum ONCE a week, until the conditions are gone. This is an important remedy especially if you have Urinary Tract Infection, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In fact these might actually be lichen planus too but they put on different names because they occur in different locations.
If you treat the cause, a disease by any other name, would kill just the same or as Shakespeare would put it in opposite terms, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. "
05/13/2009: Jason from Tuscon, Arizona replies: "The above answer to this question is total BS. There is no 'organism' associated with lichen planus. unless you are referring to yourself as the organism because this is an autoimmune disorder. hyper reactive CD8 T cells have turned on your mucous membranes. don't buy into (literally) all the hype that these sales men toss at you. do your homework.
good luck."
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