Replied By Tom (Kansas City, Missouri) on 10/18/2009

Replied By Reema (Dallas, Tx) on 12/04/2009

I have Lichenplanus since several years, it has spread to various parts of my body and has left scars. I have tried all possible treatmens homeopathy, ayurveda, naturopathy and have not had much succcess. Could someone please advice me on some remedy that may give me relief and reduce the scars. I am appreciative of any feedback provided. Do I try ACV, turmeric, borax, vitamin C, I am very confused as to the different theories behind this and remedies to try and get this problem under control. Please Please advice. Thanks Reema

Replied By Marie (Doral, Fl) on 04/05/2010

Please advise whether you have cured you lichen planus and how?? I've had this for quite a few years now and it's frustrating! I can't believe there is no cure for this if it's so mild as doctors say! And no one can provide a straight forward reason as to how it comes about and a proper treatment aside from steroids.

To Reema, hope you have had some sucess with this, as I am at my limit with this!

Any feedback from anyone will help!

Replied By Broset (Monroe, Mi) on 02/02/2011

so for that im taking 3200 mg of ibuprofen 800 mg every 6 hours (anti inflammatory) a day which slows the imune response... Im also takeing vitimin A, D, and zinc.. And putting neosporin on it.. Also taking benadryl.. ibuprofen is the same as motrin but I think the biggest amount you can get is 200 mg...

after the first day swelling went down 95 percent, does not itch, and is drying up nice... also broke out on my hands which is almost gone now.

vitimin A helps with skin, you need vitimin d to absorb the zinc better, zinc also helps with skin repair.

dont do more then 50 mg of zinc a day

mine was so bad that it was oozing and bleeding on my ankle

Replied By Geo41 (Tampa, Fl) on 06/07/2011

Please keep posting your experiences so that we all can learn from each other. Thank you

Replied By Soldier On (Dallas, Texas) on 07/17/2011

My dermatologist is highly trained and yet, he has a holistic view of the body. He gets this from two points. (1) He grew up in Switzerland and has relatives there. (2) His mother in law changed her diet and got out of her wheel chair to play golf after being diagnosed with M.S.

I will get to my Lichen Planus story in a moment. But, let's cut to the chase.

I also have rheumatoid arthritis-been diagnosed for 17 years. Keep that in mind as I tell you the type of reading I've been doing. I am reading a book call "The War Within" by a noted researcher, Floyd H. Chilton, Ph. D. He has served on the faculties of Johns Hopkins University and Wake Forest University School of Medicine where he is currently a professor of physiology and pharmacology. He has written more than 110 articles and textbook chapters and holds 32 issued and 17 pending patents. That's from the book. This book was first released in 2005 under the title "Inflammation Nation" by Simon and Schuster.

I am also reading a book by the doctor's mother in law. I don't know the availability of this book, but I will tell you of her outcomes.

The bottom line is that whatever we are dealing with here is an inflammation response in the body. You have to go at this from the internal environment in the body and mind, as well as, the external environment of body and mind.

You need to start removing yourself from the poor food environment that we live in here in the U.S. Remove yourself from any processed food, which of course means you must give up eating out or picking up fast food. This includes things like condiments to food. Give up sugar and where it lurks in any form. This means give up white bread or pasta, spaghetti, doughnuts, etc. For adults give up alcohol. Alcohol is sugar. Give up gluten.

The mother in law who was never a cook learned to fix health food type of meals. They were delicious. She got rid of meat and poultry. Only fish. Dr. Chilton's book educates you about protein and what is recommended. The mother in law also (TAKE NOTE) was also battling a candida problem for 8 years before it got diagnosed. All these thing go together. Why? Inflammation.

All allergies, all chronic diseases, (Rheumatoid Arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, ) skin disorders, are inflammation responses in our body. We have been eating against what our natural bodies can tolerate for generations now and it is getting worse, isn't it? To hear that this is happening to a precious four year old makes me weep.

Here's another part of the Chilton book that is an eye opener... The fat on our bodies acts like an organ... The more fat we have the more it emits inflammatory messengers. Check out Chilton's words and research. An overweight, sedentary person has 60% more inflammatory messengers in the body than an lean, exercising person.

If this diet is affecting one member of the family, the diet is affecting everyone in someway or the other. Get everyone on the same diet. Chilton offers daily menus to help out. You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

This is a must.... You must keep a journal everyday... Write down everything.. Including what changes you notice in feelings and mood, successes and set backs, what is happening within the family, everything. This is the basis for your research, your cause and effect. You will be frustrated and your head will be spinning if you don't do this. Get things down on paper so you can go back and read. This is a journey. There will be "set backs". These are important clues! Never think of a set back as negative.

The doctor said that the most impressive cure that he read about for LP came from a person who was a very high powered type going all over the world. He broke out in Lichen Planus and nothing was working. Then he got diagnosed with a chronic disease. He totally and radically changed up everything. His schedule, his lifestyle, his diet, his exercise, his mental health. The lichen planus went away.

This is why lichen planus is said to be related to stress. That's why you have to journal. Stress in the body is not only what is happening on the outside, but what stress is being produced by the negative reactions to food and drink on the inside. Try as much as possible to eat organic. For instance, coffee has 200 pesticides in it. That will cause stress to the liver and the body. This is an onion thing. You keep peeling off the layers. This is a journey. But, walk it faster than slower.

Remember that for a four year old the loss of a favorite toy could bring on as much stress as the loss of a job to an adult. I'm watching a three year old grandson react to having a new baby sister. Oh, brother. I've learned that some children are much more sensory irritated by stimuli than others.

I will try any topical or vitamin etc. that I find posted. But, I think it's because I am on a powerful immunilogical medicine for my RA that this lichen is not into my eyes, or mouth like some. The spots are becoming larger, but not itching, like the first outbreak. I take salt baths in warm water. Two big cheap boxes of iodized salt poured into the bath. I soak, close my eyes in darkness. Love it. Very relaxing. The salt seems to reduce the redness and make the spots feel better. Doesn't burn or anything. This is one of those stress reducing things you need to work into your days. Look for things like that. My next thing is to start looking for info on candida as this is on my list.

My husband is on the same program as he is fighting diabetes. We read labels, menus together. Don't let all of this fall on one of the parents. Help each other and the whole family learn to get unstressed. Watch T. V. Content for children. In fact stop watching so much and get active with each other.

So this is a huge post, isn't it? I'd love some replies. I, too, will keep posting, but here you have my plan of getting to wellness. I hope some of it helps. BTW my lichen planus started when one of my children developed thyroid cancer. She had a great outcome. Now she, too, is focused on reducing inflammation. Onward and upward.

Replied By Llp (Houston, Texas) on 08/30/2011

I know we could have lowered the dosage, etc. But something in me snapped. I was sick and tired of everyone in my family being sick and tired. I searched everywhere on the internet for a cure, including this site. Nothing worked. Then I stumbled across the website drmcdougall.com. I read it all night (I have chronic insomnia too). We had tried so many things that I decided we could try eating the ultra-healthy mcdougall way. It was hard, but it wasn't a pill that might be recalled in a few years. We eliminated all fats, dairy, processed foods (even the processed vegetarian stuff), meat, oils and sugar. We ate a ton of vegetables, fruits, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, barley, beans, quinoa... You get the picture.

Within a week, the swelling went down on the lichen planus sores. Within two weeks we noticed that he had less spots. Within a few months his hair in the places he had lost it actually started to grow back! Shortly after that, he was completely symptom free! The whole family followed the diet (my teenager bought junk at school for the first while and then even that little bit became unappetizing) and we are all finally healthy again. I got over my asthma, pneumonia, even my arthritis pain went away completely, other family members went through winter without getting sick... Not even a cold! My husband and I lost weight and the kids have continued to grow at the same rate they did before. Now we eat the mcdougall way about 90% of the time. When my son spent two weeks at grandma's this summer his lichen planus came back on his back, arms and legs. A few weeks of eating the mcdougall diet helped him to become symptom free again.

I really hope this helps someone. I hope you try it. Everything on mcdougall's site is free. So it really won't cost you anything. We bought one book of his after we were already seeing results because I wanted to be thourough. I also bought a mcdougall cookbook after a while. It isn't necessary though since he lists a lot of recipes for free anyway. I felt that I needed more recipes since this is our lifestyle now and not a diet per se.

Replied By Nina (Malma, Sweden) on 08/30/2011

I looked up the Mcdougall diet as and didn't really like the reviews I read. Especially for those suffering from hypoglycemia etc. The site called give it to me raw reviews diet and I suggest anyone who thinking about trying this diet read some of the reviews of this high carb, zero fat and little protein diet. Here in my country of origin low carb diets and high fat diets seem to becoming more and more popular for dealing with not only weightloss but diabetes, high blood pressure and the horrible pms. This low carb diet is reccomended by doctors here, can't imagine living life without those yummy avacados or even worse without that amazingly healthy cocconut oil!

Peace

Replied By Llp (Houston, Tx, Usa ) on 12/16/2011

As for coconut oil, we used to love it too. But now that we don't cook with oil, oil tastes soooooo slimy. We eat coconut instead of just the oil for the health benefits. It is a little challenging to find shredded coconut without sugar all over it here in the USA so more often than not we just buy the whole coconut. Honestly, we love the way our food tastes (this, coming from a beef-eating Texan) and the smell of meat is now sickening to me, the smell and taste of dairy is a weird cow pasture quality to it. We feel incredible eating this way. I know it is not for everyone. A lot of people tell me they couldn't eat this way and I respect their decisions. For me, personally, it is easier to eat this way than watch my child go through the pain, suffering and emotional, as well as physical scarring of this disease. He is almost 8 now and he will have the random slice of pizza, cookie, etc, and the spots come out on his back within a few days. But we don't worry because we know they will go away.

Replied By Liveinthepresent (Walnut Creek, California) on 01/02/2012

I noticed many of my leukoplakia lesions quite literally "sloughed" off by chewing raw garlic all day (which has potent natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties). Garlic in combination with a vegetable and fruit (fruits like strawberry and blackberry) heavy diet seemed to keep my symptoms at bay, but once I introduced sugar and baked foods (a lapse during a holiday celebration), my plaques and lesions came back. I knew it had to be the refined sugars and processed carbohydrates because as soon as I eliminated them, and started chewing garlic and drinking green tea again, my symptoms went away (i.e. the oral lesions).

The other thing that seems to exacerbate my symptoms is fixation on my jaw/mouth, and stress. When I'm stressed, I have the bad habit of concentrating tension in my mouth, and getting dry mouth. These habits are definite triggers, as any time I fixate on that area, or have inordinate amounts of stress, physical symptoms appear in my mouth. When I take things to control my cortisol (things like L-Theanine with Relora), or work on relaxation techniques preoccupying myself by keeping stress away from my jaw and mouth and out of my body in general, the symptoms subside. The difference is a marked, pronounced decrease in Lichen Planus lesions and ulcers.

In combination, both stress relief and a strict diet that eliminates refined sugar and carbohydrates seems to be my "cure" if you can call it that. I'm conscious of eating a healthier diet now, and keeping stress at bay, as both appear to be a 2-pronged effective therapy. I highly recommend that people add garlic, and cool (not hot) green and black tea to their diets. I saw noticeable results doing both.

Replied By Anthony (New Orleans, La) on 11/13/2012

Replied By Alka (Coppell, Tx) on 09/09/2015

I know your post is from 2011 but I was wondering if you could update us on the latest status for your son and if you are still following the diet?

I was diagnosed with LP and LPP 9 months back and am struggling with it. I am on cellcept and also following a strict vegetarian diet for the last few weeks. My LPP seems to be better - the patches are lighter pink and I dont see any new patches. MY LP also seems better though I do see very very small bumps or just some rough skin in places and do think it is a very mild form of LP.

If you saw such wonderful results I would seriously consider following the McDougall diet.

Thanks and hoping you will reply.

Alka from Coppell, TX

Replied By Ej (Ballarat, Victoria) on 07/15/2017

Replied By Rsw (Ohio) on 07/15/2017