Lichen Planus Causes

It is one of those conditions where the exact cause remains unknown till the date. There are theories. In some cases there are obvious links with the facts such as :

1. Contact with certain chemicals (paraphenylenediamine), drugs (Arsenic compounds, certain metals such as Gold, Bismuth, Quinacrine), exposure to light by photography development) etc.
2. Certain modern medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain killers (NSAID), antihypertensive medicines, amalgamated dental filling, etc are known to induce Lichen Planus, which has a tendency to persist despite the discontinuation of the said medicines.
It may be of interest to list the common modern medicines which are know to induce Lichen Planus:

• NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

• Tetracycline

• Captopril

• Propranolol

• Sulfonamide

• Dapsone

• Furosemide

• Chloroquine

• Penicillamine

• Methyldopa

• Enalapril

• Allopurinol (anti-gout medicine)

It may be noted that this information is derived from the study at our center and may not be found in the standard dermatological text books.

Genetic
Hereditary tendency

Allergic component
The studies have indicated presence of certain cells, called as HLA A-3 cell markers, suggesting immunological and allergic links.

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