Q: Since one year some lesions appeared on my body (on legs, underarms as well as mouth). The doctor here has diagnosed it as Lichen Planus and gave me a course of Cortisone one and half tablet for 7 days, then one tablet for another 7 days and then half tablet for another seven days. No new lesions are appearing on my body except the mouth and the doctor says it is oral lichen planus and prescribed a cream (called Dermatitis) to apply in the mouth at night. As long as I apply the cream, the lesions/ulcers go and do not give pain even while eating hot and spicy food, but when I stop application, the white streak reappears in the mouth and under the tongue. Now the doctor has prescribed me Elidel cream but it has no effect. The doctor says it is a self-limiting disease and will go away after some months. I have tested my blood for HIV, hepatitis B and C and all tests are negative.

A:I assume your doctor has made the correct diagnosis. If so, he is quite right in saying that most patients with lichen planus have a self-limiting condition. It is difficult to say how long the disease takes in a particular individual before it limits itself. I do not understand the cream called Dermatitis. That normally is the name of the disease. You should avoid eating spicy and hot and hard foods as this will keep the disease up. If it is only white streaks that are left behind in the mouth, you need not worry about these, nor indeed look for them if they do not bother you.