L ichen planus is a chronic disease which can appear in the mouth and on the skin.
Some patients will have both mouth and skin lesions, and occasionally women may develop vaginal lesions. The lesions may disappear spontaneously, only to reappear after they seemingly have gone into remission . T he lesions of lichen planus occur in different forms and the appearance may vary at times. They may appear as white, slender, radiating lines or they may be red and ulcer-like at times. Lichen planus often is characterized by white, interconnecting lines called striae, which resemble the pattern of the lichen plant which grows on rocks.