Lichen striatus: a case report and review of medical literature

Lichen striatus is a linear self-limited inflammatory genodermatosis. It mostly affects preschoolers, more often in females. It is characterized by pagues of 2-4 mm organized in linear bands following the lines of Blaschko. These findings are usually unique and unilateral, affecting principally extremities. The diagnosis is clinical, no requiring complementary tests. We present the case of a six-year-old girl with a linear lesion consisting in pink papules following the Blaschko’s lines, starting in the internal malleolus of the lower extremity and spreading to the thigh. No history of traumatic event at that level. No other pathological background of interest. Comments: the differential diagnosis of lichen striatus includes other dermatoses that follow the Blaschko lines such as inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus, incontinentia pigmenti, linear Darier’s disease, linear porokeratosis, or hypomelanosis of Ito. The morphology of the lesions is characteristic, so cases of single lesions, linear, in lower extremities and in girls should not offer great diagnostic problems.