Lichen Planus

Lichen planus is a fairly common, itchy, non-infectious type of rash that usually occurs in adults. The origin of the term ‘lichen planus’ is obscure. Lichen is a type of plant that lives on rocks, and its surface is made up of small groups of bumps that may look a bit like those seen in lichen planus. ‘Planus’ means ‘flat’, and tells us that the small itchy bumps that make up the rash of lichen planus have shiny flat tops.