Oral lichen planus: Mucoscopic perspective

The utility of dermoscope has moved beyond skin, hair, and nail. Mucoscopy is the application of the technique of dermoscopy to mucosal pathologies and is increasingly gaining importance. The aim of the present case series was to describe the mucoscopic features of histologically proven oral lichen planus (LP). In this study, we evaluated the mucoscopic features of 11 histologically confirmed oral LP cases. Wickham striae were observed in all cases, while various vascular patterns were seen in 81% of cases. An erythematous to violaceous background was commonly present, and pigmentation (36%) in the form of gray-black dots and globules was also noted. Some cases also had bleeding spots (36%) and erosions (27%). These findings highlight mucoscopy’s clinical value as a useful, non-invasive tool for diagnosing oral LP, potentially reducing the need for biopsies.