Lichen Planus: Etiology, Treatment, and Clinical Remission

Abstract

Lichen Planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin and mucous membranes, characterized by pruritic, purple papules and, in oral forms, painful white patches or erosions. Although LP is widely considered an immune-mediated condition involving T-cell-driven autoimmune responses, its precise etiology remains unknown and no curative treatment exists. Current management relies on corticosteroids and immunomodulators to control symptoms and inflammation, but mucosal forms often persist and recur. This report presents a case in which a 19-year-old male with severe, treatment-resistant LP—involving both cutaneous and oral manifestations—experienced sustained clinical remission following his mother’s dedicated Dharma practices within the
Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. The mother, after unsuccessful hospitalization, hormone therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine, undertook intensive practices including making vows, reciting Buddhist scriptures, and performing life liberation, while the son continued conventional treatment. Gradually, the son’s oral lesions softened, skin lesions resolved, corticosteroid dependence was eliminated, and no recurrences occurred over subsequent years. From the Dharma perspective, the patient’s LP is interpreted as a manifestation of accumulated killing karma from family sources, consistent with traditional Dharma teachings and Dharma Master Jun Hong Lu’s observations on totem reading regarding the karmic consequences of taking life. This case illustrates the potential utility of Dharma-based approaches as complementary to conventional medicine and highlights the need for systematic investigation of these practices in dermatological and autoimmune conditions.