Successful Treatment of Lichen Striatus With Occlusive Imiquimod 5% Cream

Lichen striatus is an uncommon acquired linear inflammatory skin disorder, that preferentially occurs in children. We report a 15-year-old girl with a 16-month history of lichen striatus. Topical application of imiquimod 5% cream twice-daily under occlusion led to resolution of the intense pruritus within 6 days of treatment and to complete remission of the cutaneous lesions after 5 weeks of treatment. The patient experienced no local or systemic side effects. She has been followed-up for 13 months and revealed no evidence of recurrence. Topical imiquimod may be an effective and safe alternative treatment for recalcitrant lichen striatus.