Review Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus in Children

Observations: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory sclerotic skin disease of unknown origin. It af-fects all age groups and mostly involves the anogenital region. Childhood LS represents approxi-mately 15 % of total cases of the disorder and is seen in a 10:1 ratio of females to males. The etiology is unknown, lesions usually appearing spontaneously without any precipitating factor. Several mechanisms have been studied and suggest a multifactorial origin, including a genetic, autoim-mune, hormonal and infectious background. Anogenital LS can be presented with a variety of symptoms. Pruritus and soreness are the most common symptoms reported by patients with LS. There is a variety of opinion for treating LS. Some guidelines still recommend a 3 month therapy with ultra potent topical steroids as the first line treatment of anogenital LS. Latest studies reveal the suc-cessful treatment of relapsing severe anogenital LS with topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus. This re-view aims to give an overview of LS in children and to enlighten about some of the new ap-proaches, made on the pathogenesis and especially on its treatment