Lichen Planus Pigmentosus and Vitiligo in a 61-Year-Old Filipino Man: Case Report

Pigmentary disorders have been implicated in causing psychosocial turmoil in patients as they can cause some degree of cosmetic disfigurement. Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) presents as ashy, dermatosis-like eruptions on sun-exposed areas, particularly on the head, neck, and earlobes. On the other hand, vitiligo is a chronic disorder that appears as depigmented patches on the skin. A 61-year-old man with Fitzpatrick skin phototype IV presented to us initially with LPP but eventually also developed vitiligo. The patient was treated with low-dose oral isotretinoin for LPP and topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment for both LPP and vitiligo with a good clinical outcome. One case of segmental vitiligo and zosteriform LPP, affecting a 22-year-old Indian woman, has been previously reported in the English-language literature. An autoimmune etiology that causes melanocytorrhagy may be a plausible hypothesis for the coexistence of these 2 conditions.