Background: Lichen striatus (LS) is an acquired skin disorder with a linear pattern along Blaschko's lines. It commonly occurs in childhood, and the lesions spontaneously regress within several months.
Objectives: Although up to 50% of LS cases exhibit hypopigmentation that can persist for several months to years, it is unknown why LS is associated with such a high incidence of hypopigmentation compared to other inflammatory skin diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the differences in the skin microbiome between LS patients with and without hypopigmentation.
Methods: Differences in skin microbiome were analysed using whole genome sequencing of skin biopsies and subsequent bioinformatics analyses.
Results: Some microbes commonly found in hypopigmented skin disorders, including Cutibacterium acnes, were more abundant in patients with LS showing hypopigmentation than in those not showing hypopigmentation.
Conclusions: The skin microbiota may be involved in the development of hypopigmentation in LS and may be considered a treatment target to reduce LS duration and hypopigmentation.
© 2024 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.