Lichen is a skin disease found in all mammals. The causative agent of this disease is a fungus parasitizing on the human body. Unfortunately, depriving people is by no means as harmless as most people think - in addition to the unpleasant sensations that it gives the patient and the unkempt appearance, lichen can cause the formation of ulcers at the site of the rash.
The reasons for the development of lichen are still not fully understood by medicine, therefore, unfortunately, it is impossible to completely insure against this unpleasant disease. But today it is clearly known that all patients at the time of infection had weakened immunity or damaged the outer layer of the epidermis. Of course, communication with the carrier depriving plays an important role, but not all types of this disease are contagious.
The most common types of lichen in humans are pink and ringworm. Among themselves, these species have many similarities, but there are differences.
Pink lichen in humans is an acute skin lesion characterized by profuse pink flaky rashes. The whole body can be affected, except for the face and head.
As a rule, outbreaks of pink lichen occur in the cold season, along with outbreaks of colds. The greatest risk of contracting a virus infection is influenza, tonsillitis, and so on. The reason for this is a sharp weakening of the immune system, exacerbated by the use of antibiotics.
According to the theory, pink lichen is not contagious, however, there are cases when whole families fell ill at the same time, before that they had had a cold. This discrepancy between theory and practice is explained by the weakening of immunity in a whole group of people in conjunction with close contacts between them.
Ringworm is also common in humans, the symptoms of which should be known to everyone because of its infectivity. So, the first symptom of this disease is the appearance of scaly spots on the body, which may have a somewhat edematous appearance. The whole body, including the head, may be affected. In this case, bald patches will be observed on the affected areas of the skin.
Despite the fact that rashes itch very badly with this disease, it is impossible to scratch them in any case - this way the pathogen - anthropophilous fungus - can be smashed, thereby only aggravating the situation.
Ringworm in people is very contagious, so the sick person must be immediately isolated from healthy people. You can get infected not only from a person, but also from an animal, as well as through things used by the patient - towels, combs and so on.
Having discovered this disease, treatment should be started immediately, since if you start it, the consequences can be very unpleasant: this is the development of ulcers, and inflammation of the lymph nodes, and scars in place of spots.
Fortunately, lichen in people is treated quite easily. First of all, the patient’s immune system is put in order (this is facilitated by the use of various drugs that increase immunity), after which he is prescribed a course of various antifungal drugs. Among the most popular products are Lamisil, Orungal, Nizoral, Griseofulvin.
For external local use, the following agents are prescribed : Wilkinson's ointment, the drug "Mykozonol", sulfuric-diagranic and salicylic ointments. If the lichen affects the scalp, then the hair is completely removed from it, which provides a more complete effect of ointments.
If necessary, the patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics.
In addition, lichen in people is treated with traditional medicine. Very effective is the lubrication of rashes with pulp of raisins, garlic, cranberries, ash from sunflower, alcohol tincture of propolis, as well as the application of compresses from a decoction of horse sorrel.