Management of Lichen Planus of Nails Through Ayurveda: A Case Report

Abstract

Nail is a vital skin appendage made up of keratinized matrix ,capable of growing continuously and is also an indicator of the general health of an individual. It consists of a nail plate, matrix and nail bed, eponychium, paronychium, and hyponychium. Below the nail bed lie nerves and vessels, and the matrix produces cells that make the nail plate. Lichen planus is a chronic disorder affecting skin, nails, and mucosae. It can occur independently or can also affect the mucous membrane or skin. There are several treatment modalities for lichen planus of skin, but very few for the one involving nails. When the nails are affected, it can lead to psychosocial and functional consequences, and even mild cases, if not treated on time, can cause permanent destruction. In Ayurveda, this condition can be correlated with "Kunakha". A 42-year-old male patient had been suffering from brittle, yellowish brown nails of fingers and toes for one and half years. Many modalities in allopathy, such as triamcinolone injections, oral retinoids, and immune suppressants, possess severe long-term side effects. Despite opting for these modalities, he could not get satisfactory results. The study aimed to assess the role of external ayurvedic therapies and internal medicines in nail lichen planus. These modalities exhibited excellent results within 45 days of treatment. Though the correlation was done with Kunakha, the treatment was planned according to the vitiated doshas and dhatu involvement. This protocol was effective in nail lichen planus, but a further clinical trial is necessary to find its role in other forms of lichen planus.