Lichen striatus: a Blaschko linear acquired inflammatory skin eruption.

An illustrative case report and a series of 18 well-documented cases of lichen striatus are presented. The mean age at diagnosis was 3 years (6 months to 14 years; median 2 years). The lesions were predominantly distributed on the trunk in 33% of cases and on the limbs in the remaining two thirds (upper limb: 48%; lower limb: 19%). Pruritus was noted in only 1 of 18 cases. Six cases were associated with clinical features of atopy and/or minor signs of atopic dermatitis (e.g., pityriasis alba). Two cases were considered to be clinically associated with lesions consistent with psoriasis. The mean duration was 9.5 months (4 weeks to 3 years; median 6 months). In one patient, two relapses occurred in 4 years. Hypochromic sequelae were noted in 50% of cases. Lichen striatus is the most common acquired self-limited linear eruption in childhood that follows Blaschko's lines. A new acronym is proposed to emphasize the developmental background of the disease: BLAISE for Blaschko linear acquired inflammatory skin eruption.