r/Lichenplanus

I went to a top tier oral derm in NYC yesterday because i have reticular marks in my cheeks, they are painless & not inflammed

he basically told me that i either have a typical reticular OLP or lichenoid reaction, he said no biopsy / no treatment & nothing to worry about, he told me that biopsy are invasive and only done if the lesion look suspicous or atypical

i basically have just a yearly appointment to monitor

I'm on a facebook group about OLP, and people here are getting biopsy every months almost, why is that ? Most of the posts are about "get a biopsy asap !!!"

My oral lichen planus started when I ate too much of a cinnamon candy. What a surprise when the whole left side of my tongue started having white lines and red spots!

No pain, but the sight was very disturbing. And there was an ache when I ate.

After 30 days of my tongue not healing, doctors took a biopsy (results still not in, but docs don't think it's cancer because it is widespread and also on my gums) but I didn't want to wait. I wanted to regain some of the control I felt I lost.

I've always believed in the power of fasting, and once had done a 5 day fast where afterwards my skin literally glowed.

So I did a 4 day (96 hour) fast, where I took electrolytes (magnesium, potassium and vitamins b) and drank a lot of water.

My theory was - OLP happens because renegade immune cells attack my tongue. In fasting, after 72 hours, immune cells are shown to retreat to the bone marrow in order to conserve energy.

On the last day of my fast, my tongue was still full of white lines. I was a bit demoralized. But I read up, and learned that the real healing happens in the 2 days after the fast ends. What they call the "re-feeding period".

So yesterday I broke my fast with bone broth soup. Then I ate eggs and avocadoes. Drank some of my home made kefir. And finished up with a dinner of salmon and broccolis.

Lo and behold, today I wake up and all the white spots are gone! And the redness is considerably less.

I don't think this is a cure. I will probably still need to take some medication.

But my goal was not to deny medication. It was to tame my immune cells. And it seems that the fast helped.

Now, fasting does how trade-offs. While we fast, our immune systems do reset in a way. But after we break the fast, there is a rapid multiplication of stem cells. Which slightly increases the risk of intestinal cancer - due to stem cells there multiplying rapidly to make up for those lost during the fast to autophagy.

I weighed the benefits and costs and made my own decision.

But in life, there is no free lunch. Every choice has its risks.

I do feel happy today though. :)

I've recently been diagnosed with Oral Lichen Planus, and have been reading that purslane is a natural way to manage symptoms. The claim is that it is just as effective - and possibly better - than corticosteroids

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10507837/

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-benefits-of-purslane-for-treating-oral-lichen-planus/

The thing I don't understand, though, is how we are supposed to use this 'magical' weed. Do we incorporate it into our diet, and let our metabolisms work its magic or do we apply it we topically (via a gel or grounded into a paste)?

Further, where do we get either (gel or weed)?

Any clarification welcome.

thanks