Symptoms:
- Mouth lesions
- Tender or painful (mild cases may have no discomfort)
- Located on the sides of the tongue or the inside of the cheek
- Occasionally located on the gums
- Poorly defined area of blue-white spots or "pimples"
- Lines of lesions that form a lacy-looking network
- Gradual increase in size of the affected area
- Lesions occasionally form painful ulcers
- Skin lesions:
- Usually located on the inner wrist, legs, torso, or genitals
- Itchy
- Symmetrical
- Single lesion or clusters of lesions, often at sites of skin trauma
- Papule 2 - 4 cm in size
- Papules clustered into a large, flat-topped lesion
- Lesions have distinct, sharp borders
- Possibly covered with fine white streaks or scratch marks called Wickham's striae
- Shiny or scaly appearance
- Dark colored -- reddish-purple (skin) or gray-white (mouth)
- Possibility of developing blisters or ulcers
Other symptoms include:
Signs and tests:
The health care provider may make the diagnosis based on the appearance of the skin or mouth lesions.
A skin lesion biopsy or biopsy of a mouth lesion can confirm the diagnosis. Blood tests may be done to rule out hepatitis.