Treatment of oral erosive lichen planus with systemic isotretinoin.

Six patients with symptomatic oral erosive lichen planus were treated with systemic isotretinoin (10 to 60 mg daily) for 8 weeks. Five (83%) showed subjective and objective improvement at completion of therapy, but the improvement was slight. Relapse occurred in four patients within 2 months after the drug was stopped; one was lost to follow-up. Because of the minimal improvement and adverse side effects, no patient wished to be re-treated with isotretinoin.