Zinc & Vitamin C For Lichen Planus

Lichen planus, a common skin inflammation, occurs most often in middle-aged men and women. Although the cause of lichen planus remains unknown, the majority of dermatologists categorize lichen planus as an autoimmune disease, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Both zinc and vitamin C assist in immune system function, according to the National Institutes of Health; thus adequate intake of both of these nutrients through diet or supplementation may speed the healing of lichen planus flare-ups.

Identification

Lichen planus tends to appear on the the wrists, ankles, back, lower legs and neck. It can affect the skin, the genitals and the mouth. Lichen planus typically comes in spells that last for months or in some cases years, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, and each case demands its own treatment. In about 20 percent of cases, lichen planus presents minimal symptoms. Other cases present intense and unrelenting itching.

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune skin diseases such as lichen planus arise when the immune system's white blood cells attack the normal parts of the skin, the mucous membranes, the hair and the nails, rather than their normal targets: germs and bacteria. A 1996 study in the journal "Nutrition and Health" published by London's St Thomas's Hospital Department of Immunology showed zinc to have a substantial impact on autoimmunity in animals.

Research

A 2008 study published by Zhejiang University cardiology researchers in the "Journal of Zhejiang University Medical Sciences," found that vitamin C combined with immunoglobin --- an antibody that plays a role in immunity --- seemed to halt autoimmune disease progression in mice and offered what the researchers termed a "protective and therapeutic effect."

Benefits

Zinc assists metalloenzymes to produce anti-inflammatory agents, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society. Vitamin C helps the body make collagen --- a protein involved in wound healing --- and improves overall immune system function. Together both zinc and vitamin C support immunity and may hasten recovery from lichen planus.

Warning

Excessive zinc supplementation causes vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, headaches and diarrhea. Prolonged overuse of zinc sometimes results in a compromised immune system, lowered copper levels and low levels of HDL cholesterol. In some cases, dietary zinc supplements interfere with medicines, and certain medicines may reduce the body's zinc stores, according to the National Institutes of Health. If you take medication, speak to your doctor or health practitioner before you supplement with zinc.