Lithium and the Skin

Overview

Lithium represents an effective therapy for bipolar affective disorders. Many cutaneous adverse effects related to lithium treatment were published. The most prevalent dermatoses related to lithium therapy are acne and psoriasis, but seborrhoeic dermatitis, Darier’s disease, folliculitis, xerosis cutis, hair loss and many others were reported. On the other side, therapeutic effects of topically applied lithium were noted in seborrhoeic dermatitis and recurrent herpes infections. Finding that 30% of patients with Barber’s psoriasis pustulosa who were never treated with oral lithium have markedly higher serum levels of lithium is also very interesting. Further study of internal and external influence of lithium on the skin may help to understand the pathogenesis of above mentioned skin diseases.

Key words:
lithium – therapy – effects on the skin