Related articles: Skin discoloration
Definition
Skin discoloration is a change in normal skin color. These alterations, which can be localized or generalized, are typically due to an excess or defect of melanin (a pigment produced by melanocytes that gives color to the skin); in other cases, the dyschromias depend on the deposition of pigments of different nature in the skin, such as hemoglobin, carotenes, etc.
In the case of melanin there are two possible dyschromias: hyperchromia and hypochromia.
Hyperchromia is observed when pigmentation increases in intensity (the skin appears abnormally dark in color); freckles, melasms, freckles and chloasma gravidarum are an example. An increased melanin deposit can also be a consequence of hormonal disorders (as in Addison's disease) or of taking particular drugs. Furthermore, hyperpigmentation is observed in diseases such as pediculosis, pityriasis versicolor and cutaneous porphyrias.
On the contrary, we speak of hypochromia when the pigment is reduced or absent (the skin is lighter than the norm). Hypopigmentation occurs, for example, in vitiligo, in albinism and following inflammatory pathologies such as bullous dermatoses and skin infections (post-inflammatory hypopigmentation).
Possible Causes * of skin discoloration
- Acne
- Albinism
- Contact allergy
- Fanconi anemia
- dermatofibroma
- hemochromatosis
- Primitive and Secondary Hemochromatosis
- haemosiderosis
- Verruciform Epidermodysplasia
- erythrasma
- Pendulous Fibroids
- Pregnancy
- Lichen planus
- Lichen Simplex
- Whipple's disease
- Addison's disease
- Neurofibromatosis
- Osteomyelitis
- Pediculosis
- Bullous pemphigoid
- Pityriasis alba
- Porphyria
- Porfiria Cutanea Tarda
- Scleroderma
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Sepsis
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Spina bifida
- Tinea versicolor
- Vitiligo
