eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of Pigmentation
Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Follow-up
Updated: Jul 27, 2009
Follow-up
Deterrence/Prevention
- Patients with postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) should use sunscreen on a daily basis to prevent any further darkening of lesions.
Prognosis
- Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation tends to fade with time and therapy, as previously discussed.
- Remnants of epidermal hyperpigmentation may persist for indefinite periods, typically 6-12 months, after the initial inflammatory process resolves.
- Dermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation may even persist for years.
Patient Education
- Educate patients about the cause of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, prolonged therapy, and persistence of hyperpigmented lesions.
Miscellaneous
Medicolegal Pitfalls
- Patients should be informed that postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is not easily treated.
- Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is typically a persistent discoloration of skin that gradually resolves over 6-12 months.
Special Concerns
- Patients should never be treated with monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone because of the risk of developing disfiguring depigmented patches of skin either at the application site or at distal cutaneous sites.
More on Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
| Overview: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
| Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
| Treatment & Medication: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
Follow-up: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
| Multimedia: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation |
| References |
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References
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Further Reading
Keywords
postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, postinflammatory hypermelanosis, melanotic hyperpigmentation, PIH, dermal melanosis, epidermal melanosis, skin inflammation, hyperpigmentation
Follow-up: Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation