Laboratory Studies

A Wood lamp examination enables distinction of epidermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) from dermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Epidermal lesions tend to have accentuated borders under a Wood lamp examination, whereas those of dermal lesions appear poorly circumscribed and are not accentuated with a Wood lamp examination.

Procedures

If a history of preceding inflammatory dermatosis is unclear or absent, skin biopsy is warranted to exclude other underlying causes of hyperpigmentation. Staining of the biopsy specimen with Fontana-Masson silver stain for melanin enables localization of the melanin in the epidermis and/or the dermis.

Histologic Findings

Epidermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation involves increased melanin pigment in the basal cell layer of the epidermis. Occasionally, giant melanosomes are evident in the epidermis.

Dermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation involves melanin pigment in the upper dermis, with pigment incontinence due to increased numbers of melanophages in the papillary dermis.

Treatment & Management

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Media Gallery

Photo of a 42-year-old African American woman with macules of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation on the left side of her face as a result of acne excoriée.

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Author

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH Professor and Head of Dermatology, Professor of Pathology, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, New York Academy of Medicine, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Basil M Hantash, MD, PhD, MBA Medical Director, Advanced Skin Institute

Basil M Hantash, MD, PhD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Jeffrey P Callen, MD Professor of Medicine (Dermatology), Chief, Division of Dermatology, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Jeffrey P Callen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Biogen US (Adjudicator for study entry cutaneous lupus erythematosus); Priovant (Adjudicator for entry into a dermatomyositis study); IQVIA (Serono - adjudicator for a study of cutaneous LE) <br/>Received honoraria from UpToDate for author/editor; Received royalty from Elsevier for book author/editor; Received dividends from trust accounts, but I do not control these accounts, and have directed our managers to divest pharmaceutical stocks as is fiscally prudent from Stock holdings in various trust accounts include some pharmaceutical companies and device makers for these trust accounts for: Stocks held in various trust accounts: Allergen; Amgen; Pfizer; 3M; Johnson and Johnson; Merck; Abbott Laboratories; AbbVie; Procter and Gamble;; Celgene; Gilead; CVS; Walgreens; Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Andrea Leigh Zaenglein, MD Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics, Department of Dermatology, Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Andrea Leigh Zaenglein, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Society for Pediatric Dermatology

Disclosure: Received consulting fee from Galderma for consulting; Received consulting fee from Valeant for consulting; Received consulting fee from Promius for consulting; Received consulting fee from Anacor for consulting; Received grant/research funds from Stiefel for investigator; Received grant/research funds from Astellas for investigator; Received grant/research funds from Ranbaxy for other; Received consulting fee from Ranbaxy for consulting.

Acknowledgements

Nadia I Kihiczak, MD Staff Physician, Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School

Nadia I Kihiczak, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.