MedlinePlus: Skin Pigmentation Disorders

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- Services and providers for Skin Pigmentation Disorders in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Skin Pigmentation Disorders is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Skin Pigmentation Disorders

Also called: Hyperpigmentation, Hypopigmentation

Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Skin cells give your skin color by making a substance called melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin. Others affect your entire body.

If your body makes too much melanin, your skin gets darker. Pregnancy, Addison's disease and sun exposure all can make your skin darker. If your body makes too little melanin, your skin gets lighter. Vitiligo is a condition that causes patches of light skin. Albinism is a genetic condition affecting all of a person's skin. Infections, blisters and burns can cause lighter skin.

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Treatment	Specific Conditions	Pictures & Photographs
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Clinical Trials Genetics Journal Articles	Medical Encyclopedia Directories Organizations	Children

Overviews
- Abnormal Pigmentation(Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
Treatment
- Chemical Peels Information(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- Dermabrasion(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- Laser Surgery Information(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
Specific Conditions
- Acanthosis Nigricans(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Incontinentia Pigmenti(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
- Liver Spots and Aging Hands Information(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- McCune-Albright Syndrome(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Melasma(American Academy of Dermatology)
- Moles, Freckles, Skin Tags, Benign Lentigines, and Seborrheic Keratoses(Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
- Tinea Versicolor(American Academy of Dermatology)
- Understanding Xeroderma Pigmentosum(National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - Links to PDF
- Waardenburg Syndrome(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Pictures & Photographs
- Acanthosis Nigricans(Logical Images)
- Lentigo Simplex(Logical Images)
- Melasma(Logical Images)
- Oral Melanotic Macule(Logical Images)
- Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation(Logical Images)
- Post-Inflammatory Hypopigmentation(Logical Images)
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Hyperpigmentation(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Hypopigmentation(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pigmentation Disorders(National Institutes of Health)
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Genetics
- Genetics Home Reference: Incontinentia pigmenti(National Library of Medicine)
- Genetics Home Reference: Oculocutaneous albinism(National Library of Medicine)
- Genetics Home Reference: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
- Genetics Home Reference: Waardenburg syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Medical Encyclopedia
- Skin Pigmentation Disorders
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Directories
- Find a Dermasurgeon(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- Find a Dermatologist(American Academy of Dermatology)
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Organizations
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Children
- Albinism(Nemours Foundation)
- Café au Lait Macule(Logical Images)
- Pityriasis Alba(Logical Images)
- Skin Pigment Disorders(Children's Hospital Boston)
- What's a Birthmark?(Nemours Foundation)
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