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Macular Pigmentation of Uncertain Etiology

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Pigmentary Skin Disorders

Part of the book series: Updates in Clinical Dermatology ((UCD))

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Abstract

Acquired macular pigmentation of uncertain etiology(AMPUE) has certain characteristic hyperpigmentation patterns; they include ashy dermatosis(AD), erythema dyschromicum perstans (EDP), lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP), and idiopathic eruptive macular pigmentation(IEMP). The clinical and histopathological features overlap, and presently there is no consensus on effective treatment. Riehl’s melanosis and IEMP with papillomatosis are two other distinctive pigmentary disorders for which the exact aetiology is not known. All other cases, where the pattern of pigmentation is not characteristic, are best kept under the umbrella of AMPUE until more disease-defining features develop or the etiology becomes clearer. There is a pressing need to fully understand and properly define these skin conditions as patchy hyperpigmentation creates both cosmetic and psychological problems for the darker-skinned populations.

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Dayrit, J.F., Kumarasinghe, P. (2018). Macular Pigmentation of Uncertain Etiology. In: Kumarasinghe, P. (eds) Pigmentary Skin Disorders. Updates in Clinical Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70419-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70419-7_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-70418-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-70419-7

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