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Circumscribed Dermal Melaninoses: Classification, Light, Histochemical, and Electron Microscopic Studies on Three Patients with the Erythema Dyschromicum Perstans Type
Author(s) -
Sanchez Nestor P.,
Pathak Madhu A.,
Sato Syozo S.,
Sanchez Jorge L.,
Mihm Martin C.,
Fitzpatrick Thomas B.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1982.tb00484.x
Subject(s) - hyperpigmentation , melanosis , erythema , dermatology , pigmentation disorder , pathology , melanocyte , melanin , medicine , pigment , ultrastructure , anatomy , biology , chemistry , melanoma , cancer research , genetics , organic chemistry
Circumscribed dermal hypermelanosis refers to a group of cutaneous disorders with circumscribed blue, blue‐grey, slate‐grey, or blue‐black pigmentation. Dermal Melanocyte deposition (melanocytosis) and melanin in mdcrophages (melaninosis) are observed histopathologically. This group of disorders can be differentiated clinically from brown epidermal hypermelanosis by examination using Wood's light. The microscopic, histochemical, immunofluorescent, and ultrastructural findings in three cases of erythema dyschromicum Persians supports its classification in the group of circumscribed dermal melanosis. Damage to epidermal basal cells gives rise to a caseade of events producing the’ ashen‐gray color. The epidermal melanocytes in this disorder are morphologically distinctive and increased in number. Ultrastructurally, a direct interaction between melanocytes and lymphocytes's seen resulting in vacuolar degeneration of the dermalepidermal junction, with resultant incontinence of pigment. The dermal depth to which the pigment‐containing macro‐phages may extend is greater than that found in post‐inflammatory hyperpigmentation. perhaps because of involvement of the appendageal structures.