Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but it may be related to immune system changes, genetic factors, stress, or sun exposure. Treatment options include topical medications, light therapy, surgery and cosmetics. The condition can show up on any skin type as a light peachy color and can appear on any place on the body in all sizes. The spots on the skin known as vitiligo are also able to “change” as spots lose and regain pigment; they will stay in relatively the same areas but can move over time and some big patches can move through the years but never disappear overnight.
Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of an area of skin or nails caused by increased melanin.
Hypopigmentation is characterized specifically as an area of skin becoming lighter than the baseline skin color, but not completely devoid of pigment. This is not to be confused with depigmentation, which is characterized as the absence of all pigment. It is caused by melanocyte or melanin depletion, or a decrease in the amino acid tyrosine, which is used by melanocytes to make melanin. Some common genetic causes include mutations in the tyrosinase gene or OCA2 gene. As melanin pigments tend to be in the skin, eye, and hair, these are the commonly affected areas in those with hypopigmentation.
Melasma is a tan or dark skin discoloration. Melasma is thought to be caused by sun exposure, genetic predisposition, hormone changes, and skin irritation. Although it can affect anyone, it is particularly common in women, especially pregnant women and those who are taking oral or patch contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy medications.
PUVA is an ultraviolet light therapy treatment for skin diseases: vitiligo, eczema, psoriasis, graft-versus-host disease, mycosis fungoides, large plaque parapsoriasis, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, using the sensitizing effects of the drug psoralen. The psoralen is applied or taken orally to sensitize the skin, then the skin is exposed to UVA.
Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2. It has two hydroxyl groups bonded to a benzene ring in a para position. It is a white granular solid. Substituted derivatives of this parent compound are also referred to as hydroquinones. The name "hydroquinone" was coined by Friedrich Wöhler in 1843.
Azelaic acid (AzA) is an organic compound with the formula HOOC(CH2)7COOH. This saturated dicarboxylic acid exists as a white powder. It is found in wheat, rye, and barley. It is a precursor to diverse industrial products including polymers and plasticizers, as well as being a component of a number of hair and skin conditioners. AzA inhibits tyrosinase.
A lentigo is a small pigmented spot on the skin with a clearly defined edge, surrounded by normal-appearing skin. It is a harmless (benign) hyperplasia of melanocytes which is linear in its spread. This means the hyperplasia of melanocytes is restricted to the cell layer directly above the basement membrane of the epidermis where melanocytes normally reside. This is in contrast to the "nests" of multi-layer melanocytes found in moles. Because of this characteristic feature, the adjective "lentiginous" is used to describe other skin lesions that similarly proliferate linearly within the basal cell layer.
Cysteamine is an organosulfur compound with the formula HSCH2CH2NH2. A white, water-soluble solid, it contains both an amine and a thiol functional groups. It is often used as salts of the ammonium derivative [HSCH2CH2NH3]+ including the hydrochloride, phosphocysteamine, and the bitartrate.The intermediate pantetheine is broken down into cysteamine and pantothenic acid.
Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, is the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration in the skin. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. This includes mercury compounds which may cause neurological problems and kidney problems.
β-arbutin, also known by its International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) name, arbutin, is a glycosylated derivative of hydroquinone. β-Arbutin is naturally present in the leaves and bark of a variety of plants, notably the bearberry plant, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Utilized as a biosynthetic active ingredient in topical treatments for skin lightening, β-arbutin is aimed at addressing hyperpigmentation issues. Its mechanism of action involves inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, an essential enzyme for melanin synthesis in the human skin, thereby leading to a reduction in hyperpigmentation. It is important to distinguish β-arbutin from its structurally similar stereoisomer, α-arbutin, which exhibits similar effects in clinical applications.
Depigmentation is the lightening of the skin or loss of pigment. Depigmentation of the skin can be caused by a number of local and systemic conditions. The pigment loss can be partial or complete. It can be temporary or permanent.
Mequinol, MeHQ or 4-methoxyphenol, is an organic compound with the formula CH3OC6H4OH. It is a phenol with a methoxy group in the para position. A colorless solid, it is used in dermatology and organic chemistry.
Halo nevus is a mole that is surrounded by a pale ring or 'halo'. It is generally noticed in the summer, when surrounding skin tans, and usually occurs on the chest, but can be anywhere. There may be one or more typically several. Onset is usually in teenagers and young adults. It typically follows a pattern of appearing at first as a dark mole surrounded by a halo before the nevus fades and disappears. A single halo nevus like lesion appearing in an older adult may be a melanoma.
Poliosis circumscripta, commonly referred to as a "white forelock," is a condition characterized by localized patches of white hair due to a reduction or absence of melanin in hair follicles. Although traditionally associated with the scalp, poliosis can affect any hairy area on the body, including eyebrows, eyelashes, and beards. Microscopically, poliosis is marked by the lack of melanin or melanocytes in the hair bulbs, though epidermal melanocytes typically remain unaffected unless associated with conditions like vitiligo.
Postinflammatory hypopigmentation is a cutaneous condition characterized by decreased pigment in the skin following inflammation of the skin.
Oral pigmentation is asymptomatic and does not usually cause any alteration to the texture or thickness of the affected area. The colour can be uniform or speckled and can appear solitary or as multiple lesions. Depending on the site, depth, and quantity of pigment, the appearance can vary considerably.
Rhododendrol (RD) also called 4-[(3R)-3-hydroxybutyl]phenol (systemic name), is an organic compound with the formula C10H14O2. It is a naturally occurring ingredient present in many plants, such as the Rhododendron. The phenolic compound was first developed in 2010 as a tyrosinase inhibitor for skin-lightening cosmetics. In 2013, after rhododendrol reportedly caused skin depigmentation in consumers using RD-containing skin-brightening cosmetics, the cosmetics were withdrawn from the market. The skin condition, caused by RD, is called RD-induced leukoderma. Rhododendrol exerts melanocyte cytotoxicity via a tyrosinase-dependent mechanism. It has been shown to impair the normal proliferation of melanocytes through reactive oxygen species-dependent activation of GADD45. It is now well established that rhododendrol is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor.
Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a skin condition characterized by the darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation) following an inflammatory injury, such as acne, dermatitis, infectious disease, or trauma. Less frequently, it may occur as a complication of a medical procedure performed on the skin. It is a common cause of skin discoloration and can affect individuals of all skin types.
α-arbutin, is a glycosylated hydroquinone, and an anomer of the naturally occurring arbutin. α-Arbutin is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries for its skin lightening effects, treatment of hyperpigmentation, and as a safer alternative to hydroquinone.
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