An Update on Drug-Induced Pigmentation

    October 2018 in “ American Journal of Clinical Dermatology ”
    Adil Al‐Nahhas, Taylor L. Braunberger, Iltefat Hamzavi
    Image of study
    TLDR Some drugs can cause skin and hair color changes, often reversible when the drug is stopped.
    The 2018 review article discusses drug-induced pigmentation, which accounts for up to 20% of acquired pigmentation cases. It highlights the need for a thorough medical history and skin examination to diagnose this condition. Various drugs, including alkylating agents, analgesics, antiarrhythmics, anticoagulants, antiepileptics, antimalarials, antimicrobials, antiretrovirals, metals, prostaglandin analogs, and psychotropic agents, can cause pigmentation through mechanisms such as melanin accumulation, drug accumulation, new pigment synthesis, and iron deposition. Pigmentation usually develops slowly and may not fully resolve even after stopping the drug. The review cites a study of 103 patients on amiodarone, with 8% developing hyperpigmentation after over 20 months, and a systematic review of 8,052 patients across 36 trials, showing a 17.7% incidence of pigmentary changes in the skin and 21.5% in the hair due to targeted cancer therapy. The document also details specific drugs and their pigmentation effects, incidences, and mechanisms, emphasizing that most changes are reversible upon drug discontinuation.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    3 / 3 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 18 results

      community Massive preliminary success with my thorough regime

      in Update  4 upvotes 4 years ago
      A 28-year-old male reported significant hair regrowth after 5 weeks using a regime including Minoxidil, Ketozolin shampoo, microneedling, hyaluronic acid, saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, MSM, frankincense, zinc, multivitamins, and vitamin D. He also noted improvements in digestion, dry eyes, and skin health, and observed beard growth from microneedling.

      community Does finasteride/dutasteride reverse aging?

      in Chat  45 upvotes 1 month ago
      Finasteride and dutasteride can improve skin texture and reduce acne by lowering DHT but do not reverse aging. They may enhance skin and hair health for some, but can also cause side effects like dry skin and sexual dysfunction.

      community Started Finasteride almost three months ago and I'm upset

      in Update  153 upvotes 8 months ago
      A user started taking finasteride three months ago to treat hair loss and unexpectedly cleared their acne, which they had been struggling with since age 12. The conversation includes others sharing their experiences with finasteride, its effects on acne and hair loss, and mentions a related treatment, clascoterone, for acne and hair loss.

      community Microneedling makes a difference. Non responders, please read

      in Microneedling  66 upvotes 8 months ago
      A 48-year-old who had been thinning since 25 and reached NW4-5 baldness saw no improvement with 1mg/day finasteride and 5% minoxidil twice a day after 8 months. After copying another person's routine, they now use 0.5mg finasteride, ketoconazole shampoo weekly, daily microneedling with 0.5mm and 1mm once a week, and apply minoxidil twice daily, resulting in baby hairs on their bald spot and temples after three months.

      community Almost 8 months. 40 years old. Owe it all to this sub.

      in Progress Pictures  815 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 40-year-old man successfully regrew his hair in 8 months using 0.5mg Dutasteride, 2.5 oral minoxidil, minoxidil foam twice a day, derma rolling/stamping twice a week, and retinol serum. The community praised his progress, asked about his routine, and shared their own experiences.

    Similar Research

    5 / 1000+ results