The Color of Skin: White Diseases of the Skin, Nails, and Mucosa
July 2019
in “
Clinics in Dermatology
”
albinism melanin Degos disease halo nevus idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis vitiligo autoimmune disease depigmented macules lichen sclerosus lichen striatus piebaldism pityriasis alba pityriasis lichenoides chronica tinea versicolor Waardenburg syndrome hand-arm vibration syndrome white diseases hypopigmentation depigmentation skin cancers
TLDR The document concludes that while white skin, nail, and mucosa diseases increase skin cancer risk, they are generally harmless, especially compared to darker pigmentation conditions.
The document from 2019 provides an overview of various skin, nail, and mucosa diseases characterized by hypopigmentation or white coloration. These include albinism, which affects 1 in 20,000 individuals worldwide due to aberrant melanin production; Degos disease, a rare condition with less than 200 reported cases; halo nevus, a melanocytic nevus with a depigmented border; idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, a condition common in fair-skinned individuals; and vitiligo, an autoimmune disease affecting 0.5% to 2% of the population characterized by depigmented macules. Other conditions discussed include lichen sclerosus, lichen striatus, piebaldism, pityriasis alba, pityriasis lichenoides chronica, tinea versicolor, Waardenburg syndrome, and hand-arm vibration syndrome. The document concludes that while many of these depigmentation pathologies are permanent and increase susceptibility to skin cancers, they are generally benign, especially compared to hyperpigmentation conditions.
