Symptoms

Symptoms of Pigment Disorders

Symptoms of pigment disorders vary widely, depending on the type of disorder. All involve a discoloration or lack of color in the skin. Specific symptoms include:

  • Albinism: White hair, very pale skin and light blue eyes
  • Vitiligo: Smooth white patches and streaks of white hair
  • Melasma: Symmetric butterfly-shaped patches of dark brown or grayish brown on the face
  • Moles (congenital nevi): Raised or flat, brown or black spots of varying sizes
  • CafĂ©-au-lait spots: Caramel-colored, oval-shaped spots
  • Hemangioma: Bright red to purple raised spots
  • Nevus flammeus (port-wine stain): Large, flat spots of pink, red or purple
  • Mongolian spots: Blue or grayish bruise-like spots on the lower back or buttocks
  • Post-inflammatory increase or decrease in pigmentation: Loss of pigment or excessive pigmentation at the site of a former injury or infection
  • Macular stains or salmon patches: Pink and red marks on the face or the back of the neck
  • Telangiectasias: Red, blue or purple coloration
  • Acanthosis nigricans: Skin that darkens and thickens