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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Hyperpigmentation Itching
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
Hyperpigmentation Itching
by calsurfn, Jan 03, 2007 12:00AM
Is itching common with hyperpigmentation? A tan spot on my back has been diagnosed by two primary care providers as hyperpigmentation. The spot occasionally has itching that at times is intense but comes and goes, sometimes for months without itching. What causes this? I had a similar spot on my wrist years ago that gradually went away. How long do these spots usually last?
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Jan 03, 2007 12:00AM
, Jan 03, 2007 12:00AM
Many people have an itchy spot on the back, often beneath the shoulder blade, that itches a lot, and the resulting scratching causes brown pigmentation. This has a fancy name--notalgia paresthetica--but not much significance, just a sensory nerve that doesn't know when to stop. Any over-the-counter itch lotion like pramoxine 1% will help minimize scratching. The cause is unknown, but the significance minimal. If you don't scratch for several months, the pigmentation should gradually fade.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
