Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 May;35(3):320-327.
doi: 10.1111/pcmr.13038. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

A Focused review on the pathophysiology of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Jalal Maghfour  1 , Jadesola Olayinka  2 , Iltefat H Hamzavi  1 , Tasneem F Mohammad  1
Affiliations
Review

A Focused review on the pathophysiology of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Jalal Maghfour et al. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2022 May.

Abstract

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is one of the most common disorders of acquired hyperpigmentation. It often develops following cutaneous inflammation and is triggered by various stimuli, from inflammatory and autoimmune conditions to iatrogenic causes and mechanical injuries. While it is well established that an increase in melanin production and distribution within the epidermis and dermis is a hallmark feature of this condition, the exact mechanisms underlying PIH are not completely understood. This article aims to review the current evidence on the pathophysiology of PIH as the cellular and molecular mechanism of PIH represents a promising avenue for the development of novel, targeted therapies.

Keywords: growth factors; mesenchymal-epithelial cross-talk; post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation; skin of color.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

REFERENCES

    1. Bala, H. R., Lee, S., Wong, C., Pandya, A. G., & Rodrigues, M. (2018). Oral tranexamic acid for the treatment of melasma: A review. Dermatologic Surgery, 44(6), 814-825. https://doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000001518
    1. Bodnar, R. J. (2013). Epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor: The yin and yang in the treatment of cutaneous wounds and cancer. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle), 2(1), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2011.0326
    1. Byun, J. W., Park, I. S., Choi, G. S., & Shin, J. (2016). Role of fibroblast-derived factors in the pathogenesis of melasma. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 41, 601-609. https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.12874
    1. Cardinali, G., Ceccarelli, S., Kovacs, D., Aspite, N., Lotti, L. V., Torrisi, M. R., & Picardo, M. (2005). keratinocyte growth factor promotes melanosome transfer to keratinocytes. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 125(6), 1190-1199. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23929.x
    1. Cardinali, G., Ceccarelli, S., Kovacs, D., Aspite, N., Lotti, L. V., Torrisi, M. R., & Picardo, M. (2005). Keratinocyte growth factor promotes melanosome transfer to keratinocytes. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 125, 1190-1199. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23929.x

LinkOut - more resources