Generalized Anetoderma after Intravenous Penicillin Therapy for Secondary Syphilis in an HIV Patient

Anetoderma is a rare, benign disorder characterized microscopically by the pan-dermal loss of elastic fibers in the dermis and presenting clinically as circumscribed, skin-colored or grey-white atrophic macules and/or patches on the trunk and/or extremities. Lesions are described as having a "sac-like" appearance, since they bulge or herniate upon palpation. Although the clinical picture is characteristic, a definitive diagnosis requires histological confirmation in order to differentiate this disorder from other conditions of elastolysis, such as cutis laxa and mid-dermal elastolysis. Little is known concerning the pathogenesis of this condition, and treatment attempts have been both diverse and unsuccessful. This article will review a case of generalized anetoderma in a patient with secondary syphilis after being treated with intravenous penicillin, along with a concise literature review.