Hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, and Addison's disease

Addison's disease is an uncommon disorder whose dermatologic manifestations range from vitiligo to hyperpigmentation. The association of adrenal autoantibodies and vitiligo has made the latter a possible cutaneous marker for an autoimmune cause. The other cutaneous marker, hyperpigmentation, is now more clearly understood on the basis of a prohormone common to both adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).