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Updated: Jul 23, 2026

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Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
Published on: March 6, 2019
Tinea versicolor: a light and electron microscopic study of hyperpigmented skin
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
|January 1, 1985
Summary
Hyperpigmentation in tinea versicolor lesions is not caused by melanin. This study found an absence of melanocytes and melanosomes in affected skin, suggesting a different pigment is responsible.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Mycology
- Pathology
Background:
- Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection known to cause skin hyperpigmentation.
- Previous research attributed this hyperpigmentation to the fungus Pityrosporon orbiculare affecting melanosomes.
Observation:
- Biopsy specimens from hyperpigmented tinea versicolor lesions on vitiliginous skin were examined.
- These lesions showed a distinct lack of melanosomes and melanocytes.
Findings:
- The characteristic reddish-tan and fawn-colored hyperpigmentation in this type of tinea versicolor is not melanin-based.
- The study indicates that the pigment responsible for delineating affected skin differs from melanin.
Implications:
- This finding challenges the established understanding of tinea versicolor hyperpigmentation mechanisms.
- Further research is needed to identify the specific pigment responsible for the observed coloration.
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