Common disorders of pigmentation: when are more than cosmetic cover-ups required?

The many types of pigmentation disorders may present in diverse forms and distributions and have various causes. They can be inherited (eg, vitiligo, familial periorbital hyperpigmentation), acquired (eg, postinflammatory pityriasis alba, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, Becker's nevus, melasma), infectious (eg, tinea versicolor), benign and self-limiting (eg, isolated café au lait spots, photocontact dermatitis), or a sign of more serious underlying disease (eg, multiple café au lait spots, malignant acanthosis nigricans). Primary care physicians see many patients with skin complaints and can often accomplish the early recognition and appropriate treatment that is paramount to cost-effective medicine. In many cases, an important aspect of patient care is education toward realistic expectations, because even with referral and use of extensive treatment, cosmetic results may be disappointing. Assuring patients that the disorder is not dangerous and providing tips on sunscreen and cosmetic use may be the best approach in some cases.