ABSTRACT
Variations of skin pigmentation are mostly due to quantitative or qualitative defects of melanin pigments (eumelanin and pheomelanin). However, dyschromia can also result from an abnormal increase or decrease of other endogenous pigments (hemoglobin, bilirubin …) or from the deposit of exogenous pigments (heavy metals, cosmetic tattoos …). This leads to a heterogeneous group with numerous causes. Although most of the patients will consult for the cosmetic disturbance due to the dyschromia, it is essential to determine the origin of the pigmentary trouble in order to propose the more adapted treatment and if necessary to ask for complementary investigations.
