5 cases of prurigo pigmentosa

Abstract

Prurigo pigmentosa is a rare dermatosis characterized by the sudden onset of pruritic erythematous papules that leave reticulated, mottled hyperpigmentation after healing. Prurigo pigmentosa is an unique inflammatory dermatosis that has distinctive phases of clinical and histopathological features. The cause is unknown. Skin lesions are symmetrically distributed on the neck, clavicular, chest and upper back area in young adults, predominantly women. This disease is endemically common in Japan but rarely seen in other countries (especially western). In Korean dermatologic literature, there are some reported cases of prurigo pigmentosa. We report the cases of 5 patients who were diagnosed as prurigo pigmentosa.