Dermatologists use the term postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) to describe darkened skin that remains after an inflammatory disorder has subsided. But the inflammation may not always be over, and a JAMA Dermatology viewpoint argues that the term “postinflammatory” may obscure persistent disease activity, particularly in patients with darker skin tones. Dr. Jerry Tan The authors point out that hyperpigmentation can coexist with ongoing inflammation, particularly in chron

Tyrosinase (Tyr) catalyzes hydroquinone (HQ) oxidation via two main pathways. The HBQ pathway directly oxidizes HQ to 2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (HBQ), which dimerizes and forms hydroquinone-eumelanin (HQ-EM). The BQ pathway involves dopaquinone (DQ)-mediated redox exchange producing p-benzoquinone (BQ), which reacts with cysteine (Cys) to form 2-S-cysteinylhydroquinone (Cys-HQ) and further oxidizes to hydroquinone-pheomelanin (HQ-PM). These pathways illustrate the enzymatic

A recent study has shown that picosecond 730 nm laser can be used to safely and effectively treat solar lentigines with little risk of...