TITLE:
Frictional Melanosis of Rubbing Thighs in Iraqi Patients
AUTHORS:
Khalifa E. Sharquie, Adil A. Noaimi, Attaa A. Hajji
KEYWORDS:
Frictional Melanosis, Rubbing Thighs, Iraqi Patients
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications,
Vol.4 No.3,
June
23,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: Frictional melanosis of rubbing inner thighs is a
common problem among Iraqi females causing great psychological and cosmetic
impact. It might simulate lifa disease but it is a different entity. It is unfortunately
not reported in the medical literatures although commonly encountered in daily
clinical practice. Objective: To
evaluate the hyperpigmentation of inner aspects of thighs in Iraqi females as
an isolated pigmentary problem. Patient
and Methods: Sixty patients with frictional melanosis of rubbing thighs
were seen in Department of Dermatology, Baghdad Teaching Hospital in this case
descriptive, clinical and histopathological study, during the period from April
2011 to March 2012. Any associated skin problems were also noticed like
folliculitis and boils at area of friction. Forty individuals were enrolled in
the present work as the healthy control group. The pigmentation was assessed by
clinical, Wood’s light and histopathological examinations (H&E and Fontana
stains). Body mass index was obtained for all patients and obesity was graded
according to WHO recommendations. Results:
The ages of patients ranged between 19 - 52 (32.86 ± 7.65) years, with 59 (98.3%)
females and 1 (1.6%) male. By Wood’s light examination, accentuation in pigmentation was observed in 39 (58%) patients, while 21
(42%) of lesions showed no change. Body mass index was ranged from 23.3 -
43.6 (34.04 ± 4.13), history of vigorous rubbing of pigmented area with washing
tool (lifa) was positive in 46 (76.6%) patients. Skin biopsies in 10 patients showed
pure dermal melanophages in 3 of biopsies with slight melanosis of basal layer
of epidermis, while the other 7 biopsies showed mainly increase in basal
melanin. There was a statistically significant association between obesity and
the severity of pigmentation of the inner thighs. Forty control individuals (2
males and 38 females) were assessed, their ages ranged from 19 - 50 (31.72 ± 6.40)
years. All females were within normal weight while males were overweight and BMI was ranged from 19.7 - 28.2 (22.49 ± 1.84).
All control individuals showed no pigmentation of inner aspects of
thighs. Conclusion: Frictional
melanosis of rubbing thighs is considered a new entity which had been not
reported before in the medical literatures. This is a disease of mostly young
obese females and the effective therapy is weight reduction and possibly
liposuction.