Stain, Silver Nitrate, Hyperpigmentation - DermAtlas

Contributor

Bernard Cohen, MD

Diagnosis

stain, silver nitrate hyperpigmentation

Body Site

hand

Age

20 years

Pigmentation

light

Organization

grouped, clustered mottled/speckled

Color

black purple

Morphology

macular / flat (macule / patch)

Pattern

asymmetric

Comments

This 20-year-old man with combined variable immunodeficiency and a 3 month history of intermittent fevers was evaluated for possible septic emboli. He had multiple 1-4 mm grayish-purple round splashed on clustered macules on his hands and feet. The largest macules on his right hand were pared off using a #15 scalpel blade proving the superficial nature of the pigment which probably resulted from external staining. The source of silver nitrate or similar external pigment was unclear. Images external_stain_1_051225 and external_stain_2 demonstrate the normal skin after the pigment was pared with the blade.

Description

scattered purple-black 1-3 mm macules

Image Added

12/26/2005 12:28:33

Translate

Other Resources

PubMed Medline Plus Medscape

Image Options

View Image in New Window