Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation
Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is very common and presents as brown macules and patches that are usually circumsribed and flat. This occurs more often in dark skinned children, and the pigmentation often persists for months. Epidermal injury causes melanin to be passed into the dermis where it is slow to break down.
In both postinflammatory hypo- and hyperpigmentation the melanocytes are innocent bystanders and either increase or decrease their melanin production due to the inflammation.
