Definition

Noun: A condition characterized by an unusual or abnormal lack of skin color or pigmentation. It results from a reduced amount of melanin, the pigment that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color.

Usage

This is a medical and dermatological term used to describe areas of skin that are lighter than a person's normal skin tone. It refers to the state or result of having diminished pigment.

Examples

• The dermatologist diagnosed the pale patches on her arm as hypopigmentation.
• Hypopigmentation can sometimes occur after an inflammatory skin condition like eczema heals.
• The condition vitiligo causes progressive hypopigmentation in patches across the skin.

Advanced Usage

• Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation: A common type that appears after skin trauma or inflammation, such as from a burn, infection, or psoriasis.
• Genetic hypopigmentation: Refers to conditions present from birth, such as albinism or piebaldism, which involve a lack of melanin production.

Variants and Related Words

• Hypopigmented (adjective): Describing skin that has reduced pigmentation.
  • The patient has several hypopigmented spots on their back.
• Depigmentation (noun): The complete loss of skin pigment, resulting in pure white patches, often considered a more severe form of hypopigmentation.

Synonyms

• Loss of pigmentation
• Skin lightening (in a medical context)
• Leukoderma (a general clinical term for localized skin depigmentation)

Antonyms

• Hyperpigmentation (noun): The darkening of an area of skin caused by increased melanin.

Noun

1. unusual lack of skin color