Chemical leukoderma. A condition not always diagnosed. Presentation of two cases and very brief review of the subject

Abstract

In recent times the use of depigmenting products such as hydroquinone, vitamin C, topical retinoids among others, are of indiscriminate and frequent use and, usually there is an almost total ignorance that these products are often not free of side reactions sometimes alarming for the patient, one of these reactions being an unwanted bleaching of varying intensity that is known as chemical leukoderma. If we add to this leukoderma caused by occupational causes or by the use of products that in their composition have incriminated substances such as hydroquinone or paraterbutylphenol, we must accept that sometimes this chemical leukoderma is not diagnosed and it is classified as vitiligo or other diagnoses of hypopigmentation or achromia.

We present two patients with chemical leukoderma, one due to the use of depigmenting agents and the other due to the use of a watch with a rubber strap.