Diseases of black skin

Some skin conditions occur so commonly in the black population that they are considered, essentially, to be normal variants. These include Fuchter’s (or Voight’s) lines, midline hypopigmentation and nail pigmentation. Certain features of skin disease may be more difficult to recognise; for example, erythema. Additionally, the anticipated clinical features of common conditions such as lichen planus may be masked by associated post-inflammatory hypopigmentary or hyperpigmentary change.