Acanthosis Nigricans Information and Treatment

Acanthosis nigricans is a brown to black, poorly defined, velvety hyperpigmentation of the skin , usually present in the posterior and lateral folds of the neck , the axilla , groin , umbilicus , and other areas. The condition is complex. Acanthosis nigricans is not a skin disease per se but a cutaneous sign of an underlying condition or disease. There are two important types of acanthosis benign and malignant. Although classically described as a sign of internal malignancy, this is very rare. Benign types, sometimes described as 'pseudoacanthosis nigricans' are much more common. It can occur with endocrine diseases such as Cushing disease , tumors of the pituitary , and diabetes mellitus. It is common in people who have insulin resistance whose body is not responding correctly to the insulin that they make in their pancreas . Acanthosis nigricans also occurs with underlying malignancies (especially carcinomas of the vicera), administration of certain drugs, and as a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.

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