Acanthosis nigricans is most commonly associated with diabetes and insulin resistance, but rarely it can be a sign of internal malignancy. It can also occur with hormone disorders or with the use of certain medications like systemic glucocorticoids and oral contraceptives.
Can you have acanthosis nigricans and not have diabetes? Yes, acanthosis nigricans is more common among people with diabetes than in the general population. However, you can have acanthosis nigricans even if you don't have diabetes.
Although acanthosis nigricans is usually harmless, it's best to get any skin changes checked out. Rarely, it can be a sign of something more serious, such as cancer. A GP can usually tell if it's acanthosis nigricans by looking at your skin. You may need some tests to find out what's causing the patches.
Treating the underlying cause of acanthosis nigricans can make the dark patches of skin fade or even disappear. This can mean stopping any medicine that's causing the problem or treating diabetes and other health conditions. Losing weight will help acanthosis nigricans fade.
Acanthosis nigricans is a fairly common skin pigmentation disorder. Dark patches of skin with a thick, velvety texture characterize the condition. The affected areas of your skin may also itch or have an odor. Acanthosis nigricans may be a sign of a more serious health problem, such as prediabetes.
To reduce the appearance of acanthosis nigricans, some people try topical or cosmetic treatments. Examples of topical creams and ointments are: retinoids containing a combination of tretinoin. ammonium lactate, which people may use with a topical retinoid.
Will acanthosis nigricans go away on its own? AN will not go away on its own, but you don't always need medical treatment. If no underlying condition is causing AN, you can decide if you want to treat the dark patches.
Even though the neoplasm most frequently associated to acanthosis nigricans is gastric adenocarcinoma (56-61%), associations with ovarian, endometrium, cervix, breast, testicle, lung, kidney, pancreatic, liver, esophagus, prostate, thyroid, pharynx carcinoma, among other, were already described.
Insulin resistance.
Most people who have acanthosis nigricans have also become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows the body to process sugar. Insulin resistance is what leads to type 2 diabetes.
A black neck is sometimes a sign of thyroid and pre-diabetes. [4] Doctors can diagnose its cause by examining the affected area. They may check your blood sugar levels and recommend other tests such as X-rays and blood tests if necessary.
A dark patch (or band) of velvety skin on the back of your neck, armpit, groin, or elsewhere could mean that you have too much insulin in your blood. This is often a sign of prediabetes. The medical name for this skin condition is acanthosis nigricans.
Malignant acanthosis nigricans appears identical to benign acanthosis nigricans but can be more widespread. Oral lesions appear as finely papillary areas of the labial and buccal mucosa that show minimal or no pigmentation compared with their cutaneous counterpart.
Acanthosis nigricans can be classified as benign or malignant. Benign acanthosis nigricans is associated with endocrinopathies, such as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus 2, acromegaly, Cushing syndrome, and hypothyroidism, and with congenital abnormalities and drug use (Schwartz and Janniger, 2011).
Acanthosis nigricans affects < 1% of Caucasians. In the United States, the estimated prevalence is 13.3% of African Americans, 5.5% of Latinos, and 34.2% of Native Americans. It affects both males and females of all ages, with people < 40 years old typically being more affected.
Because of its role in improving hyperinsulinemia, it has proven beneficial in hormonal acne, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and acanthosis nigricans.
Acanthosis nigricans is much more common in people with darker skin pigmentation. The prevalence in whites is less than 1%. In Latinos, the prevalence in one study was 5.5%, and, in African Americans, the prevalence is higher, at 13.3%.
Hypothyroidism
Acanthosis Nigricans condition that causes dark patches is usually associated with medical conditions that you have such as thyroid or weight gain. And these conditions can lead to the darkening of your skin.
Acanthosis nigricans is most commonly associated with the disorders which are associated with insulin resistance, which include obesity, T2DM, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) [2].
Causes and treatment of a black neck. The skin on the neck is prone to darkening, whether due to hormones, sun exposure, or other skin-related conditions. A person whose neck darkens or turns black may also notice changes to the texture of their skin, such as thickening or feeling softer than the surrounding skin.
Topical medications that have been effective in some cases of acanthosis nigricans include keratolytics (eg, topical tretinoin 0.05%, ammonium lactate 12% cream, or a combination of the 2) and triple-combination depigmenting cream (tretinoin 0.05%, hydroquinone 4%, fluocinolone acetonide 0.01%) nightly with daily ...
Hyperthyroidism mainly leads to dermal symptoms like localized myxoedema, eczematous dermatitis, alopecia, and telangiectasis. There had been a hypothesis that thyrotoxicosis could also lead to hyperpigmentation through an increased capillary fragility, contributing to hemosiderin deposition and basal melanosis.
Acanthosis nigricans is most commonly associated with diabetes and insulin resistance, but rarely it can be a sign of internal malignancy. It can also occur with hormone disorders or with the use of certain medications like systemic glucocorticoids and oral contraceptives.
Hypothyroidism can be added to the list of endocrine diseases associated with acanthosis nigricans. This is unlikely to be a direct effect of the hypothyroid state, but may instead be an indirect action mediated through obesity and subsequent insulin resistance.