Hydroxychloroquine and skin darkening : Hi All... - LUPUS UK

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Hydroxychloroquine and skin darkening

Tilcara profile image
21 Replies

Hi All,

Would like to know if anyone else has suffered darkening of the skin owing to this medication - I am a 'woman of colour' and have noticed a significant change in complexion and not a good look!

Affecting my self esteem

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Tilcara profile image
Tilcara
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21 Replies
Author_ink profile image
Author_ink

Yes I've been on this med for a year now and my face and arms have become darker. I'm a light skinned African American. My thighs and legs are very light.

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toAuthor_ink

Thanks, at least I'm not alone 😞

diane1428 profile image
diane1428 in reply toTilcara

Your definitely not alone. I’m fair hair n skin but I’m getting brown blotches. One of them is on my nose and people keep telling me I’ve a dirt mark. Been told if I stop hydroxy it will eventually go.

Arvind123 profile image
Arvind123 in reply toTilcara

My skin too lost hits fair due to corona medications

Waulahn5 profile image
Waulahn5

I'm from Indian sub continent and am a "woman of colour like urself" approx 2 years ago had sudden deep painful itch in scalp and body. My scalp has turned black and my forehead side of face r slowly turning black.my ears r totally black.like black shiny plate .various long and boring treatments from docs but to no avail.finally I have been asked to stopped taking h for lupus for 3 months.then next step will b decided. Only to start h again if my fingers or toes swell.otherwise suffer.I have been told it's hyperpigmentation. Hope this helps or not! Ask dermatologist. Good luck for future. I am not looking to when it starts coming down my face hope I can b helped in time.

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toWaulahn5

Thanks for the response, hope it doesn't progress

Author_ink profile image
Author_ink in reply toWaulahn5

Praying for you

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toAuthor_ink

Much appreciated, prayers are powerful

Pipido36 profile image
Pipido36

Yes I have been on this med since 2003 and I have black patches all over. I am surprised to hear about this cos my rheumy said hydroxy helps to lighten the skin. My face, under arms, arms and back are now very dark by the way, I am a light skinned woman of colour black british. I have been to the dermatologist but all that I was given is not helping. It has depeened myself esteem as I always feel like everyone can see it. It is definitely not a good look!

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toPipido36

Thanks Pipido36,

I know the feeling

MargaretGail profile image
MargaretGail

How do I put this, I am a woman of no colour whatsoever and am whiter than when I started. I don't know if it's the drugs or SLE.

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toMargaretGail

Thanks Margaretgail,

It appears to manifest itself in many ways

LUPUSadmin profile image
LUPUSadmin

Hi, Tilcara.

A known side effect of using antimalarials long term is dark patches on the skin. The Lupus Encyclopedia (Thomas Jr., 2014) says this:

'One of the potential long-term side-effects of using anti-malarial medications such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), chloroquine, and quinacrine is the development of dark-colored patches on the skin. They often appear brown, black, or black and blue and tend to develop on the legs, especially around the shins. However, they can happen anywhere on the body; involvement of the neck is especially common. The coloration may decrease when the dose of the medicine decreases. Since anti-malarial medicines are the safest medications to treat SLE, it is preferable to continue the medicine and put up with the skin discoloration instead of risk a lupus flare if you stop taking the medicine. However, if you discontinue the medicine, the skin color can improve.'

It would be a good idea to talk to your GP about this as there are some other causes for the darkening of the skin that might not be related to medication. For instance in "post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation", the skin darkens in response to recent inflammation.

George

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara

Hi George-Sharpe,

Many thanks for your comprehensive response, makes its clearer although still unsightly - at least I now know

Tre123 profile image
Tre123

Hi Tilcara I know what you mean I noticed that when I was on hydroxy tht my complexion also started to change and that I was getting lots of dark marks on my skin making me appear darker as I too am a woman of colour. I've since stopped the medication and am using bio oil at night with my moisturiser and my skin is almost back to normal. Hopefully this was useful. Have a good day

Tilcara profile image
Tilcara in reply toTre123

Thanks Tre,

You say you've stopped hydroxy, are you on another medication? Or maybe healed...

Tre123 profile image
Tre123 in reply toTilcara

Hi @tilcara no I'm not healed.. I wish!.. They tried me on azathioprine but tht made me violently sick so they stopped it and jus having regular blood tests until it's out my system they want to put me on Mycophenolate wen I next go to see them I'm not on any meds at the moment but I'm in a lot of pain at the moment so I will have to call them now for an earlier appointment. Really Really don't want to be on meds because of all the side effects and esp with my hair. Everything seems to affect it. I keep saying tht i would gladly put up with the pain if my hair would grow back as I have no self confidence left because if the devastating effects on my hair!

LadyE76 profile image
LadyE76 in reply toTre123

Is there a certain name for the bio oil?? And what type of moisturizer do u use with it

lonelyone profile image
lonelyone

Oh no. Im not even on it yet..and my rheumy asked how long Ive had this strange rash,redness,spots etc with dark spots all around my neck and going up my cheeks.. (over a decade and worsening)its has ruined my selfesteme so much..... Ive tried everything to cover..i always feel ppl are staring at it.. he said it was from Lupus?

MagsaTrini profile image
MagsaTrini

I'm blonde blue eyes..45.... Diagnosed and .. Been on meds fir just over a year.... Just had a massive flare involving a severe rash of arms , legs.... I've noticed a significant amount of hyper pigmentation on chest , lower arms and jawline over past 2 weeks

Bonniedoo profile image
Bonniedoo

Yes i have the same problem. Im olive but my skin has become very dark and redish and friends always coment how dark im now so i put it to plaquenil.dont know how to reverse it.

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