Hydroxychloroquine and skin darkening

[Tilcara]

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

[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 in reply to Author_ink]

Thanks, at least I'm not alone 😞

[diane1428 in reply to Tilcara]

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 in reply to Tilcara]

My skin too lost hits fair due to corona medications

[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 in reply to Waulahn5]

Thanks for the response, hope it doesn't progress

[Author_ink in reply to Waulahn5]

Praying for you

[Tilcara in reply to Author_ink]

Much appreciated, prayers are powerful

[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 in reply to Pipido36]

Thanks Pipido36,

I know the feeling

[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 in reply to MargaretGail]

Thanks Margaretgail,

It appears to manifest itself in many ways

[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]

Hi George-Sharpe,

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

[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 in reply to Tre123]

Thanks Tre,

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

[Tre123 in reply to Tilcara]

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 in reply to Tre123]

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

[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]

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]

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.