Common adverse effects due to topical therapy with DPCP(Diphencyprone) are severe contact dermatitis, dermographism, urticaria, generalized prritus, lymphadenopathy, and dermatitis on the remote areas. Rarely, DPCP can induce vitiligo or
dyschromia
in
confetti as side effects on the pigmentary system. It is not clear yet whether DPCP induced the vitiligo by a toxic effect of phenol ring in DPCP or by koebner phenomenon due to repeated contact dermatitis in cases where vitiligo was in latent
subclinical condition. We describe a patient with alopecia areata who developed vitiligo due to topical therapy with DPCP.
A 20-year-old woman developed alopecia areata with a loss of eyebrows and eyelashes. After sensitiztion, DPCP was topically applied to the scalp every week. Vitiligo, confirmed by electron microscopic study, appeared 4 months after the beginning
of
treatment and was localized only to the areas of topical application. Both alopecia areata and vitiligo are improving now under systemic and topical corticosteroid therapy. (Kor J Dermatol 1994 ; 32(5): 934~938)
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