What?? Most people have never heard of this condition, but it is one of the most common benign skin conditions we see at ArtMed.

Poikiloderma dominantly affects the neck. It causes hyperpigmentation and redness on the sides of the neck with the central neck and area under the chin unaffected. It also causes thinning of the skin and loss of collagen and elastin leading to premature skin laxity and a ‘chicken skin’ type appearance to the skin surface.

Occasionally, poikiloderma will affect the cheeks with a tell-tale striping on the cheeks or the decolletage where it will appear like a ‘farmer’s tan.’

Poikiloderma of Civatte is caused by UV exposure that leads to loss of elastin and collagen in the skin but the loss is much higher than average. The small blood vessels in the skin then lose support and this leads to telangiectasias (tiny red blood vessels) and lattice-like hyperpigmentation. It occurs at an earlier age in women (likely a hormonal component), has a genetic component and is most common in lighter skinned people (Fitzpatrick Type II-III).