Linear perioral atrophoderma along blaschko's lines- a retrospective study describing 14 cases of atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous atrophic scarring is characterised by an idiopathic, non-inflammatory macular atrophy that typically occurs on the face and presents as shallow atrophic scars having sharp margins and may be linear, rectangular or varioliform.

AIM: To describe the cases of spontaneous atrophic scarring over perioral region of face having specific feline band pattern in a retrospective study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with facial atrophoderma (perioral region) were evaluated clinically and histopathologically in tertiary care centres over 3 years. Patients with facial atrophoderma but no perioral involvement and secondary atrophoderma were excluded from the study. Patients were evaluated for number, sites, size and shape of lesions and were confirmed histopathologically.

RESULTS: There were 14 patients (10 females) with facial atrophoderma particularly over the perioral region. Three patients had perioral involvement with a few lesions on the cheeks and forehead. All patients developed atrophoderma spontaneously without preceding inflammation. Most of the patients were asymptomatic except for mild pain or burning at the time of development of atrophic lesions; however, none of the patients were symptomatic at the time of presentation. Histopathology in 5 patients showed epidermal and upper dermal atrophy with no/minimal signs of inflammation.

CONCLUSION: Idiopathic atrophodermas over the face can be due to spontaneous atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis or atrophoderma of Moulin.