What is Acanthosis nigricans?

What is Acanthosis nigricans?

• Acanthosis nigricans: It is a brown to black, poorly defined, velvety hyperpigmentation of the skin usually present in the posterior and lateral folds of the neck, the axilla, groin, umbilicus and other areas.
• Acanthosis nigricans: A circumscribed melanosis consisting of a brown-pigmented, velvety verrucosity or fine papillomatosis appearing in the axillae and other body folds. It occurs in association with endocrine disorders, underlying malignancy, administration of certain drugs, or as in inherited disorder.
  Source - Diseases Database
• Acanthosis nigricans: a skin disease characterized by dark wart-like patches in the body folds; can be benign or malignant.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Acanthosis nigricans is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Acanthosis nigricans, or a subtype of Acanthosis nigricans, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Acanthosis nigricans as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Acanthosis nigricans: Introduction

Types of Acanthosis nigricans:

Broader types of Acanthosis nigricans:

• Skin conditions
• more types...»

How serious is Acanthosis nigricans?

Complications of Acanthosis nigricans: see complications of Acanthosis nigricans

What causes Acanthosis nigricans?

Causes of Acanthosis nigricans: see causes of Acanthosis nigricans

What are the symptoms of Acanthosis nigricans?

Symptoms of Acanthosis nigricans: see symptoms of Acanthosis nigricans

Complications of Acanthosis nigricans: see complications of Acanthosis nigricans

Can anyone else get Acanthosis nigricans?

More information: see contagiousness of Acanthosis nigricans
Inheritance: see inheritance of Acanthosis nigricans

Acanthosis nigricans: Testing

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Acanthosis nigricans.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Acanthosis nigricans: Dermatologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Acanthosis nigricans.
Treatments for Acanthosis nigricans: see treatments for Acanthosis nigricans
Research for Acanthosis nigricans: see research for Acanthosis nigricans

Society issues for Acanthosis nigricans

Hospitalization statistics for Acanthosis nigricans: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Acanthosis nigricans:

• 0.001% (178) of hospital consultant episodes were for acanthosis nigricans in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 100% of hospital consultant episodes for acanthosis nigricans required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 44% of hospital consultant episodes for acanthosis nigricans were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 56% of hospital consultant episodes for acanthosis nigricans were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 3% of hospital consultant episodes for acanthosis nigricans required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 5.2 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for acanthosis nigricans in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Name and Aliases of Acanthosis nigricans

Main name of condition: Acanthosis nigricans

AN, Familial acanthosis nigricans (subtype)

Keratosis nigricans
Source - WordNet 2.1

AN, Familial acanthosis nigricans (subtype)
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Acanthosis nigricans: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Acanthosis nigricans:

• Polycystic ovarian disease
• Pancreatic cancer
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Insulin-resisitant diabetes
• Cushing's disease
• Acromegaly

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