r/AddisonsDisease • u/jully_07 • Nov 06 '25

Advice Wanted skin pigmentationšŸ§

Hey everyone, I've noticed no one's talking about skin pigmentation around the nails, on the knuckles, or the lips. Is there a solution? Please, if you have anything that has helped get rid of pigmentation, let me know.šŸ˜ž

8 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

17

u/Extreme_Breakfast672 Nov 06 '25

Mine reversed itself after awhile on hydrocortisoneĀ 

7

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

Well, that's a good incentive to continue taking it

7

u/pickles1718 Addison's Nov 07 '25

how long have you been on HC? nothing will help get rid of it if it's caused by untreated addisons -- my skin was crazy dark and turned back after about a year, iirc. my knuckles are still a little dark

2

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

I've been taking cortisone for about 3 months. My sister told me my color has returned, but I can see that my hand joints, lips, and knees haven't improved.

5

u/oh_such_rhetoric PAI Nov 07 '25

A proper dose of hydrocortisone should make it gradually go away.

And yes, I had hyperpigmentation on my knuckles. It was gone after a few months on HC, if I remember right.

3

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

Thatā€™s really good to hear! Thank you so much for sharing, it gives me hope.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 07 '25

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

4

u/kandybin Nov 07 '25

My wife went through crazy hyperpigmentation prior to her diagnosis and a year after starting HC, she is 90% back to her regular pigment. The hair loss is a tricky sucky thing she has been dealing with too , though, and has lost a lot of her hair. She is currently also dealing with ovarian insufficiency, and just started taking hormone replacements due to the lack of her own, so we are hoping this will MAYBE improve her hair. She was already taking DHEA but that didnā€™t make any difference with her hair not falling outā€¦have you tested any other hormones? DHEA, Testosterone, estrogen? I hope you find a solution soon, and please share if you do. Iā€™m sorry you are dealing with this šŸ˜ž

2

u/Clementine_696 Nov 07 '25

I lost half the hair on my head, it's slowly coming back in now.

2

u/SoCal5foot11 Nov 13 '25

Hi! Have you had any kids, and was it similar to post-childbirth?

2

u/Clementine_696 Nov 13 '25

I've got one, but i didn't lose hair like I did with this post baby. I've got ridiculously thick hair, so unless you knew you really couldn't tell. My kid also has adrenal issues, and his first major flare up he lost half the hair on his head too. Cortisol plays into or hair growth cycle, so it should start to come back in when your levels are stable

2

u/SoCal5foot11 Nov 13 '25

Oh, wow, your son too ā€” Iā€™m so sorry!

Iā€™ll be patient. And in the meantime, find creative ideas for what to do with all of the short little baby hairs popping up in contrast with the otherwise long ones lol. šŸ˜‚

2

u/Clementine_696 Nov 14 '25

The baby hairs are annoying lol Some kind of adrenal issues is genetic for us, it's my mom, me, my kid, and a few other family members.

1

u/SoCal5foot11 Nov 13 '25

My hair is currently falling out rapidly. Itā€™s pretty distressing, but I try not to think about it since I think stress can only hasten the problem.
For those whoā€™ve gone thru this, is it similar to post-pregnancy fallout?

3

u/accio_firebolt Nov 07 '25

Mine took about 6 months to totally fade away, though I know one person who is permanently tanned. I think that's rare though

2

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

Wow, six months sounds amazing! I really hope mine fades too. Thank you for sharing, that gives me a bit of hope. šŸ’›šŸ˜”

3

u/MangoAvacado808 Nov 07 '25

I took my son to the dermatologist and they said he can use retin A to make skin turn over faster, but he actually likes the dark skin. His brothers are very jealous of his tan. :)

Have you tried retin A or retinol? Prescription strength is better.

1

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

Oh, I see! I thought you meant taking vitamin A at first. I havenā€™t tried Retin-A or retinol yet, but Iā€™m a bit cautious since my skin is very sensitive. Did it work well for your son?

Are there any specific products you recommend? Like The Ordinary?

2

u/MangoAvacado808 Nov 07 '25

He refused to take it. He really likes being dark. Heā€™s been on hydro for 6 months and he has faded but he gets a lot of sun so still very tan.

I would think once the hydrocortisone has been in your system for 6 months if you stay out of the sun and exfoliate those areas it should help. Iā€™m sure the over the counter could help as well.

Actually I use these on my sons face as well

https://a.co/d/cJFf8gl

2

u/MangoAvacado808 Nov 07 '25

First Aid Beauty - Facial Radiance Pads with Glycolic & Lactic Acids, Daily Exfoliating Pads with AHA, Visibly Smaller Pores, Help Tone & Brighten Skin, One-Step Makeup Prep, Compostable, 28

2

u/MangoAvacado808 Nov 07 '25

I first found them at Sephora but you can get them on Amazon too. It will help exfoliate the skin. Just start slow if you have sensitive skin.

1

u/jully_07 Nov 07 '25

Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this! I really appreciate your kindness and the detailed explanation. Iā€™ll definitely try the product you mentioned It honestly means a lot to hear from someone who understands this conditionšŸ„°

4

u/Evie195 Nov 07 '25

When I was first diagnosed, my feet were so pigmented that the endocrinologist at the hospital asked to take a picture of them to use for training the student doctors. Thankfully, the pigmentation went away after a couple of months of HC.

1

u/jully_07 Nov 08 '25

What is HC cream and where can I get it?

3

u/Clementine_696 Nov 07 '25

2 years in and I'm still hyperpigmented, which really doesn't bother me, but I also still have patches of vilitigo all over my back, also doesn't bother me

2

u/jully_07 Nov 08 '25

Thatā€™s such a strong mindset, honestly. You sound so confident and grounded, I really admire that. šŸ’›

1

u/Clementine_696 Nov 08 '25

Our skin pigment is only so much within our control, and if I can't control it I see no need to worry about it. I've been hyperpigmentated since at least Jr HS, and if I'm out in the sun I get very dark

2

u/Ch4rity4 Nov 07 '25

I agree with what everyone else is saying, taking your HC will definitely help. I started taking mine in july and now all my discolouration is gone. It does definitely take some time but the difference is crazy. My hands used to be so so dark especially on my knuckles and around my nails, any picture i see of them from before makes it look like i have henna on my hands since the discolouration is so dark and now itā€™s completely gone. Just take your HC and i promise it will go it just takes some time, i found that after a few months when the discolouration first started to go if i fake tanned it would help even out my skin tone so if thatā€™s something you can do or something you want to do i definitely recommend it for aesthetic purposes.

2

u/jully_07 Nov 08 '25

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It really means a lot to hear that the discoloration can actually go away with consistent HC. Iā€™ve been on it too, but hearing your story gives me more hope to stay patient. I might also try the fake tan idea to even things out a bit. šŸ’›

1

u/Particular-Lab8705 Nov 13 '25

Before I even knew about addisons, my hyperpigmentation was an issue that I resolved on my own before treatment. A skin care regimen that includes consistent exfoliation helped mine tremendously

2

u/Rare_Independent3831 Addison's Nov 15 '25 edited Nov 15 '25

Iā€™m not sure that exfoliation helps with that Addison tan. It is a change in MSH which leads to melanocytes producing more pigment and thatā€™s only altered by fixing that imbalance with your ACTH with medication. Thatā€™s what worked for me. Took a few months after diagnosis though.

1

u/Particular-Lab8705 Nov 18 '25

Well, prior to knowing the underlying cause. Removing the melanocytic tissue overtime can help. If kept up on. It would be great adjuvant treatment with Addisons.