The pigmentation from capillaritis is due to hemosiderin (iron) deposition, giving it a cayenne-pepper or brownish-yellow appearance, not the pure brown (melanin) of PIH.
This is distinguished by a history of a causative medication and can have specific colors (e.g., slate-grey from minocycline) and patterns.
This idiopathic "ashy" dermatosis is characterized by slate-grey patches, often with a faint, raised erythematous border, a different color and morphology than brown PIH.
This is a brownish-yellow stain from iron deposits due to red blood cell leakage, unlike the melanin-based brown of PIH.
This presents as diffuse, slate-grey to brown macules, often in the flexures or sun-exposed areas, without a clear preceding inflammatory phase.
This is a primary deposition of amyloid in the skin, creating a distinctive "rippled" pattern of hyperpigmentation on the upper back.
Melasma is a specific pattern of hormonal and sun-induced hyperpigmentation on the face (cheeks, forehead, upper lip) and lacks a history of prior inflammation.
The hyperpigmented form of this fungal infection is characterized by finely scaling patches that are positive on a KOH test.
