Chromhidrosis

Excerpt

Chromhidrosis is a rare condition with a characteristic presentation of the secretion of colored sweat and was first reported by Yonge in 1709. Chromhidrosis can subdivide into three categories: Apocrine chromhidrosis, eccrine chromhidrosis, and pseudochromhidrosis (pseudo-eccrine chromhidrosis).

Apocrine chromhidrosis occurs in the areas where apocrine glands are present and are mostly limited to the anogenital and axillary areas, eyelids, ears, scalp, trunk, and areola. Normally, apocrine glands secrete scant amounts of odorless, oily fluid into the hair canal that, upon reaching the skin surface, is degraded by bacteria producing a pheromonal body odor.

Eccrine chromhidrosis may occur almost anywhere on the body as eccrine glands are distributed with varying density throughout the skin except for the ear canal, lips, prepuce, glans penis, clitoris, and labia minora. Eccrine glands are smaller than apocrine glands, secrete a dilute salty sweat composed mainly of water and electrolytes directly onto the skin surface, and are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system. They are irregularly spaced on the epidermal ridges of the pads of the digits; however, there are no pores within the furrows. They are involved in thermoregulation, protection of the skin barrier, and excretion of electrolytes.

Pseudochromhidrosis results from the interaction of colorless eccrine sweat with other compounds, subsequently producing a colored sweat.