Bilateral Facial Aporine Chromhidrosis
March 2004 | Volume 3 | Issue 2 | 184 | Copyright © March 2004
Benjamin Barankin, MD; Ken Alanen, MD; Patricia T. Ting, BSc and Mariusz J.A. Sapijaszko, MD
Abstract
A young woman presented to the office with a history of bluish discoloration involving the superior malar region bilaterally. When
the bluish discoloration became darker, she would press on her cheeks resulting in excretion of “black sweat†that temporarily lightened
her skin color. Examination revealed ill-defined slightly swollen soft plaques involving both superior cheeks. Upon pressure
on the cheeks, a dark brown fluid was expressed. Histologic examination revealed collections of ectopic apocrine glands within midreticular
dermis. The diagnosis of apocrine chromhidrosis was made, an uncommon cause of chromhidrosis and one in which bilateral
facial presentation is rare. 
