This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

[Wonderfulworld]

Just wondering do any of you MS'ers have hyperpigmentation on your face?
I'm not on the pill or pregnant (although when I was it was more extreme) but every summer I start getting symmetrical patterns of hyperpigmentation on my face. The pattern changes every year - this year it's 2 lines over my eyelids, year before it was triangles on my forehead! My brother has it too (he has epilepsy, not MS). I wear a high SPF but even still it still happens.

I suppose it's probably not related but I'm just curious about others?

[jimmylegs]

ww, i don't have this problem but it sounds irritating. i have skin trouble but thankfully it stays off my face 99.999% of the time.

have a think about the adrenals and that whole system..

and from what i understand, vitamin e and a could be low. and.. iron overload could be something to look into also, in particular, i suspect, because your brother also deals with it. (no expert by any stretch)

[Bethr]

For the past few years I was suspected of having MS (my sister has had a DX of MS for 20 years) because I developed a brain lesion. I also had an EEG two years ago that showed epilepsy. Over that time I developed hyperpigmentation on my forearms and gums. To cut a long story short they are now investigating me for Porphyria. Porphyria has many similar symptoms to MS and is hereditary. It may be worthwhile looking into this rarely diagnosed genetic illness, especially as your brother has Epilepsy.

Porphyria can be triggered by taking many different drugs, sun exposure, hormones, alchohol and eating certain foods and most doctors know little about it. It is caused by a genetic defect in Heme synthesis, leading to porphyrins in the blood that cause neurological problems amongst other things.

[jimmylegs]

exactly bethr, i was trying to go for that, without really knowing for sure which was hereditary... it's with hemochromatosis as an underlying liver condition that can end up in a state of iron overload, correct? haven't read very much about it really...

[Bethr]

Yes, iron can play a role and is one of the triggers. One of the common types is associated with iron overload and the hemochromatosis gene, Porphyria Cutanea Tarda is the most common, but does not present with neurological symptoms normally. Some people have more than one type of Porphyria.

[Wonderfulworld]

Thanks Jimmylegs and Bethr.

Hmmmmm! Porphyria! I had just thought it was an oddity between my bro and I, I will ask my GP about it next time I see him. I don't think it is it though (but I'm open to the suggestion) because I've often tested low in iron.....ooooh, confused now!

[jimmylegs]

probably bethr can tell you all about the variety of tests you can get that can point this up or put your mind at rest.. might be one of those things where a common test comes back low and a couple other related tests could show up the problem??