Dowling-Degos disease

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Dowling-Degos disease

ORPHA:79145Disease

Also called Reticular pigment anomaly of flexures

What it is

A rare, genetic, hyperpigmentation of the skin disease characterized by adulthood-onset of reticular, reddish-brown to dark-brown, macular and/or comedone-like, hyperkeratotic papules with hypopigmented macules, predominantly affecting flexural areas and, on occasion, progressing to involve trunk and acral regions. Histologically, epidermal acanthosis, thin, branch-like, rete ridges, and a tendency for acantholysis and pigmentary incontinence is observed.

Key facts

Age of onset
Adolescent, Adult
Inheritance
Autosomal dominant
Classified as
Disease

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

Genes

KRT5Disease-causing germline mutation(s) (loss of function)
POFUT1Disease-causing germline mutation(s)
POGLUT1Disease-causing germline mutation(s)
PSENENDisease-causing germline mutation(s)

ICD-10 codes

L81.8filed under a broader ICD-10 category — shared with 5 other rare diseases

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references

GARD 9775MEDDRA 10068651MESH C562924MONDO 0008371OMIM 179850OMIM 615327OMIM 615674OMIM 615696UMLS C3714534

Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.

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