Melasma suprarenale

Melasma suprarenale is Latin, meaning literally "darkening, (of) above the kidneys" which signifies that it is caused by disease in the adrenal glands (also known as "suprarenal glands", and originally known as the "supra-renal capsules"). The condition most commonly causing the darkening of skin is known as Addison's disease. The darkening may be brown or reddish, typically appearing in the creases of the palms, pressure areas of the body and the mouth. In Addison's disease it is caused by excess production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which simultaneously releases a compound called melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH).