A rare image of zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratosis

Abhishek Patil, Sourabh Deshmukh

PAMJ. 2025; 50:27. Published 15 Jan 2025 | doi:10.11604/pamj.2025.50.27.45731

Acral hyperkeratosis that responds to zinc usually manifests as symmetrically distributed, long-lasting, well-defined hyperpigmented plaques over the acral areas of the body. It is a condition that causes thickening of the skin on the hands and feet. Zinc deficiency can be a cause of acral hyperkeratosis. A 50-year-old man came in with a six-month-old, slightly itchy, scaly, raised lesions over both feet which were darkly coloured and somewhat irritating. A cutaneous examination of the dorsum of the feet revealed bilaterally symmetrical, well-demarcated hyperpigmented plaques. The patient was treated using oral zinc with 200mg of zinc sulfate twice daily and 10% urea-containing emollient for local application. He got significant relief from raised lesions and hyperpigmented plaques.
Corresponding author
Abhishek Patil, Department of Kayachikitsa, Mahatma Gandhi Ayurved College Hospital and Research Centre, Salod (H), Wardha, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Maharashtra, India (abhi.neuro@gmail.com)


The Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

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