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Blaschko lines

Which are the Blaschko lines?

The Blaschko lines or the Blaschko lines are believed to represent epidermal cell migration and proliferation during the development of the fetus.

History of the Blaschko lines.

This concept was first described by the Germans. dermatologist Alfred Blaschko in 1901 at the 7th Congress of the German Dermatological Society.

These lines constitute a surface pattern that is distinguished from other morphologic skin lines and cutaneous dermatomes. They do not correspond to the nervous system or vascular roads

Which is the distribution from the Blaschko lines?

Blaschko's lines are consistently V-shaped at the top of the spine, S-shaped across the abdomen, inverted U-shaped from the breast area to the upper arm, and perpendicular down the front and back of the lower extremities.

They never cross the previous truncal middle line But run for it

These lines are invisible, but many inherited and acquired skin diseases manifest in accordance with these patterns creating the visual appearance of these lines.

Blaschko lines

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Blaschko lines

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Blaschko lines

What skin conditions are distributed along Blaschko's lines?

Many inherited and some acquired skin conditions are distributed along Blaschko's lines.

Congenital skin disorders
Dominant X-linked skin disorders
  • Incontinentia pigmenti
  • Focal dermal hypoplasia
  • BOY syndrome
  • MLS syndrome
  • Oral facial digital syndrome type 1
  • X-linked dominant punctant chondrodysplasia
Epithelial naevi
  • Inflammatory linear warty epidermal nevus
  • Sebaceous nevus
  • Non-organoid epidermal nevus
Pigmentary disorders
  • Pigmentary demarcation lines
  • Naevus achromicus (including hypomelanosis of Ito)
  • McCune-Albright syndrome
  • Segmental vitiligo
Acquired skin disorders.
Disorders with a polygenic background.
  • Linear lichen planus
  • Linear cutaneous lupus erythematosus
  • Striated lichen
  • Linear morph
Childhood conditions distributed along Blaschko lines in one limb

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Inflammatory linear warty nevus

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Striated lichen

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Linear pororatosis

Adult conditions distributed along Blaschko's lines on one limb

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Lichen planus

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Lichen striatum / Blaschkitis

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Telangiectasia confined to the left arm during pregnancy

Blaschko lines on the trunk

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Epidermal nevus

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ILVEN

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Lichen planus