Localized depigmentation after steroid injection of a ganglion cyst on the hand.

Presented is the case of a man who had localized depigmentation after local injection of triamcinolone diacetate. Search of the literature indicates that this is a rare complication of such therapy. Localized depigmentation may have important cultural implications for dark-skinned patients. There is some experimental evidence that less-potent and shorter-acting steroid preparations have a lower likelihood for depigmenting side effects, and such agents may be more appropriate when injecting subcutaneous structures to prevent this complication.