Incidence of friction melanosis in young Japanese women induced by using nylon towels and brushes

Friction melanosis was observed in 25 (5.2%) of 479 healthy young women and in none of 25 young men. The lesions were distributed on the skin over the clavicles, shoulders, neck and extensor surface of upper arms. All the patients had used nylon towels or scrub brushes in the bathroom for periods of 2 to 15 years. The period of usage was not related to the degree of pigmentation, which depended rather on the strength and times of scrubbing. A slender figure was not a factor participate in this pigment disorder.