Freckling promoted by topical tacalcitol in a Japanese boy with left eyelid vitiligo

Vitiligo is an acquired disorder in which the loss of melanocytes results in depigmented patches. Topical tacalcitol, a vitamin D(3) analog, is occasionally used to treat vitiligo. We report a case of a 7-year-old Japanese boy who showed moderate repigmentation and worsened freckles after using topical tacalcitol to treat a vitiligo lesion on and around the left eyelid. Topical tacalcitol might have induced and worsened the freckles, because the changes occurred during treatment. Dermatologists should be aware that topical application of tacalcitol to the cheeks can cause freckling and worsen existing freckles, in predisposed children, as described here.