Morphology of Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome in Skin of Color

Although mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) commonly affect Black patients, dermatologic educational resources primarily describe the appearance of these conditions in lighter skin types. Skin of color (SoC) patients with Fitzpatrick skin types (FSTs) IV to VI tend to have variable morphologies compared to the erythematous patches, plaques, or tumors in non-sun-exposed areas seen in non-SoC patients (FSTs I-III). We performed a single-institution review of clinical photographs of patients with FSTs I to VI with the primary outcome of determining the frequency of various morphologic features of MF/SS in SoC vs non-SoC patients. Providers need to be familiar with the differences in morphologic features across skin types to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.