Xeroderma Pigmentosum

This inherited disease causes extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light. People with xeroderma pigmentosum who are younger than 20 years old have more than 1,000 times the risk of developing skin cancer than people without the disease. The name “xeroderma pigmentosum” means “dry pigmented skin.” Exposure to the sun over time causes the skin to become darker, dry, and parchment-like.

Photo © A.D.A.M.