Melanosis Cadaveric

**Cadaver melanosis** (Latin melano - “blackness”, “soot” and cadaver - “corpse”) is a physiological phenomenon in the form of hyperpigmentation of the skin of a corpse at the site of its stay. It is a consequence of blood clotting and post-mortem oxidation of cholesterol to the skin. Appears as a result of the accumulation of coloring substances (hemoglobin) from venous vessels that were opened during an autopsy or while the corpse was in the room for a long time.

This phenomenon is not contagious and represents a rare exception to the rule. In this case, a change in the melanin pigment occurs. There is a distinction between false melanosis, which is the cause of many medical myths about diseases, while true melanosis is very rare. False melanosis (or "melasma") is caused by external factors (such as acne and blemishes). Its removal is easily done cosmetically. True melanosis is a consequence of an already existing disorder. It results from liver disease or metabolic disorders and can be diagnosed by a pathologist, because one of its typical symptoms is darkening of the central venous part of the cadaver's arm. This can be explained by a delay in blood circulation in the human body. This type of pigmentation occurs mainly in people of African descent or living in South Africa. It was commonly associated with an increased risk of melanoma, but it has been disproven.