2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L81.8Other specified disorders of pigmentation

ICD-10-CM CodesL00–L99L80-L99L81

ICD-10-CM L81.8
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

L81.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other specified disorders of pigmentation. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 606 through 607. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified skin disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
L81.8
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other specified disorders of pigmentation
Short Description
Other specified disorders of pigmentation
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Other disorders of pigmentation

Code Classification

ChapterL00–L99Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
SectionL80-L99Other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
CategoryL81Other disorders of pigmentation
This CodeL81.8Other specified disorders of pigmentation

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acquired disorder of skin color
  • Acromelanosis
  • Addisonian pigmentation of palms
  • Amalgam tattoo
  • Amateur tattoo
  • Argyria of skin
  • Arsenic-induced rain-drop hypomelanosis
  • Arsenic-induced skin pigmentation
  • Bier anemic spots, cyanosis, and urticaria-like eruption syndrome
  • Biers spots
  • Buccal pigmentation due to Addison's disease
  • Carotene pigmentation of skin
  • Chlorpromazine pigmentation
  • Chrysoderma
  • Collier's stripes
  • Complication of laser surgery
  • Crystal violet tattoo
  • Cutis tricolor
  • Decorative tattoo
  • Disorder of nail color
  • Drug pigmentation
  • Drug-induced pigmentation
  • Endogenous non-melanin pigmentation
  • Erythromelanosis follicularis of face AND/OR neck
  • Exogenous ochronosis
  • Exogenous pigmentation of oral mucosa
  • Familial progressive hyperpigmentation
  • Finding of appearance of hand
  • Finding of color of hand
  • Finding of palmar crease
  • Hemosiderin pigmentation of lower limb due to varicose veins of lower limb
  • Hemosiderin pigmentation of skin
  • Hemosiderin pigmentation of skin due to venous insufficiency
  • Hyperpigmentation of left eyelid and periocular area
  • Hyperpigmentation of left lower eyelid and periocular area
  • Hyperpigmentation of right eyelid and periocular area
  • Hyperpigmentation of right lower eyelid and periocular area
  • Hypopigmentation of left eyelid and periocular area
  • Hypopigmentation of left lower eyelid and periocular area
  • Hypopigmentation of right eyelid and periocular area
  • Hypopigmentation of right lower eyelid and periocular area
  • Iatrogenic tattoo
  • Irregular outline of pigmented skin lesion
  • Labial melanin incontinence
  • Laser-induced dyspigmentation
  • Laser-induced hyperpigmentation
  • Laugier-Hunziker syndrome
  • Local exogenous pigmentation of oral mucosa
  • Local exogenous pigmentation of oral soft tissue
  • Malarial pigment deposition
  • Melanin pigmentation of oral mucosa
  • Melanonychia
  • Melanosis of mucosa of body orifice
  • Mercury pigmentation of skin
  • Mixed color of pigmented skin lesion
  • Non-melanin pigmentation caused by drug
  • Non-melanin pigmentation caused by exogenous substance
  • Occupational non-melanin pigmentation due to exogenous substance
  • Occupational tattoo
  • Ochronosis caused by hydroquinone
  • Oral pigmentary incontinence
  • Orthostatic intolerance
  • Pigmentation due to topically applied medicament
  • Pigmentation caused by diet
  • Pigmentation disorder of lip
  • Pigmentation due to exogenous pigment
  • Pigmentation of palmar creases
  • Pigmentation of skin or mucosa
  • Pigmented peribuccal erythrosis of Brocq
  • Pityriasis rotunda
  • Postinflammatory skin pigmentation change
  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
  • Professional tattoo
  • Pseudoatrophoderma colli
  • Reticulate acropigmentation of Kitamura
  • Schistosomal pigment deposition
  • Segmental pigmentation disorder
  • Skin disease caused by arsenic
  • Skin hypopigmented
  • Skin pigmentation
  • Skin pigmentation due to hemosiderosis
  • Tattoo of skin
  • Tattoo of skin of left cheek
  • Tattoo of skin of perioral region of face
  • Tattoo of skin of right cheek
  • Terra firma-forme dermatosis
  • Toxicoderma
  • X-linked reticulate pigmentary disorder with systemic manifestation syndrome
  • Zosteriform reticulate hyperpigmentation

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Iron pigmentation
  • Tattoo pigmentation

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Arsenical pigmentation
    • Disorder(of)
      • pigmentation
        • iron
    • Disorder(of)
      • pigmentation
        • specified NEC
    • Mark
      • tattoo
    • Metal
      • pigmentation
    • Pigmentation(abnormal) (anomaly)
      • iron
    • Pigmentation(abnormal) (anomaly)
      • metals
    • Pigmentation(abnormal) (anomaly)
      • tattoo
    • Tattoo(mark)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR SKN007
Other specified and unspecified skin disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Skin Pigmentation

    coloration of the skin.
  • Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    a syndrome of orthostatic intolerance combined with excessive upright tachycardia, and usually without associated orthostatic hypotension. all variants have in common an excessively reduced venous return to the heart (central hypovolemia) while upright.
  • Orthostatic Intolerance

    symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion or autonomic overaction which develop while the subject is standing, but are relieved on recumbency. types of this include neurocardiogenic syncope; postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome; and neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. (from noseworthy, jh., neurological therapeutics principles and practice, 2007, p2575-2576)
  • Skin Pigmentation

    the color of the skin as determined by the amount of melanin present.
  • Skin Pigmentation Disorder|Pigmentation Disorders

    a disorder of the skin characterized by loss or reduction of the skin color. it is caused by loss of melanocytes or abnormalities in melanin production.

Patient EducationClinical

Skin Pigmentation Disorders

Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert L81.8 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
709.09 Other dyschromia
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About L81.8Overview

Is L81.8 (Other disorders of pigmentation) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other specified disorders of pigmentation on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does L81.8 group to?

When other specified disorders of pigmentation is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 606, 607, with relative weights from 0.9064 to 1.5132 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of L81.8?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other specified disorders of pigmentation converts to ICD-9-CM 709.09 (other dyschromia). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.