Is dermatological lilac really lilac?

Abstract

Background/Objective: Dermatologists use the word lilac to describe a shade of erythema; especially in lichen planus, morphea, and dermatomyositis. The aim of this study to determine whether or not there is a color really consistent with a lilac color, when they perceive it. Methods: Four illustrations were prepared for each of these three diseases. Only one illustration of each of the diseases had a color really consistent with a lilac color. Seventy-two physicians working in dermatology (16 residents, 20 teaching staffs, and 36 non-academician specialists) were included in this study. They were asked to choose the most representative illustration for each of the diseases. Results: Only a few physicians chose illustrations having a color really consistent with a lilac color. In most commonly chosen illustrations, there was a rose or even a salmon color in the area perceived as having a lilac color by the physicians. Conclusion: Our results might be explained by the color contrast phenomenon. In other words, a human may discern a verging towards lilac from an object not colored such by comparing its color to that of its background, so he may perceive this color. Keywords: Color perception, Dermatology, Erythema, Medical illustrations, Visual perception