L81 — Other disorders of pigmentation
Is L81 billable?
No — L81 is a non-billable header code. L81 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 10 billable codes beneath L81.
Billable codes under this header
- L81.0Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation
- L81.1Chloasma
- L81.2Freckles
- L81.3Cafe au lait spots
- L81.4Other melanin hyperpigmentation
- L81.5Leukoderma, not elsewhere classified
- L81.6Other disorders of diminished melanin formation
- L81.7Pigmented purpuric dermatosis
- L81.8Other specified disorders of pigmentation
- L81.9Disorder of pigmentation, unspecified
L81 at a glance
| Code | L81 |
|---|---|
| Description | Other disorders of pigmentation |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with L81 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes2 — not included here
The conditions below are not part of L81, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L81 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- nevus - see Alphabetical Index
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 12
The conditions below are not part of L81, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L81 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
- systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)
- viral warts (B07.-)
What codes fall under L81? (10)
- L81.0Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation
- L81.1Chloasma
- L81.2Freckles
- L81.3Cafe au lait spots
- L81.4Other melanin hyperpigmentation
- L81.5Leukoderma, not elsewhere classified
- L81.6Other disorders of diminished melanin formation
- L81.7Pigmented purpuric dermatosis
- L81.8Other specified disorders of pigmentation
- L81.9Disorder of pigmentation, unspecified
How long has L81 existed?
L81 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.
Which codes are confused with L81?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with L81 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.