Inhibitors of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), for example tetrazole, styrylpyrazole, phenylfuran, phenylthiophene, phenylpyrrazole, pyrazolecarboxamide, 2-thioacetamide and azo compounds, are useful for promoting or stimulating pigmentation of the skin and/or skin appendages and/or for preventing and/or for limiting depigmentation and/or whitening of the skin and/or skin appendages, notably for preventing and/or limiting canities.