Erythema

Erythema (Ancient Greek: ἐρύθημα, from el erythros 'red') is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries.[1] It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not associated with pathology include nervous blushes.[2]

## Contents

* 1 Types
* 2 Causes
* 3 Diagnosis
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Types

* Erythema ab igne
* Erythema chronicum migrans
* Erythema induratum
* Erythema infectiosum (or fifth disease)
* Erythema marginatum
* Erythema migrans
* Erythema multiforme (EM)
* Erythema nodosum
* Erythema toxicum
* Erythema elevatum diutinum
* Erythema gyratum repens
* Keratolytic winter erythema
* Palmar erythema

## Causes

It can be caused by infection, massage, electrical treatment, acne medication, allergies, psoriasis, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS),[3] exercise, solar radiation (sunburn), photosensitization,[4] acute radiation syndrome, mercury toxicity, blister agents,[5] niacin administration,[6] or waxing and tweezing of the hairs—any of which can cause the affected capillaries to dilate, resulting in redness. Erythema is a common side effect of radiotherapy treatment due to patient exposure to ionizing radiation.

## Diagnosis

Erythema disappears on finger pressure (blanching), whereas purpura or bleeding in the skin and pigmentation do not.[7][8] There is no temperature elevation, unless it is associated with the dilation of arteries in the deeper layer of the skin.

## See also

* Hyperemia
* Flushing (physiology)
* List of cutaneous conditions

## References

1. ↑ Mosby's Medical Dictionary (9th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. 2013. ISBN 978-0-323-08541-0.
2. ↑ "Erythema". Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary (Fourth ed.). Mosby-Year Book. 1994. p. 570.
3. ↑ "Mast Cell Activation Syndromes: Collegium Internationale Allergologicum Update 2022". Int Arch Allergy Immunol 183 (7): 693–705. 2022-05-23. doi:10.1159/000524532. PMID 35605594.
4. ↑ Jane C. Quinn; Yuchi Chen; Belinda Hackney; Muhammad Shoaib Tufail; Leslie A. Weston; Panayiotis Loukopoulos (2018), "Acute-Onset High-Morbidity Primary Photosensitisation in Sheep Associated with Consumption of the Casbah and Mauro Cultivars of the Pasture Legume Biserrula", BMC Veterinary Research 14 (1): 11, doi:10.1186/s12917-017-1318-7, PMID 29325550
5. ↑ Vesicant EFFECTS
6. ↑ "Test niacynowy w schizofrenii" (in Polish). Psychiatr Pol 24 (2): 116–20. Mar–Apr 1990. PMID 2084715.
7. ↑ McKay, Marilynne (1990), Walker, H. Kenneth; Hall, W. Dallas; Hurst, J. Willis, eds., "Office Techniques for Dermatologic Diagnosis", Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations (Boston: Butterworths), ISBN 978-0-409-90077-4, PMID 21250056, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK212/, retrieved 2026-07-26
8. ↑ Marks, JAMES G.; Miller, JEFFREY J. (2006-01-01), "CHAPTER 17 - Purpura", Lookingbill & Marks' Principles of Dermatology (Fourth Edition) (Edinburgh: W.B. Saunders): pp. 235–244, doi:10.1016/B978-1-4160-3185-7.50022-9, ISBN 978-1-4160-3185-7, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781416031857500229, retrieved 2026-07-26

## External links

Classification|

* ICD-10: L51-L54
* ICD-9-CM: 695
* ICD-O: l
* MeSH: D004890
* DiseasesDB: 4466

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