Skin Redness (Erythema): Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99).

  • Erythema a frigore – skin redness caused by cold.
  • Erythema ab acribus – skin redness caused by chemical substances.
  • Erythema ab igne – reticular redness of the skin that occurs due to heat development.
  • Erythema actinicum – skin redness that occurs due to ultraviolet light or exposure to X-rays.
  • Erythema anulare centrifugum – extensive bluish skin redness, which spreads at times in a garland shape; can be distinguished erythema anulare familiare, erythema anulare (rheumaticum) Lehndorff-Leiner (erythema circinatum), erythema centrifugum symmetricum
  • Erythema arthriticum epidemicum (Haverhill fever) – skin redness in the context of a high fever general disease.
  • Erythema autumnale (trombidiosis; harvest scabies).
  • Erythema bullosum – skin redness associated with blistering.
  • Erythema caloricum (heat erythema).
  • Erythema chronicum migrans (Afzelius-Lipschütz) – characteristic redness of the skin, usually from a tick bite.
  • Erythema dyschromicum perstans – ash-gray pigmentation caused by the deposition of melanin.
  • Erythema elevatum et diutinum – long persisting skin redness in the form of circular segments, garlands.
  • Erythema exsudativum multiforme (disk rose) – acute inflammatory disease of the skin or mucous membrane, which may be accompanied by general symptoms such as joint complaints.
  • Erythema faciale perstans – redness of the face, constitutional.
  • Erythema fugax – transient redness of the skin, irregularly limited.
  • Erythema glaciale (glacial gangrene)
  • Erythema gluteale (infantum) (diaper rash).
  • Erythema gyratum repens/serpens – form of erythema multiforme, which occurs ephemerally creeping in malignant neoplasms.
  • Erythema induratum Bazin – plate-shaped blue-red derby infiltrates on the lower legs, bending (less frequently on upper arms, mammae (breasts), buttocks and thighs); frequent occurrence in tuberculosis.
  • Erythema infectiosum acutum (ringworm).
  • Erythema iris – form of erythema exsudativum multiforme with iris-shaped foci.
  • Erythema marginatum – form of erythema exsudativum multiforme with centrally healed foci.
  • Erythema migrans – characteristic erythema that occurs in Lyme disease as well as erysipeloid (swine erysipelas).
  • Erythema necroticum migrans – mainly on the legs occurring bizarrely configured skin redness with central vesicles that occur in certain neoplasms.
  • Erythema neonatorum – physiologically occurring skin redness of the newborn.
  • Erythema nodosum (erythema contusiforme) – episodic painful skin redness that often occurs on the extensor sides of the lower legs.
  • Erythema palmare et plantare symptomaticum – permanent redness of the skin of the palms and soles, which occurs mainly in chronic diseases and malignant neoplasms.
  • Erythema palmoplantare congenitum symmetricum (E. palmare et plantare hereditarium) – familial permanent skin redness in the area of palms and soles.
  • Erythema papulatum – form of erythema exsudativum multiforme associated with papular foci.
  • Erythema solare (sunburn)
  • Erythema subitum (exanthema subitum, three-day fever).
  • Erythema toxicum – areal redness of the skin caused by the action of an incompatible substance.
  • Erythema toxicum neonatorum – skin redness usually lasting several days, with the exception of the palms and soles of the newborn’s feet.
  • Other figured chronic erythema
  • Other erythematous diseases described in more detail

Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)

  • Erythromelalgia (EM; erythro = red, melos = limb, algos = pain) – acral circulatory disorder characterized by seizure-like redness and overheating of the skin on the extremities (hands/feet) associated with burning pain; vasodilation (dilation of blood vessels) provokes the overheating of the skin and painful redness here; disease is very rare

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

  • Erysipelas – acute skin infection often accompanied by chills and fever; erythematous swelling with sharp borders.

Symptoms and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified (R00-R99).

  • Flushing – seizure-like redness.

Medication