Dermographism

Dermographism is a reaction of the body caused by mechanical irritation of the skin, as a result of which various marks or patterns appear on the surface of the skin, most often in the form of stripes and cobweb-like branches. The reaction may include changes in skin color or the formation of blisters and spots.

The dermographic reaction was first described and called dermography by William Osler in 1896. The scientist noticed that in many patients suffering from migraine, sensitivity of the scalp to mechanical stress is associated with the disease. Osler also observed dermographic reactions in other people

Dermographism is a phenomenon of obtaining a specific skin reaction in the form of a temporary, sometimes sharply defined, reddish stripe at the site of skin irritation. The patient feels itching. There are physiological and pathological dermographisms. The cause of physiological skin irritation is a local rush of blood to the surface of the skin, as well as congestion. With pathological skin irritation, persistent redness of the skin and more pronounced temporary swelling are noted.

On the one hand, the phenomenon depends on the place where a person works. If we say that this condition is a feature of each individual, then this is not entirely true. In fact, it is associated with a specific pattern of blood vessels; this pattern differs for each person.

Thus, it can be argued that this disease is associated with the location of the vessels, mostly large ones. However, the exact mechanism due to which the vessels form this particular pattern is still not understood.

The manifestations of this disease differ depending on the individual characteristics of the pattern of blood vessels on a person’s skin. Very often, a specific pattern may appear at the site of the irritation - a bright red line on the skin that develops over a short time. In turn, this sign is called “Dermographic spot”. It is found in the area of ​​the wrist joint, but it is also possible to detect it on other parts of the skin surface. Such changes are associated with: 1. excessive production of skin pigment, sebum; 2. changes in the vessels of the circulatory system in the area of ​​the lower limbs and hands, most often when working with water: in particular, when washing by hand, cooking or even cleaning.

To treat dermatographism, you can use a cream with fusidic acid, which is applied immediately before contact with the irritant. You may also consider using sodium channel blockers such as tamoxifen or raloxifene.