Livedo: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Levido is not a disease, but a kind of skin reaction to a particular effect.
Causes and pathogenesis of levido. Distinguish:
- idiopathic levido, when a permanent marble pattern of the skin develops for no apparent reason;
- symptomatic levido, resulting from obstruction of blood vessels (high blood viscosity, arterioembolia, cryoglobulinemia, etc.), vascular wall lesions (arteriosclerosis, vasculitis, antiphospholipid syndrome, syphilis, tuberculosis);
- Siddon syndrome, which arises with arterial hypertension, cerebral circulation, transient ischemia of the brain. In winter, the condition worsens.
Symptoms of levido. In the development of levidia, the period of hyperemia (the initial stage) and the period of pigmentation are distinguished. Levido can remain unchanged for many years. Subjective sensations are absent.
There are several clinical variants of levido, in which mesh, looped or ring-shaped vascular changes of the skin are bluish-red.
Marble skin refers to the physiological reaction of the skin to the effect of low temperature (cooling). When the body is exposed in a warm room, a pronounced blue-red mesh is visible, in which round or oval normal areas are enclosed between its individual loops.
Mesh levido begins with the development of a network of a prominent pattern of red or blue-red color, imperceptibly passing into normal skin. Gradually the pattern acquires a brown or dark brown color. It is localized on the abdomen, hips and other areas exposed to the harmful irritant.
Tree-like levido resembles a tree trunk from which branches sprout in different directions.
Treatment of levido is symptomatic. The main disease suspected of being an etiological or pathogenetic factor is treated. Applied vasodilators, angioprotectors (compliance, doxium), vitamin therapy (vitamins B1, B15, C, P), corticosteroids, physiotherapy (ultraviolet rays, diathermy), sympathectomy.
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