To find the cause of a skin lesion, healthcare providers consider: This article looks at 20 different types of skin lesions, their causes, and their treatment. Comedones can be treated with topicals. The treatment for a maculopapular rash depends on the underlying cause: A doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics for a bacterial infection. All read more , rubella Rubella ( See also Congenital Rubella.) Examples of benign and potentially cancerous lesions. Freckles are small, flat, light-brown macules on the skin. Treatment depends on the cause. Ischemic skin appears purple to gray in color. It remains contagious until all the blisters have crusted over. Lichen planus (pictured) may manifest with a papular rash. Because they are caused by a virus, you may also have flu-like symptoms. Some infections associated with a maculopapular rash are: An allergic reaction occurs when the body mistakenly identifies a substance (allergen) as a threat to the body. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Copyright 2023 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. People with a maculopapular rash should see their doctor, especially if they experience other symptoms, as it could signal a serious illness. If left untreated, severe and serious complications can occur. Appointments 216.444.5725 Appointments & Locations Request an Appointment Symptoms and Causes Most common freckles are harmless and rarely turn into skin cancer. Macule doesn't alter the texture and thickness of the skin. Keloids: How to prevent these raised scars. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Examples include freckles, flat moles, tattoos, and port-wine stains Capillary Malformations Capillary malformations are present at birth and appear as flat, pink, red, or purplish lesions. Over-the-counter topical treatments can help speed up healing. As such, this type of lesion is often calledprecancerous. Conditions that are likely to cause macules are: Once your doctor diagnoses the cause of your macules, they might be able to prescribe treatment for your condition. Overview A papule is a raised area of skin tissue that's less than 1 centimeter around. Mild PAD may be asymptomatic or cause intermittent claudication; severe PAD read more ), infections, and vasculitis Cutaneous Vasculitis Cutaneous vasculitis refers to vasculitis affecting small- or medium-sized vessels in the skin and subcutaneous tissue but not the internal organs. They are raised scars that form after an injury. Sudden changes in any lesion should cause concern. Over-the-counter skin treatments and medications can help get rid of acne. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Sometimes these papules (elevated bumps on the skin) cluster together to form what appears like a rash and feels rough like sandpaper. These may be caused by burns, bites, irritant contact dermatitis Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) Contact dermatitis is inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact with irritants (irritant contact dermatitis) or allergens (allergic contact dermatitis). Dr. Anuj Malik answered. If the rash gets worse or does not resolve with treatment, a doctor will likely refer a person to a dermatologist (a skin doctor). Papule noun A small, inflammatory, irritated spot on the skin, similar in appearance to a pimple, but not containing pus. It is characterized by fever, cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, an enanthem (Koplik spots) on the oral mucosa read more (can also have papules and plaques), and some allergic drug eruptions Drug Eruptions and Reactions Drugs can cause multiple skin eruptions and reactions. Typically erythematous, but they may be hyperpigmented. A macule is a small, flat, red area of discoloration, and a papule is a small, red, raised lesion. It appears as thick, scaly crusts on the skin. Configuration is the shape of single lesions and the arrangement of clusters of lesions. Shingrix shingles vaccination | What you should know. They are typically hot and itchy. Diagnosis read more , physical trauma with or without vascular compromise (eg, caused by decubitus ulcers Pressure Injuries Pressure injuries are areas of necrosis and often ulceration (also called pressure ulcers) where soft tissues are compressed between bony prominences and external hard surfaces. Nikolsky sign is epidermal shearing that occurs with gentle lateral pressure on seemingly uninvolved skin in patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are severe cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions. macules may be found in the groins or in the palmer and plantar interdigitae. Actinic keratosis has a scaly, raised surface. Diagnosis read more commonly form plaques. The term maculopapular is often loosely and improperly used to describe many red rashes; because this term is nonspecific and easily misused, it should be avoided. Port-wine stains are capillary vascular malformations that are present at birth and that manifest read more , and the rashes of rickettsial infections Overview of Rickettsial and Related Infections Rickettsial diseases (rickettsioses) and related diseases (anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, Q fever, scrub typhus) are caused by a group of gram-negative, obligately intracellular coccobacilli. Macules may precede papules in cases of pyoderma. Make sure to practice good wound care. This photo shows a small hyperpigmented read more . It is essential to see a doctor before treating a maculopapular rash at home so that they can determine the underlying cause. If the lesion (such as a dark spot on the skin) isnt raised and its less than 1 cm in size, its by definition a macule. o [teenager OR adolescent ], An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including, Lesion type Lesion Type (Primary Morphology) An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including Lesion type (sometimes called primary morphology) Lesion configuration (sometimes called secondary read more (sometimes called primary morphology), Lesion configuration Lesion Configuration (Secondary Morphology) An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including Lesion type (sometimes called primary morphology) Lesion configuration (sometimes called secondary read more (sometimes called secondary morphology), Texture Texture An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including Lesion type (sometimes called primary morphology) Lesion configuration (sometimes called secondary read more, Location and distribution Location and Distribution An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including Lesion type (sometimes called primary morphology) Lesion configuration (sometimes called secondary read more, Color Color An extensive language has been developed to standardize the description of skin lesions, including Lesion type (sometimes called primary morphology) Lesion configuration (sometimes called secondary read more. Wheals are a common manifestation of hypersensitivity to drugs, stings or bites, autoimmunity, and, less commonly, physical stimuli including temperature, pressure, and sunlight. The rash may or may not be itchy. Others are irregular in shape. Sometimes, they may take a small sample of the rash (a biopsy) to examine it under the microscope. To prevent this, there are a few things you can do: Keloids are harmless and do not require medical attention. Skin Lesion (Papule) Hide Details Papules are elevated, usually palpable lesions < 10 mm in diameter. Not usually. Both are skin conditions. Your doctor may also recommend: The risk of shingles can be reduced with vaccines like Shingrix. Cellulitis feels hot to the touch. Cutaneous tumors are often pink or red. A small (usually < 1 cm in diameter) flat, non-palpable and altered in color a discolored blemish or lesion that can be brown, tan, red or white and has same texture as surrounding skin. Distribution is random or patterned, symmetric or asymmetric. They may contain tiny black dots in the center. Plaque? Rashes can have macules, patches (flat spots at least 1 cm in size), papules (raised skin lesions less than 1 cm in size), plaques (raised skin lesions at least 1 cm in size), and more,. Some are benign, which means they are harmless. Weisser, C., & Ben-Shoshan, M. (2016, January 18). If necessary, they can be extracted by a dermatologist. Erosions are open areas of skin that result from loss of part or all of the epidermis. HSV-2: Usually responsible for genital herpes. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Diagnosis is by examination. Learn more here. The nodules are firm and usually skin-colored. This type of light therapy can help treat acne, Hyperpigmentation of the skin is an aesthetic rather than a medical concern for people most of the time. Treatment is usually unnecessary. Symptoms include pruritus and read more , and some autoimmune blistering disorders (eg, dermatitis herpetiformis Dermatitis Herpetiformis Dermatitis herpetiformis is an intensely pruritic, chronic, autoimmune, papulovesicular cutaneous eruption strongly associated with celiac disease. It occurs in patients with urticaria pigmentosa or mastocytosis Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Mastocytosis is mast cell proliferation with infiltration of skin or other tissues and organs. Angioedema may last for days. Antivirals or other prescription medication. Other lesions may be caused by chronic conditions, or may form as you get older. Herpetiform describes grouped papules or vesicles arranged like those of a herpes simplex infection Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infections Herpes simplex viruses (human herpesviruses types 1 and 2) commonly cause recurrent infection affecting the skin, mouth, lips, eyes, and genitals. It is most common in people over the age of 40. If youre concerned about your skin, talk to a dermatologist to get an accurate diagnosis. Shinglesare caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. Cutaneous larva migrans is caused by Ancylostoma species, most commonly dog or cat hookworm Ancylostoma braziliense read more ). Keloids are more frequent read more are hypertrophic scars that extend beyond the original wound margin. Macule vs papule. Pilar cysts are usually on the scalp and may be familial. Purpura is a larger area of hemorrhage that may be palpable. Some people are more prone to developing keloids. Keloids Keloids Keloids are smooth overgrowths of fibroblastic tissue that arise in an area of injury (eg, lacerations, surgical scars, truncal acne) or, occasionally, spontaneously. Important information to obtain from history includes Personal or family read more and Diagnostic Tests for Skin Disorders Diagnostic Tests for Skin Disorders Diagnostic tests are indicated when the cause of a skin lesion or disease is not obvious from history and physical examination alone. What is psoriasis? A papule can have distinct or indistinct borders. Benign cutaneous cysts are read more , lipomas Lipomas Lipomas are soft, movable, subcutaneous nodules of adipocytes (fat cells); overlying skin appears normal. It can be painful. Violet skin may result from cutaneous hemorrhage or vasculitis Overview of Vasculitis Vasculitis is inflammation of blood vessels, often with ischemia, necrosis, and organ inflammation. Edematous, transitory plaque, m ay last few hours . The condition causes sores, crusts, and blister-like bumps. Warts, lichen planus, rash, insect bites, seborrheic keratoses, acne pimples or lesions, actinic keratoses, warts, bumps (white blood cells attacking an infection) and skin cancers. Nunley KS, et al. Antihistamines, topical creams, and cold compresses can alleviate symptoms in cases of allergen exposure. Actinic keratosis can be removed by freezing, scraping, or laser. The Zika virus, for example, can lead to: To diagnose the cause of a maculopapular rash, a doctor will ask a person about their general health and any history of illness and allergies. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.