What's wrong with the red spots on my hands?

There are many causes for red spots on the hands. It may be exudative erythema multiforme, which is a skin disease with a complex cause. The onset is often acute, and the rash will have diverse problems. It can often cause damage to the mucous membrane. When this happens, you should emphasize nutrition in time. It can be treated with some medications. Let us learn about this aspect.

What are the red spots on my hands?

(1) Infection is a common cause, the most common of which is herpes simplex virus infection. Some bacterial, fungal, mycoplasma and protozoan infections can also induce it.

(2) Drugs and certain foods such as sulfonamides, barbiturates, antipyrine, vaccines, and spoiled fish and meat.

(3) Physical factors such as cold, sunlight, radiation, etc.

(4) Some diseases such as malignant tumors, connective tissue diseases, pregnancy, menstruation, etc.

Pathogenesis: It is generally believed that this disease is caused by foreign antigens stimulating the body's specific cytotoxic response and causing epidermal cell damage.

Clinical manifestations

(i) Maculopapular type: This type is the most common, initially presenting as round edematous erythema or flat papules, ranging in size from lentils to coins, bright red in color, with clear borders. The rash expands telecentrically, and after 1-2 days the center turns dark purple, or purpura, blisters, or even blood blisters appear, forming so-called iris-shaped or target-shaped lesions, which are characteristic lesions of this disease. The lesions are distributed symmetrically, with the back of the hands, forearms, ankles, etc. being the most common sites. This type of mucosal damage is less and the systemic symptoms are mild.

(ii) Vesicular-bullous type lesions are mainly clustered or scattered blisters and bullae. Blisters may occur on the basis of erythema. In this case, the center of the lesion is a blister, bulla or blood blister, surrounded by a dark red halo, which appears iris-like. This type is often accompanied by blisters and erosions of the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and genitals. Systemic symptoms such as joint pain, fever, proteinuria and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate may occur.

(III) The severe type is also known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The onset is sudden, and symptoms often include high fever, headache, sore throat, joint pain and general discomfort. The skin lesions are bright red or dark red iris-like erythema or ecchymosis, with blisters, bullae or blood blisters on them, and the Nikolsky sign may be positive. The lesions may fuse into large flakes and be widely distributed. The mouth, nose, eyes, genitals and other parts and mucous membranes are seriously affected. Blisters and erosions appear on the oral and nasal mucosa, and conjunctivitis, keratitis, and corneal ulcers appear in the eyes. Severe cases can cause panophthalmitis and blindness. It may also be complicated by pneumonia, myocarditis, arthritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, liver and kidney damage, etc., with related clinical symptoms and signs. Skin lesions may become secondarily infected and even cause sepsis. This type may cause death due to untimely rescue.