Bier spot

Etiology

• idiopathic, usually affecting healthy people
• may appear during pregnancy
• may occur as part of systemic disease such as
  • cryoglobulinaemia
  • polycythemia
  • scleroderma, coarctation of the aorta
  • alopecia areata
  • Peutz-Jeghers syndrome,
  • lichen planus
  • tachycardia
  • palmar hyperhidrosis

Pathology

* histopathology image

Clinical manifestations

• asymptomatic
• numerous, light coloured spots surrounded by a halo of erythema over forearms, hands, legs & trunk in a mottled pattern
• intervening skin may seem erthematous but blanches with pressure so that these light macules disappear

* images

Complications

• unnecessary psychological distress

Differential diagnosis

• pityriasis versicolor

More general terms

• vascular disease (vasculopathy)
• skin disease (dermatologic disorder, dermatopathy, dermatosis)