actinic purpura; solar purpura; senile purpura

Etiology

• photoaging

Pathology

• weakness of perivenular connective tissue
• dermal atrophy

Clinical manifestations

• occurs on sun-exposed areas of skin, especially forearms
• initiated by minor trauma or unrecongnized event
• irregularly-shaped, well demarcated violaceous macules
• variable size, a few millimeters to several centimeters
• lesions asymptomatic
• lesions persist for many weeks

* images

Laboratory

• no testing indicated

Management

• no effective treatment
• sun protection, sunblock, sunscreen

More general terms

• purpura; retiform purpura