PIGMENTED PURPURIC DERMATITIS

Course overview

PIGMENTED PURPURIC DERMATOSIS (PPD) IS THE TERM USED TO DESCRIBE A COLLECTION OF SUBTYPES OF GENERALLY BENIGN, CHRONIC, PURPURIC SKIN ERUPTIONS CHARACTERIZED BY RED TO PURPLE MACULES, PATCHES, AND PETECHIAE. ERYTHROCYTE EXTRAVASATION AND HEMOSIDERIN DEPOSITION IN THE SKIN CAN LEAD TO A RED-BROWN TO GOLDEN-BROWN COLOR, WHICH MAY CHANGE DURING HEMOSIDERIN RESORPTION. PIGMENTED PURPURIC DERMATOSIS MOST COMMONLY OCCURS ON THE LOWER EXTREMITIES BUT CAN SOMETIMES OCCUR ON THE ARMS. PIGMENTED PURPURIC DERMATOSIS IS OFTEN ASYMPTOMATIC BUT CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH MILD PRURITUS. TREATMENT CAN BE CHALLENGING, BUT PATIENT REASSURANCE REGARDING THE BENIGN NATURE OF THESE DISEASES IS CRUCIAL. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PIGMENTED PURPURIC DERMATITIS AND UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO ITS MANAGEMENT.