Symptom: Purple skin

Introduction: Purple skin

A purple or blue-purple skin color can result from various colors. Purple skin coloring is sometimes described as blueness or redness, and some conditions causing purple coloring may also be listed under blueness, cyanosis, redness, hyperpigmentation, or dark skin. Another cause of purple skin color may be bruising and other conditions may be listed under bruising or dark skin. Any type of purple skin or skin color changes can be symptoms of serious disease and need prompt professional medical investigation.

» Review Causes of Purple skin: full list

Causes of Purple skin:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Purple skin. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Bruise
• Cyanosis - see also blue skin
• Bulging veins
• Blue veins
• Hyperpigmentation
• Birthmark
• Port-wine stain
• Kaposi sarcoma - causes red-purple coloring from tumors.
• Hemorrhagic rash
• See also causes of blue skin, redness, dark skin, hyperpigmentation, and other skin color changes

See full list of 16 causes of Purple skin

» Review Causes of Purple skin: full list

Purple skin: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Purple skin, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Purple skin: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Purple skin and Dark skin (7 causes)
• Purple skin and Skin color changes (7 causes)
• Purple skin and Skin problems (7 causes)
• Purple skin and Skin symptoms (7 causes)
• Purple skin and Blue skin (6 causes)
• Purple skin and Cyanosis (6 causes)
• Purple skin and Bleeding symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Face symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Head symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Leg symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Limb symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Nerve symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Pain (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Rash (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Sensations (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Swelling symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Throat symptoms (4 causes)
• Purple skin and Death (3 causes)
• Purple skin and Fever (3 causes)
• Purple skin and Lump (3 causes)

See full list of 339 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Purple skin

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Dark skin (104 causes)
• Blue skin (199 causes)
• Cyanosis (279 causes)
• Skin symptoms (1828 causes)
• Skin problems (1677 causes)
• Skin color changes (712 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Purple skin

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Purple skin:

• Blueness (279 causes)
• Cyanosis (279 causes)
• Redness (199 causes)
• Dark skin (104 causes)
• Hyperpigmentation (123 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Purple skin

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Purple skin from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Purple skin. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Purple skin

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Purple skin

Psoriasis often undiagnosed cause of skin symptoms in children: Children who suffer from the skin disorder called psoriasis can often go undiagnosed. The main problem is that psoriasis is rare in children, and not often seen by physicians for this reason. children may receive treatment for fungal skin infections. See misdiagnosis of psoriasis or symptoms of psoriasis....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Purple skin

Diagnostic tests for Purple skin:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Purple skin. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Examine the purple skin in area or areas affected and note the features
  • Examine for signs of systemic disease that may be associated with the cause of the purple skin - e.g. muscle weakness, muscle tenderness and swelling around the eyes in dermatomyositis.
  • Examine for extensive bruises which may suggest Hemophilia, Christmas disease, platelet disorders or disseminated intravascular coagulation
  • Examine for petechial body rash (pinhead size red - purple rash) which is common in any disorder that might cause thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets), platelet dysfunction or vasculitis.

See full list of 21 diagnostic tests for Purple skin

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Purple skin. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you noticed the purple skin? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• Is the skin truly purple? - A purple or blue-purple skin coloring is sometimes described as blueness or redness, and some conditions causing purple coloring may also be listed under blueness, cyanosis, redness, hyperpigmentation or dark skin. See cyanosis.
• Is the purple skin color localized or generalized?
• If localized purple discoloration to skin, what areas of the body are affected? - may assist in diagnosis e.g. reddish purple flush around the eyes associated with swelling is characteristic of dermatomyositis.
• Was the purple skin present at birth? - suggests port wine stain or strawberry nevus.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Purple skin (22 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Purple skin) may include:

• Blue tongue? - may indicate central cyanosis which is due to a lack of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood vessels and thus may indicate high altitude, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary embolism, cyanotic congenital heart disease, polycythaemia or hemoglobin abnormalities. Any cause of central cyanosis can also cause peripheral cyanosis and thus blue skin.
• Blue peripheries? - may indicate exposure to cold, left ventricular failure, shock, arterial obstruction, venous obstruction or any of the causes of central cyanosis.
• Symptoms of sarcoidosis? - e.g. shortness of breath, cough, tiredness, skin symptoms occur in 10% of cases and may include purple or brown plaques or nodules on face, nose, ears and neck in chronic sarcoidosis.
• Symptoms of dermatomyositis? - e.g. muscle weakness, muscle tenderness, muscle pain, purple colored rash on face (especially on the eyelids, upper cheeks and forehead), swelling round the eyes, red rashes, pain in joints, Raynaud's phenomenon, difficulty swallowing, fever, weight loss, tiredness.
• Symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma associated with AIDS? - e.g. mildly elevated pink, purple or red spots or patches on the skin that may be round or oval appearing first on the upper body or in the mouth. They are associated with lymph node enlargement.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Purple skin (22 listings)

Stories from Users for Purple skin

Real-life user stories relating to Purple skin:

• Purple skin
• seeing purple
• purple skin on spine
• Utral Violet Light Therapy
• purple patches

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Purple skin or relevant symptoms:

• Integumentary (Skin) (244)
  • Itchy red bumps all over body? Hives?
  • Sensitive Skin to Touch
  • Painful skin and no answers!!!
  • Pinprick red dots, itchy skin, wrongly diagnosed
  • Skin blisters, joint & muscle pain, Photos..
  • More user stories
• Hematologic/Lymphatic (Blood and Lymph) (106)
  • High platelet count
  • Extreme neck pain, swollen lymph node -help
  • Swollen lymph nodes in groin
  • Nipple Discharge
  • Swollen Lymph Node for 2 1/2 months
  • More user stories

Videos for Purple skin

Patient Surveys for Purple skin

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about diseases related to your Purple skin
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Organs affected by Purple skin:

The list of organs typically affected by Purple skin may include, but is not limited to:

• Skin

Detailed list of causes of Purple skin

The list below shows some of the causes of Purple skin mentioned in various sources:

• Birthmark
• Blue veins
• Bruise
• Bulging veins
• Cyanosis - see also blue skin

See full list of 16 causes of Purple skin

How Common are these Causes of Purple skin?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Purple skin. Of the 16 causes of Purple skin that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 0 causes are "very common" diseases
• 0 causes are "common" diseases
• 0 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 3 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 12 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 16 causes of Purple skin

Conditions listing symptoms: Purple skin:

The following list of conditions have 'Purple skin' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Purple skin?

Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Purple skin, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :

• General practitioner
• Emergency physician
• Dermatologist

Classifications of Purple skin:

Medical Conditions associated with Purple skin:

Dark skin (74 causes), Blue skin (182 causes), Cyanosis (182 causes), Skin symptoms (1818 causes), Skin problems (1667 causes), Skin color changes (700 causes)

Symptoms related to Purple skin:

Blueness (182 causes), Cyanosis (182 causes), Redness (188 causes), Dark skin (74 causes), Hyperpigmentation (23 causes)

Purple skin as a disease:

You may also want to research other Diseases in our Disease Center.

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