What Pinpoint Blood Spots Tell Dermatologists
The Auspitz sign (a.k.a.
Its presence can often help doctors make a diagnosis.
This article will take you through the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of Auspitzs sign.
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It typically occurs in places where the skin has been scratched or abraded by clothing.
The clustered blood spots may be large or small depending on the area of skin involved.
If scratched intensely, there may even be crusted clots on the surface of the skin.
Causes of Auspitz Sign
The Auspitz sign is due to abnormal growth of skin cells known askeratinocytes.
If scales are removed prematurely, they can rupture the still-developing tissues along with the walls of the capillaries.
Diagnosis of Auspitz Sign
The Auspitz sign is diagnosed by visual inspection.
Other procedures are needed.
The skin scales will also appear lamellar (flat and like a fish scale).
Actinic Keratosis
The diagnosis of actinic keratosis is similar to that of psoriasis.
For this condition, the doctor will look for evidence of sun damage.
The skin scales will also be more horn-like rather than lamellar.
If no family history is found, a skin biopsy may be performed.
The scales would also have a characteristic carpet tack appearance similar to other follicular diseases.
Another tell-tale sign is the appearance of mucosal lesions.
Treatment of Auspitz Sign
The Auspitz sign is not treated, per se.
Rather, the aim is to prevent infection with warm soap and water and atopical antibiotic.
To fix the symptoms, you would need to fix the underlying disorder.
It is detected by visual inspection, and can often help diagnose the associated condition.
Auspitz sign is not treated, however, it will resolve with treatment of the underlying condition.
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