Palmar erythemais a skin condition in which the palms of the hands develop a red rash.
The rash is usually not itchy or painful.
Palmar erythema may occur on its own, or it may occur secondarily to a more serious underlying disease.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
It is not harmful by itself, although it may be a warning sign of an underlying condition.
In this article, learn more about palmar erythema and its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
The exact reason this happens is not well-known, and may differ from case to case.
This is callederythema palmare hereditariumand sometimes referred to as Lane’s disease.
To date there is relatively little research published on Lane’s disease.
It is believed to be genetic, but the exact pattern of inheritance has not yet been discovered.
Secondary Cause
It is more common for palmar erythema to occur secondarily to an underlying medical condition.
The redness is usually not evenly distributed.
In most cases, there are no other symptoms.
The red area is typically not painful, itchy, irritated, or hot.
Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider can look at your palms and suspect palmar erythema.
Differential diagnosisof palmar erythema should be performed.
This is the process in which a diagnosis is confirmed by ruling out other possible explanations.
Treatment
There is no treatment specifically for palmar erythema.
On its own, palmar erythema is benign, meaning it is not harmful to you.
However, there is no guarantee that palmar erythema will resolve with treatment for your underlying condition.
You should discuss any concerns about this with your healthcare team.
Summary
Palmar erythema triggers when the palms develop a reddish rash that is not painful or itchy.
It can occur on its own, although this is rare.
Treatment involves resolving the underlying condition.
It might be that you have hereditary palmar erythema and there is nothing to worry about.
Or, this might be a warning sign of a more serious condition.
For some people, palmar erythema may go away as their underlying condition resolves.
For example, palmar erythema that developed during pregnancy typically goes away postpartum.
Langenauer J.Erythema palmare hereditarium (red palms, Lanes disease).Case Rep Dermatol.
2014;6(3):245-247. doi:10.1159/000368822
Maekawa M.Palmar erythema as a sign of cancer.CCJM.
2021;67(1):fmab011.
doi:10.1093/tropej/fmab011
Panambur B, Kakkilaya SB.Palmar erythema as the sole manifestation of covid-19.Cureus.
2020;12(11).
