Skin diagnostics: how to recognize the disease

Can heart or liver disease affect the appearance of the skin? As a rule, yes, because your body is an interconnected system of organs that interact with each other. There are many diseases whose symptoms are changes in the skin. For example, if the hands become bluish, it may be an embolism or shock. Spots on the abdomen sometimes indicate diseases of the pancreas. Appeared “banal acne”? This may be one of the signs of a serious bowel disease. In a word, the skin is an indicator of health, so you should take a closer look at it and understand what the skin warns us about.

What is skin

The skin consists of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue. On the body of an adult male, there can be up to 2 square meters of skin, which weighs about 4 kilograms. It maintains and maintains a stable body temperature, performs secretory and immunological functions, and is also involved in the metabolism of certain nutrients.

There are many dermatological diseases that cause changes in the appearance of the skin. But sometimes, according to its condition, diseases of the internal organs can be diagnosed.

To ensure a healthy appearance of the skin, the endocrine, circulatory, nervous and digestive systems, especially the stomach, liver and intestines, must function normally in the body. In addition, the state of our outer shell significantly depends on nutrition, the consumption of a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements.

Violation of the functions of any of the above systems affects the appearance of the skin: it can change color, become dry or, conversely, sweat a lot, become covered with spots or acne. The outstanding scientist surgeon and anatomist Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov developed an atlas of topographic anatomy, in which he described various conditions of human skin. Based on this guide, it is possible to identify several dozen diseases today.

Changes in skin color due to diseases

yellowish

Yellowing of the skin is a signal that should not be ignored. As a rule, a symptom indicates a violation of the function of the liver or gallbladder.

The skin, and with it the sclera of the eyes, turn yellow with a pathological increase in the concentration of the bile pigment bilirubin. If the level of bilirubin in the blood exceeds 25 mg / dL, the skin takes on a pronounced yellow tint. The degree of yellowness may vary, depending on the pathology. For example, in hemolytic jaundice, the epidermis may turn pale yellow or lemon. A greenish-yellow hue appears when bile stagnates in the bile ducts. Pronounced yellow may indicate parenchymal jaundice, and with cirrhosis, the skin may become dark yellow with a brownish tint. Yellowing can also be a symptom of liver damage due to poisoning, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, or a malignant tumor.

Wax-yellow skin of the face, combined with a suspiciously bright blush, may indicate tuberculosis. In addition, an unnaturally yellow hue of the skin can also appear due to excessive consumption of beta-carotene. And spots of a yellow-brown hue are usually characteristic of women during pregnancy or against the background of the use of oral contraceptives. Sometimes such spots, especially on the skin of the face, can appear under the influence of the sun, cosmetics or certain medications. Another cause of spots on the face (from dark yellow to brown-brown) is chloasma, as a result of excessive production of melanin pigment.

bluish

Blueness on the body in most cases is a sign of a violation of blood circulation. Many of us have probably observed a slight blue in our hands after hypothermia. When hypothermia, the vessels narrow, less blood circulates through them, which reduces the supply of oxygen to the tissues and the skin turns slightly blue. Such cyanosis disappears with the resumption of normal blood flow.

If there are no signs of hypothermia, and the skin still turns blue, this is a serious reason to see a doctor.

In medicine, the bluish color of the skin and mucous membranes is called cyanosis. Cyanosis occurs when oxygen-depleted blood that is bluish instead of red circulates through the skin. Cyanosis can result from many severe lung or heart conditions that cause a decrease in oxygen levels in the blood.

If cyanosis is noticeable in the area of ​​​​the nasolabial triangle (especially when a person is nervous, overexerted) or his tongue and lips turn blue, this may indicate problems with the lungs. Blue skin of the hands or feet, a purple tint under the nails should also not be underestimated, as sometimes this is also a sign of cardiovascular disorders.

Red

Redness of the face is usually due to the dilation of capillaries, which can be caused by various reasons. The most common is high blood pressure. For many people, the face becomes red (sometimes purple) at the moment of a strong emotional shock. In some cases, the skin may not completely redden, but become covered with spots. Doctors call this condition erythema. It usually accompanies an allergic reaction or tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease). If a red spot covers the nose and cheeks, resembling a butterfly in shape, this is usually regarded as an autoimmune disorder in the body (most often a sign of lupus). But red spots on the hands and soles of the feet may indicate cirrhosis of the liver.

Pale, grayish

Pale or greyish skin may indicate anemia caused by a lack of iron or vitamin B12. The exception is people whose skin is very pale in nature from birth. If a person’s face is too pale, and veins are visible in the temples and on the forehead, this is also a characteristic sign of anemia.

What do the spots tell

If dark circles appear under the eyes, it is necessary to conduct a laboratory study of blood and urine. Sometimes this can be a signal of impaired kidney function. The sudden appearance of age spots on the neck against the background of an increase in the level of cortisol in the blood may indicate a malfunction of the adrenal glands. And if clear spots are not visible, and pigmentation creates the illusion of a dirty neck, then this may be a sign of gallbladder disease or the presence of parasites in the intestines.

Many recognize pancreatitis by epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting. But there are other symptoms that appear on the skin. In particular, the navel area may acquire a pale blue tint, and bruises appear on the abdomen.

If brown spots began to appear on the body, especially on the eyelids and in the corners of the eyes, endocrine disorders can be suspected.

Dangerous changes on the lips

Many believe that cracks in the corners of the mouth are a disease of unwashed hands. But in fact, cracks in the corners of the mouth can be a signal of more dangerous health problems. For example, they often indicate a chronic deficiency in the body of vitamins A, B and E. In addition, seizures can appear against the background of intoxication, as well as in smokers.

Constantly bitten lips indicate neurosis, and dry, chapped lips indicate dehydration, digestive system malfunctions, or vitamin A deficiency. In addition, it is important to pay attention to lip color. With anemia or chronic inflammation, the lips can be very pale, but with a rich red outline. With asthma or other chronic lung diseases, the lips become bluish.

What does itchy skin indicate?

Why does the skin itch? There can be a lot of answers to this question, and itching is not always a sign of a dermatological disease. For example, quite often the skin itches in the presence of diabetes. Itching of varying degrees and in different parts of the body may indicate uremia or excessive accumulation of bile acids in the blood. “Liver” itching is usually aggravated by heat, and taking a cold bath, on the contrary, alleviates the condition.

Itchy skin can also indicate anemia or hormonal disorders, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (malfunctioning of the thyroid gland). Sometimes itching appears on the background of taking certain medications, for example, those containing codeine or morphine. There is also the so-called neurological itch that occurs against the background of panic and stress, but sometimes it can indicate more serious disorders in the functioning of the brain or spinal cord.

Constant and very severe itching (in medicine, this condition is called pruritis) often accompanies cancer and, sometimes, severe itching can signal the development of a malignant tumor long before the disease receives clinical confirmation.

Pimples, warts and spider veins

Even, it would seem, such a “harmless” change on the skin as urticaria can be a signal of a rather serious disorder. In most cases, a red, itchy rash is a typical sign of an allergy, but sometimes a rash can indicate the development of a serious dermatological disease.

An alarm signal is the sudden formation of seborrheic (senile) warts. Often this indicates the development of paraneoplastic syndrome (a non-oncological disease that occurs under the influence of a malignant process). Different types of growths and spots on the skin can appear due to malignant degeneration of cells.

Spider veins on the cheeks, nose, or abdomen may indicate abnormal liver function. The constant presence of acne on the forehead and temples is a signal that there are problems with the functioning of the gallbladder or pancreas. If acne appears in the décolleté area, it is necessary to examine the intestines and organs of the reproductive system.

Temperature and appearance of the skin

Considering the condition of the skin during the diagnosis, one should pay attention to its temperature. In particular, unnaturally warm or cold skin can indicate endocrine disorders. For example, too pale and cold skin often occurs in people with reduced thyroid activity.

If the epidermis is very dry and rough, this may also indicate problems in the endocrine system. Most often, these symptoms appear with hypothyroidism (decreased activity of the thyroid gland). On the contrary, hot, smooth, pale pink and almost always moist skin can be a signal of excessive thyroid activity.

Diseases and symptoms on the skin

liver disease

Liver disease on the skin manifests itself in different ways. Some changes may occur only with cirrhosis, others with inflammation or metabolic disorders. The most well-known sign that we have already mentioned is yellowing. Itching of the skin is also a common symptom of diseases of the liver and bile ducts. It can be of varying intensity with accompanying discomfort. In most cases, with violations of the liver, itching spreads to the hands and feet.

Another sign of liver disease is erythema (severe redness) of the palms and the inside of the hands. This symptom occurs in 75% of people with cirrhosis. However, a similar redness can occur with hyperthyroidism, rheumatism, tuberculosis, collagenosis (connective tissue disease), malignant tumors. Sometimes spots of this type appear in pregnant women. It is possible to recognize violations of the liver by the condition of the hairline on the body. For example, with chronic liver disease, complete loss of hair on the forearms, armpits and pubic area is possible.

Cardiovascular disease and circulatory disorders

Changes in the skin and mucous membranes often occur against the background of cardiovascular diseases. For example, a purple-blue color of the cover may indicate the presence of a congenital or acquired heart disease. Blueness in this case is the result of insufficient oxygenation of the blood.

Dark red color of the skin on the face, arms, legs and earlobes can be a symptom of polycythemia vera or secondary – diseases caused by excessive production of the hormone erythropoietin with increasing erythrocytosis, an increase in circulating blood volume, thrombocytosis, enlargement of the spleen and liver. In addition, erythema on the hands may indicate congestive heart failure.

Spots with a brown tint on the skin may indicate the accumulation of excess iron in the heart muscle, which leads to the development of cardiomyopathy.

With an excessive concentration of cholesterol in the blood, which is known to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, small yellow bumps can appear on the body, resembling acne. The appearance of red or blue ecchymosis (bruises, hemorrhages) sometimes indicates infective endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart). In this case, ecchymoses have a specific shape – they resemble small spikes and often appear under the nails.

In case of very pale dry skin with trophic changes (hyperpigmentation, hardening, eczema), it is also necessary to undergo a medical examination. Sometimes these symptoms signal a violation of venous circulation with a characteristic pattern on the surface of the skin. At the initial stage of the disorder, small blood vessels are visible. Over time, they expand and bulge strongly, and the skin in the areas of vein expansion becomes hyperemic.

Diseases of the thyroid gland

Hyperthyroidism develops with excessive secretion of thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland, which leads to metabolic and other functional systemic disorders. Hyperthyroidism is characterized by very tender, hot, constantly moist skin due to excess sweating. In addition, urticaria is possible, resulting from minor mechanical damage to the skin. If you run your finger over the body and the trace after that does not disappear for a long time, this can also be regarded as one of the signs of hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism develops when the thyroid gland produces very little hormone. The disease is manifested by various symptoms, including on the skin. In people with hypothyroidism, the skin tends to be pale, often cold, and flaky (especially on the knees and elbows). In addition, in the area of ​​the elbows and knees, the skin is often darker, which creates the visual effect of dirt.

Hashimoto’s disease or autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s goiter. This is a rather severe and difficult to treat disease. The presence of vitiligo (white spots on the skin), keratosis (keratinization of certain areas of the skin), focal alopecia (local alopecia) in a person gives reason to suspect this particular disease in him.

Primary hypoparathyroidism. This disease is also indicated by the condition of the skin. It becomes dry, rather rough and prone to keratosis. Nails against the background of the disease grow dull, covered with transverse furrows.

Diabetes

People with diabetes have hypersensitive skin and are much thinner than healthy people. The cause of hypersensitivity is called vascular changes that occur in the body of a diabetic. On the face of such patients, one can often observe the so-called diabetic blush caused by vascular disorders. In addition, with diabetes, white spots can appear on the body, as with vitiligo, the skin often itches (due to extreme dryness caused by insufficient production of sweat and subcutaneous fat), and wounds on it do not heal well.

Rheumatological diseases

In rheumatic diseases, changes in the skin are rare, but they are also possible. For example, in people with rheumatoid arthritis, the skin around the joints becomes red and hot. Lupus erythematosus is recognized by redness of the cheeks and nose. In addition, in people with rheumatoid diseases, the skin is very sensitive to sunlight.

Hormonal disorders

If the level of female hormones in the body goes beyond the normal range, this also affects the skin, in particular, hyperpigmentation is observed on the body. This often happens in pregnant women. In addition, pigmentation on the skin of the face can be a symptom of some autoimmune or gastric diseases associated with metabolic disorders or beriberi.

The condition of the skin can tell a lot about a person’s health. To do this, it is important to learn to recognize the signals sent by the body and respond to them in time. Be attentive to yourself, and then you will be able to avoid most health troubles.

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