Macular skin lesions. Mucous membrane peculiarities.
Macules are flat, nonpalpable lesions usually < 10 mm in diameter. Macules represent a change in color and are not raised or depressed compared to the skin surface. They are entirely flat and can only be appreciated by visual inspection; they cannot be seen from the side. A patch is a large macule. Areas of discoloration that are larger than or equal to 1 cm are referred to as patches.. Examples include freckles, flat moles, tattoos, and port-wine stains, and the rashes of rickettsial infections, rubella, measles (can also have papules and plaques), and some allergic drug eruptions.
A macule can be a variety of colors based on the cause. For example, macules can be moles (which are hyperpigmented, or darker, relative to the skin) or vitiligo lesions (which are hypopigmented or depigmented, or lighter, relative to the skin).
The term “rash” refers to a collection of new changes on the skin. Rashes can have macules, patches (flat spots at least 1 cm in size), papules (raised skin lesions less than 1 cm in size), plaques (raised skin lesions at least 1 cm in size), and more, depending on the type of rash. Macules can be caused by various conditions that affect the appearance of your skin, resulting in areas of discoloration. Conditions that are likely to cause macules are:
- I. VITILIGO - is a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches. It can affect the skin on any part of your body. It may also affect hair and the inside of the mouth. Normally, the color of hair and skin is determined by melanin. Vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning. Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin.
Vitiligo signs include:
- Patchy loss of skin color
- Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
- Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of your mouth and nose (mucous membranes)
- Loss of or change in color of the inner layer of the eyeball (retina)
Treatment includes Light therapy, topical steroids and surgery.