Erythema marginatum

What it means

An erythematous (pink-red, depending on the skin color of the affected individual) macule that spreads peripherally and coalesces to form polycyclic or serpentine patches or plaques. Lesions occur in crops over days to weeks and are evanescent. The rate of migration is 2 to 12 mm over a period of a few hours. Erythema marginatum tends to affect the trunk more than the extremities and to not be accompanied by pruritus.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category