Heliotrope rash

What it means

In a heliotrope rash, the color of the skin turns to violet, which is the color of the heliotrope flower.

Heliotrope rash occurs during the initial phase of the idiopathic inflammatory myositis (particularly dermatomyositis). Heliotrope rash is a characteristic symptom of Dermatomyositis.

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

Also called: Heliotrope erythema