Livedo reticularis

What it means

Livedo reticularis is characterized by the presence of a bluish purple, mottled or netlike pattern in unbroken circles on the skin. Exposure to cold environments usually intensifies the vascular pattern. Presumably, the condition results from slow or stagnant blood flow, vessel-wall pathology, and decreased oxygen tension.

The distinction to cutis marmorata is that the mottling does not resolve when the skin is warmed, and the discoloration is bluish purple rather than red. The Livedo reticularis lesion is more intense and is persistent.

Rare diseases that can present with this7

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