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What Is This Reticulated, Erythematous Eruption on a Woman’s Buttocks?

  • AUTHORS:
    Iris Hunt, MS1 • Christina T. Hanos, BS2 • Tara Paolini, MD3 • Thomas N. Helm, MD3

    AFFILIATIONS:
    1Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
    2Albany Medical College, Albany, New York
    3Jacobs School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York

    CITATION:
    Hunt I, Hanos CT, Paolini T, Helm TN. What is this reticulated, erythematous eruption on a woman’s buttocks? Consultant. 2022;62(12):e4. doi:10.25270/con.2022.01.00004

    Received September 3, 2021. Accepted September 24, 2021. Published online January 21, 2022.

    DISCLOSURES:
    The authors report no relevant financial relationships.

    CORRESPONDENCE:
    Iris Hunt, MS, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 (ihunt@lsuhsc.edu)


     

    A 44-year-old woman presented to our clinic with gradually developing skin lesions on her buttocks. She reported that the areas would occasionally become sensitive, irritated, and eroded, with the condition worsening over the last few years (Figure).

    Figure. The skin lesion on our patient’s buttocks would occasionally become sensitive, irritated, and eroded.
     

    The patient had a history of chronic pain secondary to peripheral neuropathy in her left gluteal region, which was relieved with frequent use of a heating pad. Biopsy of the tissue revealed an atrophic epidermis, keratinocyte atypia, and melanophages; there was no evidence of inflammation of the blood vessel walls.

     

     

    Answer and discussion on next page.