Very often, people wonder why palms turn red for no apparent reason. This fact can excite everyone. There are two types of redness: generalized (palms turn completely red) and partial (manifesting as single points). It is worth noting that red dots on the palms appear quite rarely and are a kind of moles, in contrast to the extensive redness, which serves as a sign of the appearance of a number of diseases.
In the case when the reddened palms do not itch and do not hurt, you should think, first of all, about palmar erythema. Such a disease can be absolutely safe and indicate that the body lacks vitamin B, but more often red palms appear with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, which people who abuse alcohol simply ignore. But liver disease is far from the only reason for the appearance of such a phenomenon. In addition to these conditions, red palms can appear in diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and in some cases even in cancer.
The appearance of painless and not detectable to the touch red spots on the palms may indicate a Janeway symptom (in addition to the palms, the heels also turn red). This condition manifests itself in infectious endocarditis, that is, inflammation of the inner heart membrane, which may well develop into such a formidable condition as heart failure, blood clots and, ultimately, lead to a stroke.
In some cases, there is an extensive red rash on the palms, accompanied by the appearance of flaky scales. Such skin changes may indicate fungal infections or psoriasis. In addition, flakes can indicate a disease such as reactive arthritis (Reiter's syndrome), in which joints become inflamed, most often in young people.
This type of skin lesion may also be characteristic of pustular psoriasis on the surface of the palms of the hands and feet, which appears as the body’s response to the intake of certain chemicals or medications (steroid hormones, penicillin, iodine, lithium). In addition, this condition may well be triggered by some infections or even severe emotional stress.
In the vast majority of cases, red palms can indicate pathological changes in the liver, so this symptom should not be ignored. In addition to redness of the palms, other symptoms of liver damage should also appear, such as insomnia, nausea, loss of appetite, and a change in the color indices of feces and urine. An ultrasound scan can reveal an increase in the liver, and biochemical blood tests will show abnormalities. Red palms appear at a fairly late stage of the disease, so this symptom is unlikely to be noticed in the first place. Redness of the skin is associated with a large amount of bilirubin circulating in the blood, which does not stay in the liver and has a toxic effect on the skin. Because of this, there are all kinds of zones of hypermia throughout the body, which itch and do not give a person peace.
As you can understand, redness of the palms very often indicates that it is time to consult a doctor. Even a harmless vitamin B deficiency at first glance can develop into a more serious condition, the same goes for the notorious stress, which acts as an excellent soil for the development of any pathological conditions. As for the more serious reasons, the red palms indicate the need to start treatment. That is why palms can be an excellent diagnostic sign, which should not be ignored in any case.