What autoimmune disease causes mottled skin?

Author: Mr. Sherwood Erdman DVM  |  Last update: Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Autoimmune and connective tissue disorders that can lead to mottled skin include: Dermatomyositis. Fibromyalgia. Lupus.

Which of the following conditions would likely cause mottled skin?

Medical conditions: Certain conditions, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can lead to skin changes like mottling. Mottled skin might indicate serious medical conditions like sepsis. However, conditions this serious usually show signs and symptoms long before mottled skin shows up.

What connective tissue disorder mottled skin?

Livedo reticularis is thought to be due to spasms of the blood vessels or a problem of the blood flow near the skin surface. It makes the skin look mottled in sort of a net pattern with clear borders. The condition most often shows up on the legs. Sometimes livedo reticularis is simply the result of being chilled.

What autoimmune disease causes blotchy skin?

Lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of the body, including the skin. Lupus often causes a distinctive “butterfly” rash across the cheeks and nose. Other skin manifestations include red patches, lesions, and sensitivity to sunlight.

What medical conditions cause livedo reticularis?

Small, medium and large vessel vasculitis is associated with livedo racemosa.
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus.
  • Dermatomyositis.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Polyarteritis nodosa.
  • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
  • Temporal arteritis.
  • Sjögren syndrome.

Top 10 Signs of Autoimmune Diseases - A Rheumatologist's Guide

What is mottled skin an indicator of?

Mottled skin appears where blood flow near the skin's surface has changed. This change could be due to reduced levels of oxygen in the blood beneath the skin, spasms in the blood vessels, or alterations in blood circulation.

What neurological disorders cause livedo reticularis?

Neurological conditions

Conditions affecting peripheral nervous system functioning (nerves outside your brain and spinal cord) can cause livedo reticularis. These include: Complex regional pain syndrome. Multiple sclerosis (MS).

What autoimmune diseases cause mottled skin?

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune condition that affects the blood vessels. It can cause mottled skin to appear on your wrists or knees. Other signs or symptoms include: blood clots.

What does Sjögren's skin look like?

Dry skin that cracks and itches is common with Sjögren's. The lips are also frequently affected. In some people, Sjögren's is associated with skin rashes. These first appear most often as areas of dark blotches on the legs and feet that grow together.

What are the first warning signs of lupus?

The most common signs and symptoms include:
  • Fatigue.
  • Fever.
  • Joint pain, stiffness and swelling.
  • Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose or rashes elsewhere on the body.
  • Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure.

What neurological disorders cause mottled skin?

APS can be an underlying condition in people with Sneddon syndrome, a disorder in which abnormal clotting leads to neurological symptoms. This condition can also cause mottled skin. People who have APS also have an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis.

What is the skin texture of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?

Many people with the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes have soft, velvety skin that is highly stretchy (elastic) and fragile.

What are Raynaud's syndrome splotches?

The skin of the arms or legs may develop bluish blotches which goes away when the skin is warmed up. People with secondary Raynaud phenomenon are more likely to have pain or tingling in the fingers. Painful ulcers may form on the affected fingers if the attacks are severe.

How long does a person have after mottling starts?

Mottling is typically seen in the last week of life, although there is no exact timeline. It can occur in the final week or not until the final hours.

Can liver problems cause mottled skin?

The skin is a vital organ that can tell us a lot about our health. Changes in skin color or the development of spots can indicate liver damage and disease, even in the absence of other symptoms.

Can heart problems cause mottled skin?

Skin Color Changes

A lacy, mottled, purple pattern shows up when bits of built-up cholesterol plaques break off, then get stuck in small blood vessels. You might get bloody splotches just under the skin on the inside of your hands and the soles of your feet when you have endocarditis.

What are three signs of Sjögren's syndrome?

Common symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome include:
  • dry eyes.
  • a dry mouth.
  • aching muscles and joints.
  • extreme tiredness.

What does an autoimmune rash look like?

These rashes can appear as raised bumps, scaly patches, or blisters. Sensitivity to touch. Touching the affected area may elicit tenderness or discomfort. Spreading or changing shape.

What diseases can mimic Sjögren's?

DON'T BE FOOLED. Ultimately, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial in improving the quality of life of individuals with SS. Symptoms develop gradually and can mimic other conditions, including menopause, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What vitamin deficiency causes livedo reticularis?

In conclusion, it appears that pernicious anaemia can now be added to the list of the causes or associations linked to livedo rerticularis. Investigations to rule out vitamin B12 deficiency in cases of livedo reticularis and aphthous ulceration are warranted, as correction of the deficiency leads to a rapid cure.

What disease has blotchy skin?

Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.

What mimics livedo reticularis?

Erythema ab igne often resembles livedo reticularis which has a purple blue discolouration of the skin in a mesh shaped pattern. Unlike erythema ab igne, livedo reticularis does not present with hyperpigmentation (3). When erythema ab igne is suspected, disease history should be focused on exposure to heat sources.

What cancers cause livedo reticularis?

Neoplasias are uncommon causes of LR, and have been reported with multiple myeloma, lymphoma, leukaemia, renal cell carcinoma and metastatic breast carcinoma. The pathogenesis is not clear but could be due to obstruction in the venous plexus by the neoplastic process.

What is the Sneden syndrome?

Sneddon syndrome (SS) is a very rare genetic disorder that causes ischemic strokes in young adults. Although the condition is not yet completely understood, researchers believe it is connected to a change in the CECR1 gene, which helps produce an enzyme called adenosine deaminase 2.

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