Urticaria Pigmentosa - Symptoms & Treatment

Urticaria pigmentosa is an infrequent rash that generally affects the neck, arms, legs and trunk of children and young adults. Urticaria pigmentosa is one of several forms of mastocytosis, which is caused by extreme numbers of seditious cells (mast cells) in the skin. Other forms include solitary mastocytoma (a single lesion) and systemic mastocytosis (contribution in organs other than the skin). Urticaria Pigmentosa is described by extreme amounts of mast cells in the skin. Red or brown spots are frequently seen on the skin, usually around the chest and forehead. Urticaria pigmentosa is usually gentle and is usually self-limited. The accurate reason of the disease is not known, while some cases may be inherited.

The disease is most repeatedly diagnosed as an infant, when parents take their baby in for what appears to be bug bites. The bug bites are in fact the clusters of mast cells. Doctors can substantiate the occurrence of mast cells by rubbing the baby's skin. Symptoms generally reduce in the remaining patients as they grow up into adulthood. Patients among urticaria pigmentosa should evade aspirin, codeine, opiates, procaine, alcohol, polymyxin B, hot baths, and energetic rubbing after bathing and showering. These can liberate histamine which can reason itching, flushing and hives. There are no stable cures for urticaria pigmentosa. However, treatments are achievable.

Causes of Urticaria pigmentosa

The spots in urticaria pigmentosa enclose a large number of mast cells (cells are the bodies building blocks). Mast cells are immune cells (cells that fight infection) that subsist in the skin. Mast cells make a substance known as histamine. Histamine induced hives, itching, and flushing. Urticaria pigmentosa is usually seen in children, but it can arise in adults also. Friction of a lesion produces a rapid wheal (a hive-like bump). Younger children may expand a fluid-filled blister over a lesion if it is injured.

Symptoms of Urticaria pigmentosa

The possible symptoms of Urticaria pigmentosa includes:

• Emergence of brownish lesions on skin.
• Facial flushing.
• Headache.
• Blister development over lesion when it is rubbed.
• Rapid heart rate.

Treatments of Urticaria pigmentosa

Some most common treatment for Urticaria pigmentosa are as follows:

• Disodium cromoglycate may be useful in several cases.
• Antihistamines may lessen some of the histamine-induced symptoms for instance itching and flushing. Discuss the preference of antihistamine with your child's health care provider.
• Oral ketotifen may be obliging in several patients, as is PUVA therapy.
• Oral nifedipine can decrease the flushing seen in some patients with systemic mastocytosis.