Dermatographism

Excerpt

Dermatographism, also known as Dermographism urticaria, or urticaria factitia, is an urticarial eruption upon pressure or trauma to the skin. Urticarial skin reactions present as erythematous wheals in the dermis and can have innumerable causes. Dermatographism is the most common type of inducible/physical urticaria, occurring in approximately 2% to 5% of the population. Downward pressure on the skin produces linear erythematous wheals in the dermis in the shape of the external force applied, earning the name dermatographism, which literally means "writing on the skin." A small subset of people with dermatographism becomes symptomatic with pruritus, stinging, prickling sensations that can be bothersome for the patient.