dermatographia

Also der·ma·tog·ra·phism

[der-mat-uh-graf-ee-uh, dur-muh-tuh-]

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. a condition in which touching or lightly scratching the skin causes raised, reddish marks.

Other Word Forms

• dermatographic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dermatographia¹

From New Latin, dating back to 1850–55; dermato-, -graphy

Example Sentences

I do have a condition called dermatographia, or “skin writing,” where even fairly light scratches on my skin will rise up as wheals, like someone wrote on me with red marker.

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Under these circumstances dermatographia is a common manifestation.

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Her skin is so hypersensitive — a condition called dermatographia — that if her skin is scratched or brushed, hives are raised within minutes because of the amount of histamine her system releases.

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On the physical side, there were marked dermatographia and, for a time, towards the end of the period, profuse sweating.

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Flushing or dermatographia occurred in six cases, cold or blue extremities in four cases, greasy skin in four, marked sweating in three, the hair fell out in two cases, while the skin was pathologically dry in one case, in fact there were few patients who showed normal skin function.

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