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Dermographia

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dermographia [′dər·mə′graf·ē·ə]
(medicine)
A condition in which the skin is peculiarly susceptible to irritation, characterized by elevations or wheals with surrounding erythematous axon reflex flare, caused by tracing a fingernail or a blunt instrument over the skin.
Dermographia 

a reaction of the cutaneous blood vessels manifested by a red (dermographia rubra) or white (dermographia alba) line where the skin has been scratched.

Dermographia occurs in everyone. Dermographia alba appears during spasm; pronounced dermographia rubra, upon dilation of the capillaries in the irritated area. The appearance of dermographia rubra or alba also depends upon the amount of pressure with which the irritation is applied: dermographia alba appears five to 20 seconds after a light scratch; dermographia rubra, when greater pressure is applied. Dermographia is used to study the state of the autonomic nervous system, which innervates the blood vessels: the appearance of dermographia alba after either light or strong pressure indicates that sympathetic nervous tone is predominant; the appearance of dermographia rubra is indicative of the predominance of parasympathetic tone. In some cases (for example, in exhaustion) dermographia may not appear at all. Determination of the nature of the dermographia is important in the diagnosis of a number of diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems.
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Dermographia is when skin cells release histamine when the skin is scratched, much in the same way as an allergic reaction.
DR GARETH: I feel so low after my gym work-out by Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland)
MARIAH CAREY The warning signs were there back in 1998 when Mariah described having dermographia, a skin condition caused by stress.
Stars who've felt the pressure by The Mirror (London, England)
To be sure it is dermographia you will need to be properly diagnosed by your doctor.
DR GARETH by Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland)
 
 
 
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