What symptoms can palmar erythema (liver palms) present with?
Generally, the main symptoms of liver palms include redness of the palm skin, spots and patches, subungual hemorrhagic points, skin itching, and reduced skin elasticity. The specific analysis is as follows:
1. Redness of the palm skin
In patients with liver palms, the skin of the palm, especially the thenar and hypothenar eminences, becomes noticeably reddened. This is caused by impaired liver function, which leads to elevated estrogen levels in the body, thereby stimulating persistent dilation of the capillary arteries and blood vessels in the palm area.
2. Spots and patches
Patients with liver palms may develop red spots or patches on the skin of the thenar and hypothenar eminences. These spots are typically caused by estrogen imbalances due to liver disease, which lead to congestion and rupture of capillaries.
3. Subungual hemorrhagic points
Hemorrhagic points may sometimes appear under the fingernails of patients with liver palms. This may be due to liver disease affecting the synthesis of coagulation factors, leading to coagulation dysfunction and resulting in bright red hemorrhagic points beneath the nail beds.
4. Skin itching
Patients with liver palms may experience itching of the palm skin. This is caused by bile stasis due to liver disease, with bile salts and other components in the bile irritating the skin nerve endings.
5. Reduced skin elasticity
The palm skin of patients with liver palms may lose elasticity and become relatively loose. This may be due to abnormal protein metabolism caused by liver disease, resulting in a reduction of protein components such as collagen in the skin.
Maintaining healthy lifestyle and dietary habits is important, including quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding staying up late, ensuring adequate sleep, and maintaining a balanced diet. Additionally, exposure to harmful substances such as certain medications, chemicals, and toxins should be avoided. These measures help maintain liver health and reduce the risk of liver disease.