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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Other than raised red lines, dermatographia often causes no problems. In some people, however, scratching or rubbing the skin may cause uncomfortable irritation.
Symptoms of dermatographia may include:
- Raised red lines
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- Hive-like welts
- Itching
Simple things can trigger symptoms of dermatographia. For example, rubbing from your clothes or bedsheets may irritate your skin. Cold, heat, pressure, sunlight and emotion also can trigger dermatographia.
You may notice symptoms of dermatographia within a few minutes of your skin being rubbed or scratched. The symptoms may last 30 minutes to a couple of hours, but typically fade within 15 minutes after the irritation to your skin ends. Rarely, dermatographia develops slowly and lasts several hours to several days and causes burning and pain.
