- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Livedo reticularis: What causes it?
What causes livedo reticularis? Can it be a sign of an underlying disorder?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Livedo reticularis is a vascular condition characterized by a purplish mottled discoloration of the skin, usually on the legs. This discoloration is described as lacy or net-like in appearance. Livedo reticularis can be a normal condition that causes no symptoms and needs no treatment. But it can also be associated with serious underlying disorders, such as lupus, anti-phospholipid syndrome or Sneddon's syndrome. In addition, livedo reticularis may occur as a side effect of certain medications, such as hydroxyurea.
Livedo reticularis may be aggravated by cold exposure. If livedo reticularis is accompanied by pain or discomfort or if ulcers develop in the affected skin, further evaluation may be required. When necessary, treatment depends on the underlying cause, if known, and the severity of symptoms.
- Skin signs of immune, autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=751534. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- Hellmann DB, et al. Musculoskeletal & immunologic disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=10083. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- Chabner BA, et al. Antineoplastic agents. In: Brunton LL, et al. Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 11th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=957513. Accessed April 13, 2009.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 13, 2009.
