Erythema perstans faciei L53.83

Defined here as a descriptive clinical symptom (not a confessing disease) for:

• harmless, symmetrically arranged, saturated red, permanently or intermittently persisting, usually symmetrical facial erythema (possibly associated with bilateral swellings) as an expression of an "inflammation-induced or vegetative irritation". So-called Typus rusticanus!
• The appearance is often associated with keratosis pilaris or is a partial symptom of a generalized keratosis pilaris syndrome.

Already appearing in adolescent age.

w > m

Frequent occurrence (in association with keratosis pilaris) in the so-called type rusticanus.

Chronic, asymptomatic (or asymptomatic; possibly slight feeling of tension), blurred, symmetrical, homogeneous redness (possibly with swelling) of the lateral cheeks as well as centrofacial parts of the face with sharp exclusion of the perioral region. Dry skin, possibly also slightly scaling.

Often combined with keratosis pilaris and ulerythema ophryogenes as partial symptoms of the keratosis pilaris syndrome.

Causal therapy not known. Facial care with mild creams.

Harmless, possibly cosmetically disturbing clinical picture. Regression in middle and old age.

The term "erythema perstans" is used differently in international literature, including as a synonym for erythema anulare centrifugum .

Other authors refer to an erythematous form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus as erythema perstans faciei (J. Jadassohn: "very conspicuous is - occurring very early - an erysipelas-like, but more bluish, sharply defined symmetrical redness, usually only on the face, which occasionally spreads like scarlet fever, but also covers itself with vesicles and crusts and, in contrast to erysipelas, can persist for a very long time").

The term "erythema perstans" can also be found in the term"erythema dyschromicum perstans", which, however, describes a completely different clinical picture.

1. Jadassohn J (1938) Dermatology. Publishing house for medicine, Weidmann &Co. Vienna, Bern 1938 p.633
2. Kazandjieva J et al (2014) The red face revisited: connective tissue disorders. Clin Dermatol 32:153-158