Dermatographia in Oral Cavity Unveiled: ACase Study

• Dr Fatima Injela Khan,*  
• Dr Ashish Aggarwal,  
• Dr. Nitin Upadhyay,  
• Sowmya Gujjar Vishnu Rao,  
• Dr. Navendra Jha

Abstract

Dermatographia is a form of physical urticaria, quite uncommon in oral cavity characterized by elevated skin following localized erythema, oedema, and a flare-up reaction around it. It is usually induced by any blunt object or minor trauma and usually does not affect the routine life of the patient. Here we present a case report of a 20 year old male with the chief complaint of elevation on skin from a blunt object. On his physical examination with the consent of the patient we induced the condition in the department by asking the patient to write the letter ‘D’ on his flexural arm using the blunt end of the pen. After 5 min, the elevations on his skin began to appear which raised drastically with time. It remained on the skin for about an hour and then fainted on it’s own over time. During intraoral examination we also induced similar strokes on his buccal mucosa and surprisingly a linear elevation was produced along the line of blunt pen which was reddish in colou. No treatment was provided as the condition did not affect the quality life of the patient. Pharmacological therapy may include oral antihistamines, such as cetirizine or loratadine, to alleviate pruritus and reduce the frequency of wheal formation. Topical corticosteroids, such as triamcinolone acetonide or betamethasone, can be applied to affected sites for localized anti-inflammatory effects. In Ayurveda, the use of internal Ayurvedic medicines like, ‘Aragwadha amritadi kashaya’, ‘Ayaskriti’, ‘Varanadi kashaya’ and ‘Dashamoola hareetaki’ are recommended along with dietary restrictions and life style changes.

Keywords

Dermatographia, Dermatographism, Urticaria, Dermatographometer