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Peau d'orange ( French for "orange peel skin" or, more literally, "skin of an orange") describes a phenomenon in which hair follicles become buried in edema, giving the skin an
orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
peel appearance. Peau d'orange can be caused by cutaneous lymphatic edema, which causes swelling. Parts of the edematous skin are tethered by hair follicles and sweat glands such that pinpoint pitting occurs within areas of swelling, leading to the characteristic appearance. Causes of peau d'orange include chronic processes such as
cellulite Cellulite is the herniation of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue that manifests as skin dimpling and nodularity, often on the pelvic region (specifically the buttocks), lower limbs, and abdomen. Cellulite occurs in most postpube ...
, infection,
pseudoxanthoma elasticum Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a genetic disease that causes mineralization of elastic fibers in some tissues. The most common problems arise in the skin and eyes, and later in blood vessels in the form of premature atherosclerosis. PXE is cau ...
,
inflammatory breast cancer Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. It can occur in women of any age (and, extremely rarely, in men, see male breast cancer). It is referred to as "inflammatory" due to its frequent presentation w ...
, and Graves' dermopathy. Peau d'orange on the breast should raise concerns of possible underlying
inflammatory breast cancer Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. It can occur in women of any age (and, extremely rarely, in men, see male breast cancer). It is referred to as "inflammatory" due to its frequent presentation w ...
, a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. Other examples of peau d'orange occur in the eye due to breaks in
Bruch's Membrane Bruch's membrane is the innermost layer of the choroid of the eye. It is also called the ''vitreous lamina'' or ''Membrane vitriae'', because of its glassy microscopic appearance. It is 2–4 μm thick. Layers Bruch's membrane consists of five l ...
called
angioid streaks Angioid streaks, also called Knapp streaks or Knapp striae, are small breaks in Bruch's membrane, an elastic tissue containing membrane of the retina that may become calcified and crack. Up to 50% of angioid streak cases are idiopathic. It may oc ...
, which are common in
pseudoxanthoma elasticum Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a genetic disease that causes mineralization of elastic fibers in some tissues. The most common problems arise in the skin and eyes, and later in blood vessels in the form of premature atherosclerosis. PXE is cau ...
, or in
elephantiasis Elephantiasis is the enlargement and hardening of limbs or body parts due to tissue swelling. It is characterised by edema, hypertrophy, and fibrosis of skin and subcutaneous tissues, due to obstruction of lymphatic vessels. It may affect the geni ...
caused by thread-like, microscopic parasitic worms (
filariasis Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms of the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feeding insects such as black flies and mosquitoes. They belong to the group of diseases called helminthiases. These ...
). Peau d'orange can also be used to describe the dermopathy seen in the
pretibial myxedema Pretibial myxedema (myxoedema in British English, also known as Graves' dermopathy, thyroid dermopathy, Jadassohn-Dösseker disease or myxoedema tuberosum) is an infiltrative dermopathy, resulting as a rare complication of Graves' disease, with a ...
of Graves' disease, in which the ankles and shins become swollen and red along with the characteristic orange peel texture.


References


External links


www.djo.harvard.edu

www.medicalnewstoday.com
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