Erythema of the palms
It is redness in the palm of the hands, but the sign itself is not as common as one would think. It is different from a diffuse reddening we often see as a result of blood circulation. Palmar erythema looks like rubella in the hands or a similar viral rash, except that the skin becomes red when you press the area. The hands often adopt a warm temperature, and matching color and configuration may appear in the sole of the feet.
This is a suggestive sign of liver problems, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or complications, especially cirrhosis. It may also appear in alcoholic individuals or due to skin and hormonal conditions utterly different from hepatitis virus infection. Thus, it is imperative to consider this sign as an alert that something is going on instead of the ultimate diagnostic symptom of hepatitis C. It is essential to run a series of exams to know what is happening, and your doctor may need to perform a complete physical exam as a part of the diagnosis.
