02-07-2025
5 Skin Changes That May Actually Be Heart Health Warnings
Though most of the time, an innocuous-seeming spot or bruise won't be anything to worry about, they can occasionally be a sign of something more serious.
And per the American Academy of Dermatology Association, sometimes skin changes like rashes, 'netting', and the appearance of lumps can reveal underlying heart issues, too.
The British Journal of Cardiology (BJC) said 'various cardiac disorders seen in general and acute medicine have dermatological manifestations that may provide critical clues to the underlying disease'.
Here are five signs of heart disease that may show up on your skin:
The NHS said that the 'net' this condition causes shows up as 'red or blue coloured blotches on white skin, and dark or brownish coloured blotches on black and brown skin'.
It often shows nothing more than that you're cold, or that your medication has caused the reaction, the AADA added.
But sometimes, it can reveal a condition called cholesterol embolisation syndrome. This happens when small arteries get blocked.
These are small cholesterol deposits that develop in the skin around the lower eye area and on the eyelid and typically appear as little, pale yellowish bumps.
They can be a sign you have familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition that means your liver can't process cholesterol properly.
The bumps are harmless in and of themselves, but they're linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
You can get a genetic test if you think you may have FH.
Named after medicine professor Theodore Caldwell Janeway, these can reveal infective endocarditis (an infection in your heart).
They are painless and may last for weeks, the BJC said.
Though they heal on their own, the heart condition will need to be treated.
These small, splinter-like, darker patches are sometimes a sign you've injured your nail.
They look like very short lines under your nail and may appear in groups.
If you don't remember hurting your nail, the AAD said, they may reveal heart conditions like endocarditis.
Though this can sometimes appear when you're cold, the NHS warned it can also be a sign that your body is not circulating oxygen to all the places it needs.
This may be down to poor circulation.
If it comes on suddenly and is accompanied by troubled breathing, chest pain, confusion, dizziness, or drowsiness, call 999 or go to A&E immediately.
If you suspect any heart health issues that are non-urgent, speak to your GP.
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