Do your hands look like you’ve been touching hot stuff all the time? As early as the second month of pregnancy, the insides of your hands and the bottoms of your feet may itch and take on a darker or reddish hue.
This redness and itchiness of the palms is called palmar erythema. Rest assured: Though it might seem alarming, palmar erythema isn’t harmful to you or your baby.
What is palmar erythema?
Palmar erythema is a skin condition in which the palms of both hands (and sometimes the feet) develop a reddish or darker color. The skin in these areas might also itch. Palmar erythema may occur in about 30 to 70 percent of pregnant people.[1]
What causes palmar erythema during pregnancy?
As with many of the other strange pregnancy symptoms you might experience, you can blame palmar erythema on your hormones. An increase in the hormone estrogen along with increased blood volume (which causes more blood to flow to your palms) are the likely culprits.[2]
What does palmar erythema look like?
Palmar erythema can produce changes to the skin on your palms, fingers and sometimes the bottoms of the feet.
In people with lighter pigmented skin, palmar erythema may appear as red or pink patches, while people with darker pigmented skin may have dark patches in these areas.
How can you prevent palmar erythema during pregnancy?
There’s no way to prevent palmar erythema during pregnancy, but it’s best to stay away from potential irritants that could make symptoms worse.
Using harsh bar soaps or heavily-scented lotions, or frequent use of alcohol-containing hand sanitizer may exacerbate symptoms of palmar erythema. And activities that heat up your hands and feet or require you to put your hands in water frequently, like washing dishes, taking hot baths or gardening can also aggravate symptoms. Your best bet is to wear gloves when doing those activities.
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How can you treat palmar erythema during pregnancy?
While there is no specific treatment, the good news is palmar erythema is just another fluke of pregnancy that should disappear after you give birth.
In the meantime, some women find relief by soaking their hands and/or feet in cold water or holding an ice bag for a few minutes a couple of times a day.
When to talk to your doctor about palmar erythema
It’s a good idea to mention any itching of your palms and soles to your practitioner. Sometimes itchy hands and feet (along with other symptoms) can be related to cholestasis, a serious pregnancy condition.
If itching on your palms or bottoms of your feet becomes unbearable or if it (or the darker, redder skin patches) spread to other parts of your body, consult your practitioner or dermatologist about next steps. Your health care provider will be able to give you advice about what’s safe to use for itching during pregnancy and check to make sure nothing else is contributing to your symptoms.
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