Health Conditions A-Z Rheumatic Conditions Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Rash By Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley is a writer with six years of experience creating personal essays, reported features, and content related to health and parenting topics. health's editorial guidelines Updated on April 21, 2024 Medically reviewed by Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD Medically reviewed by Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH, is a rheumatologist at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. She is board-certified in both rheumatology and internal medicine. learn more Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that attacks healthy tissue in the joints, leading to swelling and reduced mobility. Skin rashes are often associated with psoriatic arthritis, but one study found that 27.5% of people experienced RA skin rashes. Rheumatoid arthritis rashes range from purplish bruises with rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) to itchy patches of skin with neutrophilic dermatitis. Here's everything you need to know about RA-related rashes, treatment, and more. What Does a Rheumatoid Rash Look Like? RA rashes vary in presentation. A person with an RA rash may have: Nodules or plaques Painful, red rash (usually on the legs) Papules—cyst-like lesions on the skin Purple bruises This photo contains medical imagery. See Image DermNet DermNet Rheumatoid Vasculitis (RV) Around 2 to 5% of people diagnosed with RA will develop rheumatoid vasculitis (RV). The hallmark of this condition is inflamed blood vessels. Most often, the affected blood vessels are arteries that bring blood to the skin and nerves. RV presents as a painful red rash or purplish bruises. It can sometimes affect your internal organs as well. If you have symptoms of RV, you need to see a healthcare provider right away. Other Symptoms of RV Beyond a rash, people with rheumatoid vasculitis can also have other symptoms, including: Abdominal pain Chest pain Fatigue Fever Loss of appetite Muscle weakness Numbness Redness or sores around the nails Small pits on the fingertips Tingling Tissue death—necrosis—of the fingers or toes Weight loss Palmar Erythema More than 60% of people have palmar erythema (PE) along with rheumatoid arthritis. This type of rash looks like red splotches on your palms. Some people may experience some pain with palmar erythema. Rheumatoid Neutrophilic Dermatitis This rare skin manifestation—affecting less than 2% of people with RA—can produce red bumps, nodules, plaques, or itchy skin patches. It occurs more commonly in people with severe arthritis. Interstitial Granulomatous Dermatitis Another rare rash associated with RA is interstitial granulomatous dermatitis (IGD). Reddish plaques and discolored nodules or papules are signs of IGD. This rash appears on the truck and lower body areas and occasionally presents as a long cord-like welt, known as the rope sign. What Causes RA Rashes? RA rashes seem to have an inflammation component, which is an immune system response. For example, Juan J. Maya, MD, a rheumatologist at the Rheumatology Center of Palm Beach in Florida, told Health that RV is an immune reaction related to the heightened autoimmune state linked to RA. Possible Complications Among the different skin issues that can occur with RA, there are potential complications, such as: Heart attacks and strokes with RV Lesion reoccurrence with neutrophilic dermatitis Ruptures, skin infections, and ulcers with RA nodules Treatment Treatment options for RA rashes vary according to how severe the condition is. The primary treatments for RA include antirheumatic drugs, biologics, and corticosteroids. Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Treating RA as a whole can be beneficial for treating the skin rashes that appear. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are a first-line treatment for RA. Their role is to help with immune regulation and inflammation. Biologics These human-made, protein-based medications help calm the immune system. They can be an effective treatment option for RV. Corticosteroids In some cases, corticosteroids—or steroids for short—can be beneficial for RA rashes because they can promote reduced inflammation. Steroids may be a treatment for many of the rashes linked to RA, such as neutrophilic dermatitis, RV, and IGD. A Quick Review Although uncommon, rheumatoid arthritis can cause different rashes—including rheumatoid vasculitis (RV), palmar erythema (PE), neutrophilic dermatitis, and interstitial granulomatous dermatitis (IGD). It's suggested that these rashes can be the result of inflammation. It's best to seek care from a healthcare provider if you have rheumatoid arthritis and notice a rash on your body. RA rashes can come with complications but are treatable with options like steroids and biologics. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 11 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ziemer M, Müller A, Hein G, Oelzner P, Elsner P. Incidence and classification of cutaneous manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis. J Deutsche Derma Gesell. 2016;14(12):1237-1246. doi:10.1111/ddg.12680 Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Chicoş B. New insight into the rheumatoid vasculitis. Romanian Journal Of Internal Medicine. 2015;53(2):128-132. doi:10.1515/rjim-2015-0017 Habibullah T, Habibullah A, Simsim R. Skin manifestations of rheumatological diseases. In: Almoallim H, Cheikh M, eds. Skills in Rheumatology. Springer; 2021. Błażewicz I, Szczerkowska-Dobosz A, Pęksa R, Stawczyk-Macieja M, Barańska-Rybak W, Nowicki R. Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis: a characteristic histological pattern with variable clinical manifestations. pdia. 2015;6:475-477. doi:10.5114/pdia.2015.48060 Vasculitis Foundation. About rheumatoid vasculitis. American Academy of Dermatology. Considering palmar erythema requires memory (and lane). Lu J, Liu C, Zhou X, et al. Palmar erythema and palmar papules as predictors for dermatomyositis-related acute/subacute interstitial lung disease: a retrospective study. Rheumatology. 2021;61(1):413-421. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab177 Żuk G, Jaworecka K, Samotij D, Ostańska E, Reich A. Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis. Reumatologia. 2019;57(6):350-353. doi:10.5114/reum.2019.90363 Diaz MJ, Natarelli N, Wei A, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: diagnosis and treatment. J Pers Med. 2023;13(10):1479. doi:10.3390/jpm13101479 MedlinePlus. Immune response. CreakyJoints. Rheumatoid arthritis and skin problems: what you need to know.