# What causes mottled skin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 26, 2015, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383 "2015-12-26T11:39:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Poo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Poo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Poo)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383/1 "2015-12-26T11:39:58Z")

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Over the years it’s happened countless times, the skin on my arms and legs become mottled. I’m not wanting to self diagnose, but I am curious to what could potentially cause this.

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383/2 "2015-12-26T12:23:16Z")

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In general, multiple things, from vitiligo to fungal infections. Since it solves by itself it’s not vitiligo. [This page](http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/sym/mottled_skin.htm) has a very long lists of possible causes. You may want to see a dermatologist.

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**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383/3 "2015-12-26T16:03:51Z")

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My girl friend tells me that past use of birth control pills can cause this with exposure to sunlight. She hasn’t taken the pill for over 20 years but still gets the mottling on her arms. I really don’t know ust what she tells me on this.

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**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Poo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Poo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Poo)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383/4 "2015-12-29T02:51:08Z")

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> [@Nava](#):
>
> In general, multiple things, from vitiligo to fungal infections. Since it solves by itself it’s not vitiligo. [This page](http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/sym/mottled_skin.htm) has a very long lists of possible causes. You may want to see a dermatologist.

Ah wow, I don’t think I have the patience to go through it all. A trip to the doctors shouldn’t hurt I guess.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-mottled-skin/741383/5 "2015-12-29T02:56:30Z")

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Is this happening after exposure to the sun? I knew a guy who had uniform skin until he got a little to much sun. Some of his skin would tan a little while other spots would turn reddish like a burn. Afterwards his skin would seem mottled for quite a while until he got paler all over.