Ash-leaf spots

System: Skin & Nail Signs · All skin & nail signs

What it is — and how it is elicited

Oval, pale white patches of skin, shaped like an ash leaf, often present from birth or early childhood and easier to see under ultraviolet (Wood's) light.

What a positive finding suggests

Associated with tuberous sclerosis complex.

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Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.