Darier's sign

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

What it is — and how it is elicited

Rubbing a brownish spot on the skin makes it swell into a wheal and become itchy within a few minutes.

What a positive finding suggests

Associated with cutaneous mastocytosis (such as urticaria pigmentosa), where rubbing releases histamine from mast cells in the skin.

◈ Behind the name

Ferdinand-Jean Darier (1856–1938), French dermatologist.

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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.