Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Darier's sign
Introduction
Darier’s sign is a change observed after stroking the skin of a person with systemic mastocytosis or urticaria pigmentosa. In general, the skin becomes swollen, itchy and red. This is a result of compression of mast cells, which are hyperactive in these diseases. These mast cells release inflammatory granules which contain histamine. It is the histamine which is responsible for the response seen after rubbing the skin.
Darier’s sign is named after the French dermatologist Ferdinand-Jean Darier who first described it.