Peau d'orange

A dermatological sign characterized by thickened, dimpled, or pitted skin resembling the texture of an orange rind, caused by localized dermal edema, inflammation, or impaired lymphatic drainage leading to tethering of the skin surface.

Causes

• Malignancies causing lymphatic obstruction

  • Inflammatory breast cancer

  • Breast carcinoma with dermal lymphatic invasion

• Lymphatic causes

  • Post-surgical lymphedema due to axillary lymph-node removal

  • Radiation therapy-induced lymphatic damage

  • Chronic lymphatic obstruction

  • Primary or secondary lymphedema

• Inflammation and infection involving lymphatic structures

  • Mastitis

  • Breast abscess

  • Cellulitis

• Endocrine causes: Graves' dermopathy (pretibial myxedema)

• Trauma affecting lymphatic drainage