Mottled appearance on the skin after repeated heat radiation is called?

• A. Erythema dosage
• B. Erythema ad lib
• C. Erythema ab igne
• D. Erythema pigmentation

Answer: (C)

Repeated, prolonged heat exposure to the skin can cause a chronic, mottled reddish-brown pattern known as erythema ab igne. The name comes from Latin, meaning "redness from fire," reflecting its origin from heat sources like heating pads, hot water bottles, or open flames. The skin develops a reticulated, or net-like, appearance because continuous heat damages tiny blood vessels and pigment cells, leaving a persistent, mottled pattern even after the heat is removed. This term specifically describes that characteristic change from heat, which is why it’s the best fit for the description.

Other options don’t fit the pattern: one describes a hypothetical dose-related redness from irradiation or phototherapy, another isn’t a standard clinical term for this condition, and another refers to general pigment change rather than the distinctive heat-induced mottling.