Word parts
What it means
Red skin from widened capillaries, seen with inflammation, infection, pressure, sunburn, rashes and allergic reactions. On darker skin, redness can be hard to see, so the area may look darker, purple or shiny, or feel warm or firm. Pressing on red skin shows whether it blanches (turns pale, then refills); redness that does not blanch over a bony area is a stage 1 pressure injury.
For the nurse
Note the size, warmth, swelling and whether it blanches. Outline spreading redness around a wound or IV site with a pen and the time, so the next nurse can tell whether it is growing.
In a chart
"2 cm area of nonblanchable erythema over the sacrum; repositioned every 2 hours."
At a glance
| Everyday words | redness |
|---|---|
| Spanish | eritema |
| Also written | erythematous |
Related terms
ulcer
An open sore where the skin or the lining of an organ has broken down.
inflammation
The body's protective response to injury or infection, with redness, heat, swelling, pain and sometimes loss of function.
lesion
An area of tissue that has been damaged or has changed from normal, such as a sore, wound, lump or spot.