Café Au Lait Spots: From 2 Different Sources
Patches of coffeecoloured skin that may occur anywhere on the body.
Café au lait spots are usually oval in shape and may measure several centimetres across.
Generally, a few spots are not significant; larger numbers may be a sign of neurofibromatosis.
well-defined pale-brown *macules on the skin. They are present in up to 20% of the normal population, but the presence of six or more in an individual is strongly suggestive of *neurofibromatosis type 1.
A misnomer applied to the brown MACULES often seen on the backs of the hands of those chronically exposed to sunlight (see LENTIGO). They have no connection with any liver disorder.... liver spots
Irregularly shaped areas of bluish-black pigmentation found occasionally on the buttocks, lower back or upper arms in newborn infants of African, Chinese and Japanese parentage, and sometimes in the babies of black-haired Europeans. They measure from one to several centimetres in diameter, and usually disappear in a few months. They are commonly mistaken for bruises.... mongolian blue spots
Tiny, grey-white spots that appear in the mouth during the incubation period of measles.... koplik’s spots
Coffee (Coffea arabica).Plant Part Used: Seed, leaf.Dominican Medicinal Uses: The roasted seeds are traditionally brewed to prepare coffee and taken orally as a laxative, diuretic, stimulant, blood cleanser and for treating sexually transmitted infections or used as a mouthwash for toothache and inflammation of the mouth or gums. The seeds tinctured in alcohol are applied topically for arthritis and muscle pain. The leaves are typically prepared as a tea by infusion and taken orally for diarrhea, and may also be prepared as a bath for skin ailments.Safety: The seeds and seed decoction are widely consumed and generally considered safe. One of the primary active constituents in coffee is caffeine. Potential adverse effects from excess coffee intake include diarrhea, insomnia, headache, heart palpitations, hyperacidity and stomach irritation. No data on the safety of the leaf in humans has been identified in the available literature. In animal studies, the leaf showed no evident signs of toxicity.Contraindications: Excess caffeine consumption (including coffee) is not advised during pregnancy or lactation. Caution is advised in patients with renal dysfunction and hyperthyroidism. No data on the safety of the leaves in pregnancy, lactation or small children has been identified in the available literature.Drug Interactions: Coffee may interfere with drug resorption. The following medications may inhibit caffeine metabolism or clearance: oral contraceptives, cimetidine, furafylline, verapamil, disulfiram, fluconoazole, mexiletine, phenylpropanolamine, numerous quinolone antibiotics (i.e. enoxacin, pipemidic acid, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin), idrocilamide and methoxsalen.Clinical Data: Caffeine has been investigated in human clinical trials for its cognitive enhancement effects, and coffee has been studied as a colonic stimulant and common cold treatment.Laboratory & Preclinical Data: In animal studies, coffee has shown hypercholesterolemic effects, and in vitro it has shown antioxidant activity.* See entry for Café in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... café
De Morgan’s spots are a type of small HAEMANGIOMA occuring in the skin of middle-aged people. No more than 3 mm in diameter, they are rarely widespread and are not malignant.... de morgan’s spots
A vague term applied to small in?amed and congested areas which appear especially upon the skin of the face, neck and chest or other parts of the body in warm weather.... heat spots
Bluish-white spots appearing on the mucous membrane of the mouth in cases of MEASLES about the third day, and forming the ?rst part of the rash in this disease.... koplik’s spots
Also called FLOATERS, these can arise from a variety of causes including in?ammation and bleeding in the eye, or preceding a retina detachment. They may also occur for a variety of totally harmless reasons. (See EYE, DISORDERS OF.)... spots before the eyes
Harmless red or purple raised spots in the skin, consisting of a cluster of minute blood vessels. About 2 mm across, the spots usually affect middle-aged or older people. With increasing age, the spots become more numerous but do not increase in size. They may bleed if injured. Treatment is unnecessary.... de morgan’s spots
cheesy foamy greyish spots that form on the surface of dry patches of conjunctiva at the sides of the eyes. They consist of fragments of keratinized epithelium. A common cause is vitamin A deficiency. [P. A. Bitot (1822–88), French physician]... bitot’s spots
greyish-brown spots seen in the iris of the eye. They can be found in normal individuals but are usually associated with *Down’s syndrome. [T. Brushfield (1858–1937), British physician]... brushfield spots
see angioma. [C. G. de Morgan (1811–76), British physician]... campbell de morgan spots
soft fluffy spots in the retina resulting from accumulations of *axoplasm in the nerve-fibre layer of the retina. These may indicate diseases causing hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) in the nerve-fibre layer (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, connective-tissue disease, or AIDS).... cotton-wool spots
visible sebaceous glands present in most individuals. They are 1–3-mm painless papules that may be noticed on the scrotum, shaft of the penis, labia, and inner surface and border of the lips. They become more visible from puberty onwards and are easier to see when the skin is stretched. Completely harmless, they are not sexually transmitted or infectious and do not require any treatment. [J. A. Fordyce (1858–1925), US dermatologist]... fordyce spots
pigmented lesions in the macular area of the retina that are seen in severely myopic (short-sighted) individuals. They are breaks in *Bruch’s membrane allowing choroidal *neovascularization and can result in reduced vision. [E. Fuchs]... fuchs’ spots
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