Key Indicators Of Phenylketonuria

Skin Rashes

Eczema or atopic dermatitis is one of a few skin rashes that can manifest in phenylketonuria patients. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by dry skin, severe itchiness, red patches of skin on the hands, ankles, neck, eyelids, knees, face, feet, wrists, upper chest, elbows, and the scalp. Sometimes small bumps may develop that are raised, may leak fluid, and usually crust over when scratched. The affected area of the patient's skin may become cracked, thickened, or scaly. The exact mechanism of how phenylketonuria causes atopic dermatitis to occur is not entirely clear, but increased vulnerability to environmental factors is known to play a role in the process. Because excessive levels of phenylalanine are known to disrupt normal metabolization of melanin in the skin, the same mechanism may be responsible for causing increased sensitivity and decreased levels of protection against the environmental factors around the skin. These changes can result in the inflammation in the skin of phenylketonuria patients from contact with external agents such as bacteria, allergens, and other irritants.