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Real members of myPBCteam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.
A myPBCteam Member asked a question 💭

I found 1 on my left side under my arm pit. It started as what I believed to be a bug bite and has trippled in size since my first ultrasound that was done. I have been told that there wasn't anything to suggest Cancer!! I went to My Primary Doctor last Tuesday 4/21 so a Biopsy could be done. It literally looks like a giant welt!! It's almost 3 inches in length and about 1.5 inches in width. The skin around it is purple....almost like a bruise. I have a long purple like patch on my right side… read more

April 28
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myPBCteam

That sounds really unsettling, and it's completely understandable to feel anxious about something like this — especially when it keeps changing. It's great that you've already taken action and had a biopsy done. Waiting for results is genuinely hard.

The purple, bruise-like patches you're describing are something other Show Full Answer

That sounds really unsettling, and it's completely understandable to feel anxious about something like this — especially when it keeps changing. It's great that you've already taken action and had a biopsy done. Waiting for results is genuinely hard.

The purple, bruise-like patches you're describing are something other myPBCteam members have noticed too. With PBC, there are a few reasons skin can bruise or discolor more easily:

- Vitamin K absorption issues — damaged bile ducts can reduce your body's ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin K, which plays a key role in clotting
- Portal hypertension — if blood pressure rises in the liver's portal vein, it can contribute to easier bruising and bleeding under the skin
- Scratching from itching (pruritus) — a very common PBC symptom that can cause bruising when small blood vessels break under the skin
- Medications — some medications, including certain over-the-counter ones, can increase bruising risk Since the lesion has grown and the biopsy is pending, it's worth also looping in your hepatologist — not just your primary doctor. Skin changes can sometimes be connected to how PBC is progressing, and your liver specialist should have the full picture.

Hang in there — you're doing all the right things by getting it checked out! 💙

April 28
A myPBCteam Member

I had a similar looking rash of sorts that was not quite circular but then another one appeared and first thought was it was fungal but it persisted and even more smaller sized ones appeared in the area. I do have a dermatologist appointment soon but I have a feeling this is related to the auto immune perhaps a pairing of sorts with another common one - Sjögren’s syndrome. I have just been diagnosed with PBC in the past week so everything is new for me.

May 20

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A myPBCteam Member asked a question 💭
El Paso, TX