Overview
Cholesterol emboli block small vessels in dependent areas of the body, here on the foot. The resulting superficial tissue may infarct, and lower vessels may dilate to try and compensate. This creates a livedo, or 'lace-like' pattern.
Review Date 4/16/2019
Updated by: Michael Lehrer, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.