What Is Skin Sarcoidosis?

Skin sarcoidosis can cause firm bumps, plaques, or discoloured areas. Lesions may be brown, red, violaceous, or darker than surrounding skin, and commonly affect the face, ears, scars, or other exposed sites. Some people have no discomfort; others notice itch, tenderness, swelling, or changes around an old scar. Because sarcoidosis can involve organs beyond the skin, your clinician may ask about persistent cough, breathlessness, eye symptoms, palpitations, fatigue, or joint discomfort. A skin biopsy is often used to confirm granulomas and help exclude infections or other look-alike conditions.

Book a dermatology appointment for new persistent lesions or unexplained changes in an old scar. Bring a list of medicines and mention previous sarcoidosis, breathing symptoms, eye changes, or swollen joints. Treatment depends on the extent and location of disease and whether other organs are involved. Limited lesions may be treated with [Steroid Injection Into The Skin](/treatments/injectables/intralesional-steroid-injection/). More extensive or active disease may lead to discussion of [Oral Corticosteroid Treatment](/treatments/medical-dermatology/oral-corticosteroid-therapy/). These medicines require clinician guidance because dose, duration, and monitoring matter.

Seek urgent care for severe breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, sudden vision change, a painful red eye, or marked palpitations. Arrange prompt review if lesions are rapidly changing, ulcerating, painful, or affecting the eyes, nose, or mouth. Even without urgent symptoms, unexplained persistent skin lesions deserve assessment because appearance alone cannot confirm sarcoidosis.

Do I need a biopsy or tests for organ involvement? Could an infection or another condition look similar? Which treatment suits the affected area? What monitoring is needed if corticosteroids are prescribed?