Buckingham Palace has refused to say why the Queen's hand has turned purple bruise but a medical condition called peripheral cyanosis - which refers to a bluish discolouration to your hands and feet – could explain why the 92-year-old's hand is covered in the huge mark.
The skin discoloration looks like a bruise, said Dr. ML Stevenson, a dermatologist at NYU Langone. That could be due to senile purpura, NBC News senior medical correspondent Dr. John Torres told TODAY via email.
Some of the well-known symptoms include intermittent pain, which may present as cramps or muscle fatigue, 'coldness' of the affected body part, numbness and pins and needles. The late Queen's hands were 'mottled' which usually occurs when the heart is no longer able to pump blood effectively.
The purple is due to deoxygenated blood. ' According the the NHS, Raynaud's phenomenon is common and does not usually cause severe problems.It can be treated by keeping warm and will usually go away after a few minutes or hours.
The 95-year-old monarch's deep purple hands may be due to Raynaud's phenomenon, in which spasms of blood vessels in the hands can cause decreased blood flow.
Overview. Raynaud's (ray-NOSE) disease causes some areas of the body — such as fingers and toes — to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress. In Raynaud's disease, smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin narrow. This limits blood flow to affected areas, which is called vasospasm.
People with severe Raynaud's phenomenon can develop small, painful sores, especially at the tips of the fingers or toes. In rare cases, an extended episode (days) of a lack of oxygen to tissues can lead to gangrene (cellular death and decay of body tissues).
Peripheral cyanosis is when the hands, fingertips, or feet turn blue because they are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. Possible causes include Raynaud's disease, cardiovascular problems and hypothermia. All organs and tissues need oxygen to function.
What causes cyanosis? Cyanosis is usually caused by a lack of oxygen in your blood. This may be because your blood doesn't have enough oxygen in it, or because blood vessels are exposed to cold temperatures. Circulating blood keeps your organs and body parts warm.
According to the History Channel, the color purple is generally associated with the 'upper crust' of society, including kings and queens, because, 'to harvest it, dye-makers had to crack open [a rare] snail's shell, extract a purple-producing mucus and expose it to sunlight for a precise amount of time.
Much was also made about the Queen's “blue hand,” a dark blue, purplish discoloration on her right hand that some have speculated was possible evidence of peripheral vascular disease, a problem with blood circulation that can cause narrowing and blockages in blood vessels.
Restoring the Queen's beauty
But, after her brush with death via smallpox, the Queen was left with a lifelong reminder of her illness; she was devastated when she realised that her skin would always bear the scars of the disease that almost took her life.
According to Dr Deb Cohen-Jones, the Queen was possibly in 'considerable pain' as her 'mottled' hands during her meeting with Liz Truss is a sign of peripheral vascular disease.
Perhaps the Queen's choice to show her natural hair colour was simply a practical one, as much as a way she remained true to herself. But to some, this nonconformity – opting out of trends, as she always has done – was symbolic. Her hair says more than 'quintessentially Queen'.
There are a number of reasons why her teeth were so discoloured. The Queen Mother was, by many accounts, a party girl! Wining, dining, and cake played a large part, as did gin and cigarettes in her lifestyle. TWO OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN INDULGE IN, AS FAR AS YOUR TEETH ARE CONCERNED.
You may have noticed that the Queen often clasps her hands together at events but it's not to avoid awkward handshakes. Instead, the pose is intended to show that she is not threatening.
Specifically, under the narrow definition, the median survival time was 10.7 years (95% CI: 9.9–11.9 years) for white subjects without RP, compared to 7.0 years (95% CI: 5.6–13.2 years) for white subjects with RP.
For most people, primary Raynaud's can be annoying and cause discomfort, but is rarely dangerous. Although it is typically a lifelong condition, it frequently does not get worse. In cases in which the vasospasm is severe, the affected areas may be prone to open sores that are slow to heal.
When you notice feet turning blue, it typically indicates that there is not enough oxygen and blood flowing through your lower extremities. Blood is responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body to promote healthy cell as well as tissue growth.
Senile purpura typically affects older patients as their dermal tissues atrophy and blood vessels become more fragile. Patients develop persistent dark purple ecchymoses, which are characteristically confined to the extensor surfaces of the hands and forearms.
If the bluish-purple hue is found only on an infant's feet, hands, and around their lips, this is normal in young children and babies. It's known as acrocyanosis. In their first few hours of life, many newborns have acrocyanosis.
There is growing research into the causes of Raynaud's disease. Links are starting to be made with oestrogen clearance problems; magnesium deficiency [7]; and vitamin D deficiency [8].
There's no known link between Raynaud's and heart disease. However, anyone who already suffers from Raynaud's and is then diagnosed with heart disease should make sure that their doctor is aware of it.
Raynaud's phenomenon: Not just poor circulation
Blood vessels near the surface of your skin constrict, redirecting blood flow deeper into the body. If you have Raynaud's phenomenon, this process is more extreme, and even slight changes in air temperature can trigger an episode, says rheumatologist Dr.