[Erythema ab igne].

A 47-year-old woman suffering from chronic abdominal pain developed erythema ab igne (reticular hyperpigmentation of the skin caused by exposure to heat). Histological examination revealed premalignant changes in two specimens of affected skin. The incidence of erythema ab igne is declining since fewer people use open fires for heating. Nowadays it is found mostly in patients suffering from chronic pain using hot water bottles, infrared lamps or heating pads. The disease is an important clinical indication for underlying chronic diseases. The affected skin runs a higher risk of development of actinic keratoses. Bowen's disease and squamous cell carcinomas. Dysplastic features of keratinocytes can be found histologically in lesions which are clinically not under suspicion.