2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L53.9

Erythematous condition, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
L53.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Erythematous condition, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
    (L00–L99)
    • Urticaria and erythema
      (L49-L54)
      • Other erythematous conditions
        (L53)

L53.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of erythematous condition, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like L53.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Acute erythema
  • Application site erythema
  • Application site rash
  • Application site reaction
  • Chronic erythema
  • Eruption of female perineum
  • Eruption of female perineum
  • Eruption of vulva
  • Erythema
  • Erythema at injection site
  • Erythema of female perineum
  • Erythema of female perineum
  • Erythema of periwound skin
  • Erythema of skin
  • Erythema of skin of nose
  • Erythema of vagina
  • Erythema of vulva
  • Erythema over mastoid
  • Erythroderma
  • Erythroderma in infancy
  • Erythroderma of unknown etiology
  • Exanthematous disorder
  • Finding of color of foot
  • Finding of color of limb
  • Foot red
  • Idiopathic erythema
  • Implant site erythema
  • Injection site eruption
  • Mucous membrane erythema
  • Periorbital erythema
  • Persistent erythema of skin
  • Rash of periwound skin
  • Red extremities

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Acrodermatitis

    inflammation involving the skin of the extremities, especially the hands and feet. several forms are known, some idiopathic and some hereditary. the infantile form is called gianotti-crosti syndrome.
  • Acrodynia

    a condition seen primarily in childhood, most often resulting from chronic exposure to mercury compounds which may result in encephalopathy and polyneuropathy. clinical features include pain, swelling and pinkish discoloration of the fingers and toes, weakness in the extremities, extreme irritability, hyperesthesia, and alterations in level of consciousness. (from menkes, textbook of child neurology, 5th ed, p603)
  • Bloom Syndrome

    an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by telangiectatic erythema of the face, photosensitivity, dwarfism and other abnormalities, and a predisposition toward developing cancer. the bloom syndrome gene (blm) encodes a recq-like dna helicase.
  • Erythema

    redness of the skin produced by congestion of the capillaries. this condition may result from a variety of disease processes.
  • Erythema Ab Igne

    a cutaneous finding caused by prolonged heat exposure (e.g., space heater) and local heat injury (e.g., caused by laser therapy). it is characterized by epidermal atrophy, reticular hyperpigmentation, and telangiectatic dermatosis.
  • Erythema Chronicum Migrans

    a deep type of gyrate erythema that follows a bite by an ixodid tick; it is a stage-1 manifestation of lyme disease. the site of the bite is characterized by a red papule that expands peripherally as a nonscaling, palpable band that clears centrally. this condition is often associated with systemic symptoms such as chills, fever, headache, malaise, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, backache, and stiff neck.
  • Erythema Induratum

    a type of panniculitis characterized histologically by the presence of granulomas, vasculitis, and necrosis. it is traditionally considered to be the tuberculous counterpart of nodular vasculitis, but is now known to occur without tuberculous precedent. it is seen most commonly in adolescent and menopausal women, is initiated or exacerbated by cold weather, and typically presents as one or more recurrent erythrocyanotic nodules or plaques on the calves. the nodules may progress to form indurations, ulcerations, and scars.
  • Erythema Infectiosum

    contagious infection with human b19 parvovirus most commonly seen in school age children and characterized by fever, headache, and rashes of the face, trunk, and extremities. it is often confused with rubella.
  • Erythema Multiforme

    a skin and mucous membrane disease characterized by an eruption of macules, papules, nodules, vesicles, and/or bullae with characteristic "bull's-eye" lesions usually occurring on the dorsal aspect of the hands and forearms.
  • Erythema Nodosum

    an erythematous eruption commonly associated with drug reactions or infection and characterized by inflammatory nodules that are usually tender, multiple, and bilateral. these nodules are located predominantly on the shins with less common occurrence on the thighs and forearms. they undergo characteristic color changes ending in temporary bruise-like areas. this condition usually subsides in 3-6 weeks without scarring or atrophy.
  • Glossitis, Benign Migratory

    an idiopathic disorder of the tongue characterized by the loss of filiform papillae leaving reddened areas of circinate macules bound by a white band. the lesions heal, then others erupt.
  • Necrolytic Migratory Erythema

    recurrent cutaneous manifestation of glucagonoma characterized by necrolytic polycyclic migratory lesions with scaling borders. it is associated with elevated secretion of glucagon by the tumor. other conditions with elevated serum glucagon levels such as hepatic cirrhosis may also result in similar skin lesions, which are referred to as pseudoglucagonoma syndrome.
  • Rosacea

    a cutaneous disorder primarily of convexities of the central part of the face, such as forehead; cheek; nose; and chin. it is characterized by flushing; erythema; edema; rhinophyma; papules; and ocular symptoms. it may occur at any age but typically after age 30. there are various subtypes of rosacea: erythematotelangiectatic, papulopustular, phymatous, and ocular (national rosacea society's expert committee on the classification and staging of rosacea, j am acad dermatol 2002; 46:584-7).
  • Laser Therapy

    the use of photothermal effects of lasers to coagulate, incise, vaporize, resect, dissect, or resurface tissue.
  • Lyme Disease

    an infectious disease caused by a spirochete, borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted chiefly by ixodes dammini (see ixodes) and pacificus ticks in the united states and ixodes ricinis (see ixodes) in europe. it is a disease with early and late cutaneous manifestations plus involvement of the nervous system, heart, eye, and joints in variable combinations. the disease was formerly known as lyme arthritis and first discovered at old lyme, connecticut.
  • Rubella

    an acute infectious disease caused by the rubella virus. the virus enters the respiratory tract via airborne droplet and spreads to the lymphatic system.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Erythema NOS
  • Erythroderma NOS

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert L53.9 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 695.9 - Erythematous cond NOS

Patient Education


Skin Conditions

What does your skin do?

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It covers the entire outside of your body. There are many ways that your skin protects your body and helps keep you healthy. For example, it:

  • Holds body fluids in, which helps prevent you from getting dehydrated
  • Keeps out harmful germs, which helps prevent infections
  • Helps you feel things like heat, cold, and pain
  • Helps control your body temperature
  • Makes vitamin D when the sun shines on it
  • Shields your body against heat and light

What problems and conditions can affect your skin?

There are many different problems and conditions which can affect your skin. Some of them can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as itching, burning, redness, and rashes. They might also affect your appearance. Some of the more common skin conditions include:

  • Acne, which causes pimples when hair follicles under your skin get clogged up
  • Burns
  • Cuts and scrapes
  • Dandruff, flaking of the skin on your scalp (the top of your head)
  • Eczema (atopic dermatitis), which causes inflammation, redness, and irritation of the skin
  • Hives, which are red and sometimes itchy bumps on your skin
  • Insect bites
  • Psoriasis, which causes itchy, scaly red patches
  • Skin cancer
  • Skin infections

How can I keep my skin healthy?

Since your skin protects your body in many ways, it's important to try to keep your skin healthy. For example, you can:

  • Wear the right protective equipment, like gloves, long sleeves, knee and elbow pads, or helmets to protect against cuts, bumps and scrapes.
  • If you do get a cut or scrape, clean it right away with soap and warm water. Put on a bandage to protect it while it heals.
  • When you are spending time outdoors, wear long sleeves and pants and use insect repellant to prevent insect bites.
  • Prevent sunburn by covering up and using sunscreen when outdoors.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water.
  • When you take a shower or bath, use warm (not hot) water. Use mild cleansers and wash gently (don't scrub).
  • Use moisturizers, like lotions, creams, or ointments, to prevent dry skin.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases


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Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.