“Blotchy skin can appear as an uneven skin tone with red, brown, and even white patches with dilated blood vessels,” explains board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC Gloria Lin, M.D., FAAD. 

She adds, “Depending on the underlying cause, it may also have raised bumps or dry scaly skin associated with it.” When examining your blotches, make sure to note if they’re raised or not because that’s a key difference between many of the following causes. 

The good news: “Many cases of blotchy skin are temporary and could be brought on by exposure to outside influences (e.g., the sun, stress, cold or hot temperature, exercise, sauna, etc.)” notes dermatology nurse practitioner Jodi Logerfo DNP, APRN, FNP-BC.