When he left Trump Tower to attend the second E. Jean Carroll defamation trial on Wednesday, photographers noticed that disgraced one-term, twice-impeached former president Donald Trump had strange red marks on the bottom of his right hand.
Speculation began on social media about what exactly might have caused the red markings, with some suggesting it was herpes or tertiary syphilis.
Business Insider decided to ask a medical expert, Dr. Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, who said the red blotches are likely a rash and he laid out four reasons Trump might have such a rash.
“Rashes on the hands can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from infections to inflammatory conditions to external exposures,” Zeichner said.
Reason 1: Trump’s hands are too dry. Given that Trump is a well-known germophobe, he may be washing his hands too much. Cold weather can make the problem worse.
Reason 2: Trump has blisters from playing golf. According to Dr. Zeichner, “friction from activities like golf, weightlifting, or baseball” can cause blisters or rashes. The failed ex-president is known to be fond of golfing.
Reason 3: Juice exposure. Lime juice is known to cause burns. “Even lime juice exposure in the presence of sunlight can cause a chemical burn to the skin,” Zeichner explained.
Reason 4: Unknown causes. The doctor noted that hand rashes can be cause by just about anything, including bug bites. But unless Trump himself reveals how he got the marks, we’ll never know for sure.
