The single or multiple lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis commonly occur on the face, arms and legs. The lesions appear 2 to 8 weeks after sandfly bites and begin as small areas of skin elevation and inflammation. The elevated skin areas enlarge slowly and, within a few months, can develop into ulcers that remain for up to two years, followed by slow healing.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is found in central Asia, India, the Mediterranean coastal plain and West Africa.