What does skin look like after it is struck by lightning?

The BBC reports that, after being hit by lightning, a red, branching pattern called a Lichtenberg figure often forms on the skin. The pattern appears a few hours after the strike and vanishes several days to weeks later.

The Lichtenburg figure on human skin is thought to be caused by capillaries bursting under the skin due to the shock of the electrical discharge, says IFL Science.

Capture Lightning says that Lichtenburg figures are known to be created during electrical breakdown processes in gases and insulating liquids. Lichtenburg figures can be deliberately created by passing high-voltage electrical discharges along a surface or through an electrically insulating material.