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Bleeding into the skin

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Bleeding under the skin can occur from broken blood vessels that form tiny pinpoint red dots (called petechiae). Blood also can collect under the tissue in larger flat areas (called purpura ), or in a very large bruised area (called an ecchymosis).

Alternative Names:

Ecchymoses; Skin spots - red; Pinpoint red spots on the skin; Petechiae

Considerations:

Aside from the common bruise, bleeding into the skin or mucous membranes is a very significant sign and should always be checked out. Redness of the skin ( erythema ) should not be mistaken for bleeding. Petechiae, purpura, and ecchymosis do not become pale (blanch) with pressure. The redness of erythema decreases and then returns when you apply and then release pressure to it.

Common Causes:

• Injury or trauma
• Allergic reaction
• Autoimmune disorders
• Viral infection or illness affecting blood coagulation
• Thrombocytopenia
• Medical treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy
• Antiplatelet medications such as clopidogrel (Plavix)
• Bruise (ecchymosis)
• Birth (petechiae in the newborn)
• Aging skin (ecchymosis)
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (petechiae and purpura)
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura (purpura)
• Leukemia (purpura and ecchymosis)
• Drugs
  • Anticoagulants such as warfarin or heparin (ecchymosis)
  • Aspirin (ecchymosis)
  • Steroids (ecchymosis)
• Septicemia (petechiae, purpura, ecchymosis)

• Review Date: 5/17/2007
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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