Bruise-like spots on the skin may also occur as a side effect of medication in many cases. 2 This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. A bruise on a leg usually will take longer to heal than a bruise on the face or arms. Different types of rashes can also present as a sign of leukemia or develop as a side effect of cancer treatment. IgA vasculitis. Wound Care Education Instituteprovides online and onsite courses in the fields of Skin, Wound, Diabetic and Ostomy Management. On light skin, purpuras appear purple. Which treatment you might need depends on the cause of your bruises. They are initially a dark maroon or reddish color (because the blood is oxygenated). Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms. If you've ever bumped your arm or leg with enough force on a hard surface, you know how bruises form. If a minor injury like a bump caused your ecchymosis, the mark should clear up within a week or two. However, it is important to pay attention to your skin and to reach out to a healthcare provider if you have concerns or experience changes in your skin condition. Disseminated intravascular coagulation. If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as "male" and once as "female"). In children, often following a viral infection like chickenpox, the ITP usually goes away without treatment. The problem probably will not get better without medical care. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Do you feel lightheaded or dizzy, like you are going to faint? When blood vessels break, bruising occurs. Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling. Instead, they're tied to more serious conditions. Sometimes autoimmune diseases go hand in hand with each other. Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. But severe bruising, swelling, and pain that start within 30 minutes of an injury may mean a more serious problem, such as a severe sprain or fracture. Extreme fatigue (to the point where it's hard for you to function). Symptoms occur more often or are more severe. Although there is no cure, some therapies, such as applying human epidermal growth factors to the skin, may limit the impacts of solar purpura. Ice will reduce pain and swelling. Makeup or concealer can cover the bruises, with a skin test to check for sensitivity and choice of products as needed. Alternately, they may be a blood-filled blister. Thrombocytopenic purpura causes tiny purple or dark dots, and larger patches. In some cases after an injury, blood collects and pools under the skin (hematoma). Feeling very dizzy or lightheaded, like you may pass out. If the skin is injured over a bruise, be sure to watch for signs of a skin infection. Otherwise, senile and IgA vasculitis-related cases usually go away on their own. Has your facility emphasized the need to distinguish between these types of lesions? But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital. You do not need to call an ambulance unless: You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you. Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care. You can also put direct pressure on the area for 15 minutes at a time. Some people have sudden unexplained . International J Pharm and Pharm Sci. Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, is a health writer with over a decade of experience working as a registered nurse. It can be. Solar purpura also may return. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. MedlinePlus. If your bruising is due to age, your doctor may suggest that you avoid medicines like NSAIDs that could make you bleed more easily. If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Purpura might look like bruises, but they aren't caused by an injury as most regular bruises are. Drug-induced thrombocytopenia. Don't smoke or use other tobacco products. That leads to low levels. The problem probably will not get better without medical care. Petechiae don't look like bruises. For a free legal consultation, call 800-934-6555. Message and data rates may apply. Nursing home residents are also sometimes prescribed anticoagulants that are designed to prevent dangerous clotting in the blood. Have you had bruises or blood spots for more than 2 weeks? Age spots, for example, are caused by overactive pigment in the skin cells themselves. There is usually no kind of pain associated with purpura. On light skin, purpuras appear purple. Examples of abnormal bleeding include: When you have abnormal bleeding in one area of your body, it's important to think about whether you have been bleeding anywhere else. I am wondering if anyone else out there gets random bruise like spots on their skin that aren't actually bruises? New or worse signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or a fever. Have you had bruises or blood spots for more than 2 weeks? These medicines can cause bleeding and can make it harder to control bleeding. Asif M, Quiroga L, Lagziel T, Ladd SB, Caffrey J. Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it? Solar purpura is a skin condition that causes purple spots or bruises when small blood vessels leak under the skin. These include: You have answered all the questions. Purpura consists of red or purple lesions that are similar to bruises, in that they are blood added to the skin tissues. Leukocytoclastic or IgA vasculitis (formerly called Henoch-Schnlein purpura) are among the types of vasculitis that can cause purpura. But they are different than the tiny, flat, red spots or birthmarks (hemangiomas) that are on the skin all the time. Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling. It's important to consider this possibility, especially if the bruises can't be explained or if the explanations change or don't match the injury. Prescribed blood thinners such as warfarin can also have a similar effect. When blood vessels break, bruising occurs. Do you think that the bruising may have been caused by abuse? This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Most bruises aren't a cause for concern. You also can get the bruises on your face, but it is not common. Cedars-Sinai. Red spots all over feet and legs when exposed to heat. When platelets are low, blood doesn't clot properly. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm by calling (800) 842-6336 to discuss your legal options with a professional. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The clot plugs the broken blood vessel and stops it from bleeding. Bruises are most common in injuries to the forearms, hands, legs, and feet. Based on your answers, you may need care right away. This can be a symptom of a more serious health problem. Shortness of breath. Purpura: Bruise-Like Spots on Skin That Aren't Bruises. But they are different than the tiny, flat, red spots or birthmarks (hemangiomas) that are on the skin all the time. Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. are pinkish red, always round or oval and the size of a dime or quarter. This gives the skin a spongy, rubbery, lumpy feel. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day. If someone else is administering your loved ones medication, or treating a loved one, it is always a possibility that there was a dosage or frequency error. You can start gentle exercise with the aid of moist heat to help restore and maintain flexibility. You may notice more bruises than usual if you take medicines that thin your blood or affect its ability to clot, such as: If you take one of these drugs and you've noticed bruises, check with your doctor. Extreme fatigue (to the point where it's hard for you to function). Women tend to bruise more than men do. Melanoma that looks like a bruise Melanoma can develop anywhere on the skin, including the bottom of the foot, where it can look like a bruise as shown here. Pigment is what gives our skin color, and when cells overproduce pigment it leads to a darkening in color. Do you have symptoms of a serious illness? Unexplained increase in size or number of bruises or blood spots. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine. The hit or fall breaks blood vessels just under your skin's surface. These types of medications might be prescribed to prevent the potential for heart attack or stroke in high-risk residents, and they can change the characteristics of blood cells and blood flow that can lead to bruise-like spots. Purpura might look like bruises, but they aren't caused by an injury as most regular bruises are. Damaged blood vessels leak even though platelet counts are in the normal range. This can clear up over months or leave a permanent scar. If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. Skin cancer types: Melanoma Signs and symptoms - American Academy of Sometimes people don't want to call 911. You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down. The bruise can be the result of something as simple as bumping into furniture. So do older adults. Health Matters They combine with proteins called clotting factors to form a clot. They are tiny, flat, red or purple spots in the skin. Feeling very dizzy or lightheaded, like you may pass out. 2017 Jun;10(6):44-50. Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care. Guest Looks like a bruise Reply k4tune06 Additional comment actions. Therefore, youre more likely to find them over a bony prominence and in patients with a history of immobility. Has there been a decrease in how alert or aware you are or how well you can think and respond? Also, taking a nonprescription medicine with a blood thinner may increase your risk of bruising and bleeding. Excessive sunlight exposure is a main cause, so exposed areas like the limbs are most often affected. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia requires immediate treatment. 2018;10(1):211213. If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. It can be hard to stop bleeding from cuts and scrapes. These bruises are called petechiae and appear when tiny blood vessels called capillaries break. Vaginal bleeding that is different (heavier, more frequent, at a different time of month) than what you are used to. That's the medical term for a type of bruise. Most bruises aren't a cause for concern. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. A force to a particular part of the body can rupture blood vessels, causing a bodily response that results in blood pooling in a certain area, leading to discoloration. If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. On dark skin, the patches appear dark brown or black. A medicine, such as aspirin or blood thinners (, An infection that causes the buildup of toxin in the blood or tissues (. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then in the world of wound care, the same can be said about the appearance of a lesion where the blood has escaped the vessels and entered the skin. Where are you located exactly? Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Wrap the area (not too tightly) with an elastic bandage, such as an Ace wrap, and keep it on until you see a doctor. Wed love to hear more about your experiences please leave your comments below. Yes, purpura can resemble a rash or bruise. He is a clinical professor at the University of Colorado in Denver, and co-founder and practicing dermatologist at the Boulder Valley Center for Dermatology in Colorado. Symptoms occur more often or are more severe. Home treatment may speed healing and relieve the swelling and soreness from bruises that are caused by injury. Bruises that don't seem to be caused by an accidental injury may be caused by abuse. 2018;11(1):13-18. It could be ecchymosis. You may need care sooner. You may need care sooner. Unexplained increase in size or number of bruises or blood spots. Using IV vitamin K to help with blood clotting, Possible treatment with prostaglandins and immunosuppressants. Call 911 or other emergency services now. Apply ice or cold packs right away to prevent or reduce swelling. Current as of: 2022 Apr 13;14(4):e24124. IgA vasculitis can happen at any age but is most common between the ages of two and six. If you bruise easily, you may not even remember what caused a bruise. These spots, called purpura, are common in older adults but may be a sign of inflamed blood vessels in younger people. Purpura in children that's not related to an injury is more likely to be caused by an autoimmune disorder, leukemia, or other underlying condition.
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