Red or Purple Spots on the Skin

About the Symptom

Skin petechiae are small flat red purple marks that appear due to inflammation of blood vessels in the skin.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Dark purple rash on lower limbs
• Recent weight loss
• Difficulty breathing / breathlessness
• Violaceous / purpuric rash
• Easy bruising
• Swelling of the affected area
• Vomiting of blood
• Melena (black stools)
• Gross hematuria

Possible Causes

Generally, Red or purple spots on the skin can be related to:

• IgA Vasculitis (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura)

  A disease that causes inflammation and bleeding of small blood vessels, commonly affecting the skin, joints, intestines, and kidneys. This can lead to rashes, stomach pain, and kidney damage. Though it can affect anyone, it is more common in children under 10 years old. The cause is not well understood, but it may result from an immune system issue.

• Purpura Pigmentosa

  Purpura Pigmentosa Progressiva, also known as Pigmented Purpuric Dermatosis or Schamberg's Disease, is a skin condition that presents with groups of small red dots inside the skin, usually on the arms and legs that can gradually become more orangish-brown. The exact cause is unknown, but it is caused by inflammation of tiny blood vessels in the skin called capillaries.

• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

  Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys platelets, which are blood cells that help with clotting. ITP can cause low platelet levels, leading to easy bruising and bleeding. Triggers include infections like HIV and hepatitis.

• Vasculitis (including Cryoglobulinemia)
• von Willebrand Disease (vWD)
• Sjogren Syndrome
• Congenital Hemophilia
• Acquired Hemophilia

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Red or purple spots on the skin may be related to these serious diseases:

• Leukemia

  Leukemia is a cancer of the body's blood cell-forming tissues. Blood cells circulate in our bloodstream and are created and matured in the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Leukemia involves white blood cells and lymphatic cells and has several types. The cancerous cells are produced in excess and do not function normally. Leukemias can be aggressive and cause symptoms or chronic and smolder for years.

• Splenic Infarction

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you have small red dots resembling bleeding under the skin?
• Do you have bleeding dots on your fingers?
• When did you first notice the purple marks or spots on your skin?
• How often do you experience purple marks or spots on your skin?
• How are your purple marks or spots on your skin now?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• McGrath A, Barrett MJ. Petechiae. [Updated 2023 Sep 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482331/